If you like self-help articles that give you five ways to do this and five ways to do that, today’s column doubles your pleasure or diminishes your fun: Ten ways to get derailed and ten ways to stay on track.

1. If you expect your workmates to understand your bad moods, tolerate foul language, and ignore big blunders, you’re in for a bumpy ride: they can’t, they don’t and they won’t. Instead, clean up your act, learn from your mistakes, improve your likeability and you’ll last longer and go farther.

2. If you hide in plain sight, letting your co-workers do all the talking, or you disappear, letting your co-workers make all the decisions, you’re AWOL and looking for trouble.

Appearances count. Prove that you make a difference. Do your homework. Work on what’s important to the people demonstrating a commitment to excellence. Talk with influencers about the key challenges facing the company. Be a resource, (“How can I help?” “How can I support you in your efforts?”) and show that you’re willing and able to step up and pitch in. Ask questions, offer perspective, and take action.

3. If you consistently ignore deadlines or create log- jams so others miss theirs, you’re more hindrance than help. When you meet deadlines and help others meet theirs, you create a perception of trustworthiness, credibility, responsibility and a reputation typically reserved for keepers.

4. If you isolate yourself and utter “not my job” sentiments you won’t have a job to be sentimental about. Team players are counted on to step up when it counts, not when it’s convenient. They work synergistically, not as loners. They’re flexible, responding to needs as they occur. They’re solution focused and action oriented, letting go of the past, living in the present and moving to the future.

5. If you advance your career at the expense of others you’re going to land someplace you don’t want to go. Instead, use your considerable talent to advance the company. Lead by example, involve others in strategic thinking; developing and implementing action plans designed to enhance opportunity for all those willing to dedicate themselves to the effort.

6. If you dress down for the part you used to play the introductions and opportunities you want will go to someone else. If you dress for the part you want to play, and introduce yourself to decision makers and influencers, you’ll tap into opportunities others didn’t know existed.

7. If you avoid risk, preferring to stay in your comfort zone, people will see you as stuck, unwilling to try new approaches and learn new ways of thinking or doing. Instead, take calculated risks. Learn to adjust to others needs and behaviors by engaging more, asking more, listening more and responding in ways that demonstrate your desire to communicate more openly and proactively.

8. If you stop learning you’ll stop growing. If you stop growing, you’re not worth the salary you’re getting. Instead, learn from strategic leaders and share perspectives with knowledge managers. Educate yourself and encourage others to do the same through cross- functional and international assignments, cross- cultural awareness, formal instruction and informal training. Consistently apply what you learn to what you do.

9. If you knee-jerk your responses or speak out of both sides of your mouth, you establish yourself as inappropriate, untrustworthy, or both. Instead, think before speaking or taking action, and demonstrate integrity through principled behavior.

10. If you open objectionable websites or send off-color, off-putting emails consider the consequences: everything you receive and transmit is on record and property of your employer. It’s not worth the risk. Conduct yourself professionally in person, in meetings, on the telephone, when using fax machines, copiers, scanners, and computers.