An executive was having difficulty with her assistant, so she decided to confront her.

“Nancy,” she began, “you don’t seem to be into your work. The letters you type are full of errors, rarely do you get to work on time, and why don’t you ever answer the phone?”

“The answer to the last part is easy,” the assistant responded. “I quit answering the phone because nine times out of 10, it’s for you!”

Now there is an employee who is probably not going to get very far!

Whether you are starting out in your career or just want to improve, you need to earn the trust of your bosses and co-workers.

No matter how much workplaces have changed over the years, there are still some basic guidelines to follow that will help you stand out. These are some of the most important lessons I can offer.

-- Arrive on time consistently. Yes, sometimes the traffic is bad or mass transit runs late. Train yourself to arrive at work within a specific window so people don’t have to guess when you’re coming in -- or whether you’re coming in at all.

-- Dress appropriately. Take note of how your co-workers dress, and follow their lead. You don’t want to be too formal, but sloppy clothes and poor personal hygiene can mark you as unserious or unprofessional.

-- Introduce yourself effectively. Practice a quick introduction -- no more than 30 seconds -- so you can make a good first impression on the people you meet. Remember to look people in the eye and give them a nice, warm handshake.

-- Remember names. Make an effort to keep people’s names in your mind. You’ll impress them and show that you’re paying attention. The best way is to repeat their names a few times when you first meet to lock the name in your head, or write it down at your first opportunity.

-- Stay organized. If you’re scrambling to find things on your desk or are always late for meetings, you’ll look scatter-brained and undependable. Set up a system for tracking information and managing your time so you’re always on top of things.

-- Use email professionally. Keep in mind that your email at work belongs to your employer, not to you. Write every email as if it might be read aloud in court. You don’t want a flippant remark or a bad joke coming back to haunt you.

-- Share the credit generously. Collaborate with your co-workers as much as possible, and let your boss and other people know they’ve helped you. No one wants to work with someone who hogs all the accolades, but people are happy to cooperate with a co-worker who’s generous with the credit for a job well done.

-- Talk to your boss. Make time to check in with your manager when you don’t have a problem to report or a question to ask. Don’t monopolize their time, but make contact to offer a suggestion about a project or ask for feedback. Let the boss know you are interested and eager.

-- Volunteer. Don’t wait for your manager to ask you about joining a committee or task force. Jump at the opportunity to be in contact with colleagues outside your department and build your image throughout the organization.

-- Go above and beyond. If you really want to impress people, accept responsibility that others might have backed away from or didn’t want. Never pass up an opportunity to show your willingness to learn and work hard. There will always be a place for the person who says, “I’ll take care of it” and then does, in fact, take care of it.

-- Don’t give up. Stick with your projects and get them finished, preferably on time. Show your managers that they can rely on you to keep your commitments.

-- Network. Get to know the most talented people in your organization regardless of their titles. Don’t ask them for help -- rather, offer to help them when you can. This builds positive relationships and earns you a reputation as someone who puts the organization’s objectives first.

-- Keep learning. I’m an advocate for lifelong learning, and I strongly encourage people to keep their brains fresh by learning both on and off the job. Be curious. Delve into subjects that will make you a more valuable employee.

Someone once asked Michelangelo at age 88 when he was going to retire. He answered, “Whenever I stop learning.”

These are habits you will use for life, no matter what job or title you hold. Good workplace etiquette will never go out of style.

Mackay’s Moral: Put your best foot forward to get a leg up in business.

The minister was preoccupied with thoughts of how he was going to ask his congregation to come up with more money than they were expecting for repairs to the church building. On top of it all, he was annoyed to find that the regular organist was sick and a substitute had been brought in at the last minute. The substitute wanted to know what to play.

“Here’s a copy of the service,” said the minister, “but you’ll have to think of something to play after I make the announcement about the finances.”

At the end of the service, the minister paused and said, “Brothers and sisters, we are in great difficulty. The roof repairs cost twice as much as we expected. Any of you who can pledge $100 or more, please stand up.”

At that moment, the substitute organist played “The Star-Spangled Banner.” And that is how the substitute became the regular organist.

The ability to think on your feet like this organist and react to events without prior thought or planning is a critical life skill. Some of the best training I received on this was when my father encouraged me to join Toastmasters International many moons ago. You have to get up on your feet at a moment’s notice and talk about a subject for several minutes.

In business, you never know when you might be called on to lead a discussion or team meeting, respond to an inquiry, solve a problem, present a proposal or sell an idea.

The key to thinking on your feet is confidence. You can’t worry about what others think of you or how they perceive you.

Prepare for every meeting. What are commonly asked questions? Rehearse for situations. Think of the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. You need to have working knowledge of the subject. Practice for what you think might happen.

Listen and pay attention to what is being said. Seek clarification if you don’t understand. One of the ways I do this is by repeating the question. This helps me make sure I understand the question, and it also buys me more time to prepare my response. It doesn’t hurt to say you need a moment to think about how to answer that great question.

Don’t be uncomfortable with a brief period of silence; rather use it to your advantage. It will convey that you are thinking and preparing a proper answer. Too many people rush to get their words out. Slow things down by pausing to collect your thoughts.

Another technique I like to use is storytelling. I often use humorous stories to drive home points. When I speak to corporate audiences, I divide my talks into lessons and wrap up each lesson with a humorous story. This engages people and captures their attention. Whether you have an audience of one or one thousand, storytelling can make a difference.

Get used to being put on the spot. You know it is going to happen, so do your best to anticipate what the other party is looking for. If you don’t know an answer, say so. Don’t add to the problem by making something up. You’ll look foolish.

If you are drawing a blank, turn the situation around. Ask if there is a desired outcome or response. It’s OK to ask, “Did you have something specific in mind?” or “What would be the best ending for this story?” Understand that the right answer may take some time to develop. And it’s not always the first or quick answer.

Finally, relax. This is especially hard when your heart is racing and you are feeling pressured. Calm down, take a deep breath, and resist the temptation to blurt out your first impulse just to get it over with. Chances are you will have a second opportunity to arrive at an acceptable reply.

A customer approached a stocker at a neighborhood grocery store and asked if he could buy half a head of lettuce. No, the stocker said, they were sold whole.

But the customer persisted, pestering the stocker to talk to the manager. The employee walked into the back room and said, "There's some jerk out there who wants to buy only a half a head of lettuce."

The stocker turned around to find the man standing right behind him. He quickly added, "and this gentleman wants to buy the other half ...”

Mackay’s Moral: The ability to think on your feet can prevent you from falling on your face.

Golf has been a big part of my life. When I was growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, I dreamed about making a living playing golf professionally. I wanted to be the next Ben Hogan, the top golfer at that time. When I was competing in the NCAA golf tournament as a member of the University of Minnesota golf team, I realized that wasn't going to happen.

I still love golf after all these years. It's been a hole-in-one opportunity to build my envelope manufacturing business. Whether you're opening doors or closing deals, golf can enhance almost any business opportunity.

Earlier this month I was privileged to play golf with another links hero of mine, Jack Nicklaus, regarded as the greatest golfer of all time. He won 73 PGA tournaments, including a record 18 major championships. We played his home course -- The Bear's Club in Florida -- and I was a sponge as I soaked up his golf wisdom.

I asked Jack about his tremendous success, especially in making crucial tournament-winning putts. He thought about it for a bit and said, "I never missed a putt in my mind."

Jack Nicklaus is not considered to be the best at hitting his woods, long or short irons, or even chipping and putting. But almost everyone considers him the greatest thinking golfer of all time. He had no equal at the mental part of the game, which makes up 50 percent of competitive golf.

As an example, golf great Ben Hogan stood over a crucial putt. Suddenly, a loud train whistle blared in the distance. After he had sunk the putt, someone asked Hogan if the train whistle had bothered him.

"What whistle?" Hogan replied.

Jack said: "Concentration is a fine antidote to anxiety. I have always felt that the sheer intensity Ben Hogan applied to the shot-making specifics was one of his greatest assets. It left no room in his mind for negative thoughts. The busier you can keep yourself with the particulars of shot assessment and execution, the less chance your mind has to dwell on the emotional 'if' and 'but' factors that breed anxiety."

Nicklaus put great effort into preparation. I can't think of another golfer who was better prepared. He would often arrive at a tournament a week early to study the course, prepare mentally and relax. He always kept his focus on the game.

We discussed how much you can learn about a person when you play golf with them. The game tends to expose your real character. One study found 47 percent of those surveyed believed that behavior on the golf course usually paralleled behavior in business. It tests your fortitude, your confidence and your humility.

Golf is a networking game par excellence. In what other environment can you see your customer for four to five hours straight, without interruption from phones, meetings or competitors, for that matter? And no one knows this better than Jack.

If you're making a key hire or closing a business deal, the golf course is an ideal test because you see how people act in all kinds of circumstances. You can take note of their appearance, how they carry themselves and how well they follow the etiquette and rules of the game -- even if they know how to have fun. And remember, they can see how you handle yourself as well!

Jack joked that most people work their entire lives so they can play golf in retirement, whereas he played golf most of his life so he could retire to work. His Nicklaus Design company has opened more than 400 courses in 42 countries around the world.

Nicklaus is also a big believer in philanthropy and volunteerism. He and his terrific wife, Barbara, who entertained our group for dinner at their home, have raised tens of millions of dollars for the hugely impactful Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, which provides families access to world-class pediatric health care.

Those activities illustrate his priorities in life: family, golf and business. He skipped a lot of tournaments because of family activities. He also would leave in the middle of a tournament and fly somewhere to watch his kids and be back the next day to tee off.

One final point I found interesting. When Jack was giving me a putting lesson, he told me that Barbara devoted 40 years to his life in golf. Now it is his turn to devote the next 40 years to her life. Family really is No. 1 with Jack Nicklaus.

Mackay's Moral: Golf is so much more than just a game; it's a slice of life.