There’s a few workplace attributes more employees would do well to learn from Donna in ‘Suits’.
She’s not perfect. But she has a number of admirable qualities.
I believe all employees who follow her core positive ‘Donna-isms’ would get more kudos from their boss, get on better with their colleagues, and probably go further in their careers.
So, ready to learn from the awesome and gorgeous Donna Paulsen? Here goes :
1. She says the tough things that need to be said {and that no one else has the courage to say}
She’s not a ‘yes’ woman. She won’t just agree because of something her superior said. We all know that when leaders are surrounded by only ‘yes’ people, they become blind to their weaknesses and they also become vulnerable to making bad choices {because no one has the guts to tell them they’re about to make a bad decision}.
Donna’s your lady. If you’re about to make a bad decision, she’ll tell you. We need more brave people like that in the workplace.
2. She’s fiercely loyal. She sticks up for people even when it’s the unpopular choice.
How many people are only loyal when it suits them? (no pun intended 😉 ). I’ll tell you: many.
It takes a courageous type of character to speak up for what is right, even if it may not be politically correct to do so. Donna does this. She’ll fight someone’s corner, and fight for them to be given a second chance if she believes in them.
Even if it means confronting her superiors and saying things that could make her unpopular. That’s the antithesis of so much that goes on in the real corporate world, where most people are secretly glad to see a fellow employee in disgrace or fall out of favour.
Donna was not afraid to approach the fiery Jessica, managing partner of the firm, and try to change her mind about firing Louis. She incurred Jessica’s wrath – and even when she could see that she was infuriating Jessica, she didn’t back down. She also repeatedly confronted Harvey Specter when she disagreed with decisions he took or when she felt he was about to make a mistake that he would regret.
3. She is so proactive that she anticipates her boss’s needs before he does
And she acts on them – often before he even knows he needs it! And without him having to ask. Who could possibly ask for more than that?
4. She has huge compassion and emotional intelligence
She knows how people are feeling even when they can’t articulate it themselves. She can tell at a glance when something is wrong and has the wherewithal to know how to encourage them to open up and let it out. She listens and has the sensitivity to understand.
5. She notices subtle nuances and details about people that others miss
Because of it, she can often provide the key piece of information about someone that her leaders need that gives them an advantage. It repeatedly turns out to be of huge value to them in winning a case.
6. She is an encourager of people and believes the best of them
Sometimes she’s the only one who sees the good in someone when others don’t. She supports the underdog. She was the first to stick by Louis when everyone had had enough of him and his back-stabbing ways. Because she believes the best of others, it helps bring out the best in them.
7. She has incredible people skills and oozes charm
She can get past gatekeepers, and is equally an incredibly skilled gatekeeper herself – she would successfully turn people away from disturbing Harvey with ease, and without them holding it against her.
Everyone loves being around her and confides in her. They know they’ll get a listening ear, warmth and empathy. And they know that she really cares how things turn out for them.
8. She is appreciative and thoughtful
She gets gifts for people that mean something to them. Tickets to the opera. A framed photo of herself for Louis. A ‘team Litt’ cake to celebrate their win. She even helped Harvey leave his girlfriend a more thoughtful ‘welcome gift’ when his present buying was sadly lacking.
9. She’s super organised and nothing seems too difficult for her
Harvey is the envy of other partners because of his accomplished secretary. Especially Louis who for years has to settle for battle-axe Norma instead.
Her paperwork is in such incredible order that she is super-confident that if she doesn’t recognise a piece of paper, it didn’t pass by her desk (and she was right, even though the ‘fabricated’ document in question ended up getting her into all sorts of trouble.)
She is the fax-whisperer. She is a filer-extraordinaire. A diary diva.
She’s awesome.
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