Have you ever bumped into your boss in the lobby or elevator and thought, "What luck! An opportunity to get in their good graces." and then, immediately, "Oh no, what should I say?" I have. Too often, I'd chicken out and say something lighthearted and predictable about the weather. Or, I'd fish for some tenuous common thread to pull on. "I know you like the beach after you mentioned it in that speech yesterday. Guess what? I like the beach too!" As I scurried away to my desk, I felt I'd missed an opportunity. Unplanned interactions can feel like a win or a risk, depending on how you approach them.

　　你是否曾经试过在走廊或电梯里遇到老板，然后心里想：“真幸运啊，争取老板青睐的机会来了。”然后，马上，“噢不，我该说什么好?”笔者也曾经遇到过这种情况。通常，我都会胆怯然后说一些无关痛痒的或者预测天气之类的话。或者我会找一些容易引起讨论的话题。“我知道您很喜欢那个在昨天演讲提到的海滩，其实，我也很喜欢海滩啊!”当我溜回办公桌的时候，我就觉得自己失去了一个机会。无准备的互动要么成功要么失败，这就取决于你采取的方式。

　　Of course, no career is made in a single, short "elevator" conversation- no matter how flawless you are. However, you can start important relationships or impress people who need impressing with one brief interaction. Make the most of unplanned interactions by doing some thinking about how you want to present yourself in advance.

　　当然，所有的职业成就都是多方面构成的——短暂的“电梯”交谈——不管你是多么的完美无瑕。然后，你可以建立起重要的人际关系或者打动那些需要一次短暂互动的人们。你得提前思考在无准备的互动如何展示自己。

　　I recently had the opportunity to interview Michelle Prince, the Global Head of Learning and Development at Randstad. I asked her a few questions about her approach these spur-of-the-moment conversations and how she makes the best of them.

　　最近我有机会采访兰德斯塔德的学习与发展机构的全球总裁Michelle Prince，我咨询了她一些关于这种突发时机对话的应对方法以及她是如何出色应对的。

　　So, imagine you're taking the elevator with your boss. How can you make a strong impression in a short time frame?

　　那么，请想象一下你正在与你的老板一起搭载电梯，你如何才能在如此短暂的时间里留下强而有力的好印象?

　　"No matter how frequently you meet with your boss or manager, every interaction is an opportunity to move your career forward. While your first inclination may be to discuss trivial topics like the weather, kids, pets, traffic, etc., go for something more substantial instead, which will ultimately leave a stronger impression."

　　“不管你与老板或经理遇到的频率有多大，你们之间的每一次互动都是助你事业前进的机会。虽然你的第一选择可能是讨论琐碎的话题，比如天气，孩子，宠物，交通等等，你可以尝试一些更实质的，才会留下更深刻的印象。”

　　"That's not to say getting to know your boss on a personal level is unimportant (you should do that, too). But if you only have a few minutes together, use the time to express curiosity or recognize a success. For example, asking a question about a recent meeting, or commenting on a successful project, signals to your boss that you are not only focused on work, but committed to growing in your role, as well."

　　“那并不意味着从个人角度了解老板是不重要的(你也应该这么做)。但如果你们只有短短的几分钟，那么你就应该利用它来表达自己的好奇心或认可成就。例如提出关于最近一次会议的问题，或者对某一个成功的项目作出评价，这都是向老板释放着信号，告诉他/她你不仅专注于工作，还投入于你的岗位。”

　　Are there specific do's and don'ts when it comes to making a favorable impression?

　　那么，在营造一个讨人喜欢的印象的时候是否有一些具体的应该做和不应该做的事情?

　　"Religion, politics and money. It's impolite to discuss these three topics in most conversations today, let alone at work. Because of their personal (and sometimes contentious) nature, steer clear of this taboo trinity."

　　“宗教，政治和金钱。如今在大多数的人际对话当中，谈论这三个话题都是很不礼貌的，更不用说在职场环境了。因为这涉及到他们个人(有时候是有争议的)本质，要清晰调整这禁忌三剑客。”

　　"Another point of contention to avoid: talking negatively about coworkers. No one wants to be known as the 'office gossip,' or the person complaining about his/her colleagues. You'll surely stand out to your boss, but not for the reasons you'd want. Be noticed as a team player by complimenting a coworker or sharing credit for a win. You'll gain recognition and build a much more favorable reputation."

　　“还有一个需要避免的争议话题：说同事的坏话。没有人想要成为‘办公室八卦之王’，或者总是埋怨同事的人。没错，你必须与老板站同一阵线，但这不是你表达意愿的原因。你应该通过赞赏同事的工作或者分享荣誉，让老板注意到你是一名团队成员。这样你就能获得老板的青睐，建立起更讨人欢喜的名声。”

　　"Do follow-up on your conversation -- no matter what you end up discussing. If it's timely, schedule a quick meeting later that day, or send an email later that expands on your comments. You might also share a relevant article or a new idea. Either way, it is important to reiterate the highlights of your conversation, to stay top of mind and continue building a relationship."

　　“切记继续完成你们的对话——不管你们最后讨论的是什么。如果时间有限，那么在当天安排时间进行一次快速会谈，或者发送一封后续邮件详细说明你的想法。你可能还需要分享一篇相关的文章或一个新的想法，不管是哪种方式，你都需要重申你们对话的核心主题，在心中牢记并继续建立联系。”

　　Regular check-ups are being normalized versus the yearly annual review. How can we encourage employees to frequently communicate with their boss, even in small time frames?

　　相比于年度总结，定期反馈已经常规化了。我们该如何鼓励员工们多与老板沟通，即使在非常短暂的时间内?

　　"It's essential for employees to take initiative and set up ad hoc meetings with their boss throughout the month. This shows a boss that you care about your job, are keeping his/her expectations top of mind and are completing projects or tasks on time. Bosses and managers tend to be busy, but a simple 15- or 20-minute conversation can set everyone's minds at ease, knowing that you're on track with the team's goals and strategies. Frequent check-ins also allow both parties to monitor progress of not just projects, but careers, too."

　　“员工们很有必要主动与老板开展月度未来发展计划的会议。这可以向老板显示出你是一个在乎自己工作的员工，把他/她的期待放在首位，能够及时完成项目或任务。老板们和经理们常常都很忙碌，不过短短15或20分钟的对话可以让每个人都放轻松，了解到你正在关注着团队的目标与策略。多点沟通同时让双方关注着不仅是项目的进展，还有事业的发展。”

　　"As a boss, the key to establishing good accessibility with your employees is finding out what method of communication works best, especially in today's more virtual work environment. Whether it's regular updates via email, regular one-on-one meetings, a shared project management tool or weekly status meetings, figure out the best approach to ensure you're an accessible, approachable manager. If you are managing a virtual worker, take advantage of video conferencing capability so that you are seeing each other frequently even though it's not in-person."

　　“作为一位老板，关键在于开通良好的沟通渠道，让员工们找到最好的沟通方式，特别在今天更网络化的工作环境。不管是日常通过电子邮件的情况汇报，定期一对一会议，还是分享项目管理工具或每周进度会议，都可以寻找到最佳的方法，保证你是一名平易近人的经理。如果你有一名虚拟化工作的员工，你可以好好利用视频会议的好处，这样你们就可以常常会面了，即使那不是亲自见面的。”

　　"In fact, according to a study by Randstad, Millennials and Gen Z don't want annual reviews anymore--they want frequent and ongoing conversations. Having grown up in a world of texting, tweeting and Snapchat, these generations are accustomed to constant communication and feedback. The annual performance review is coming to an end as Gen Z and Millennials are receiving feedback either daily (19%), weekly (24%) or regularly (23%) instead of annually (3%)."

　　“实际上，根据兰德斯塔德的一项研究显示，千禧一代和Z一代(实习生)都不再希望年度评估了——他们想要频率高的，持续的对话。成长于发短信息，发微博和视频对话的时代，这些世代的人们已经习惯了不间断的沟通与反馈。年度绩效已经随着Z一代与千禧一代接受反馈(日常19%，每周24%或定期23%，而不是年度的3%)之中逐渐消失了。”

　　The relationship between manager and employee represents a vital link not only in performance management, but in the development of each person's career. Don't pass up brief opportunities to get to know each other better, as they may be crucial cornerstones for you to build that relationship off of.

　　维系管理者与员工之间的关系不仅仅需要工作表现管理，还有每个独立个人的职业生涯的发展。不要错过这些时间简短的机会去了解对方，因为他们可能会是你建立人际关系至关重要的基石。