If you want to be taken seriously at the office, here are a few pointers to set you in the right direction.

If you want your work to be respected and your ideas to be accepted, then you must ensure that people take you seriously. You already know that it takes hard work, honesty and integrity to get ahead in your career, but for others to see you as a serious dude and not a joker, there are specific actions which you must take. Here they are.

Don’t be a yes-man
Kiss-ups can be sniffed out from across the office. The favours you may gain from nodding robotically will be short lived, empty and, ultimately, ungratifying. If your gut disagrees with something, voice your views without fear. But, remember: Keep your arguments civil and measured, always respecting the opinions of others. 

Be well-spoken
Yes, some bosses swear like sailors and are still respected, but they possess a unique strength of character that lets them get away with it - don’t assume that you can. Keep your language clean and your sentences crisp. Say what you need to say without rambling, and resist the urge to chime in all the time. This means that you shouldn’t interrupt people and you needn’t voice your opinion about everything. Instead, listen to others and consider their counsel. Let them finish their thoughts and hear them out. You don’t have to reply right away, so take the time to think out your answers. 

Be punctual
Make a habit of keeping others waiting for you and you’ll lose their respect. After all, how can you be trusted with major projects if people can’t trust you to show up on time? By respecting the schedules of others, you’ll earn their respect in return.

Do your homework

Ignorance is one of the professional world’s least respectable traits - if not the worst. No man can be taken seriously if he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. If you want your ideas to count, be better informed than everyone else. Stay up to speed with current trends and never stop learning. Being prepared will help you in your proposals. Before pitching an idea, know the exact message that you want to deliver. Consider what you want others to think, what objections they might have and how you can ease their minds. Collecting all your information and knowledge beforehand will reinforce your pitches and presentations, showing a serious, professional approach to business.

Be a worthy ambassador

When you’re sent somewhere on behalf of the company, you become its ambassador. This applies too, at after-office parties. There is a protocol to be followed. How many ambassadors will spill dirty secrets about their countries just to get them off their chests? If you want your company to look like the best, you have to look like the best. Speak proudly and admirably about who you work for. If you need to badmouth, that’s what your drinking buddies are for.

Show results

Big talkers might make an impression at first, but they only sustain it until they fail to show the goods. If you believe in your abilities (which you should), then don’t be afraid to act on them. Take the initiative on what you feel is the right course of action, then stick to it. Sometimes rules can be broken and protocol can be sidestepped. Follow every declaration with real action. Better yet, promise little and deliver a lot, more than you said you would. Those who go the extra mile on their own are rare, highly admired and always respected.

Don’t brag

You may have accomplished a lot, but wait before singing your own praises. There’s something to be said about a man who lets others discover his merits on their own. Boast about your achievements and, at best, you’ll receive envy - at worst, resentment.

Keep your cool

True leaders show their mettle in times of great stress. There are those who break down and despair, and those who stay focused and shift gears to quickly find a solution. Whatever happens, don’t explode or throw your arms up in resignation. Keep your mind clear at the worst of times and you’ll be able to handle anything. There’s nothing more respectable than calm under fire.

Dress up, not down

Since so much is predicated upon appearances, the quality of your dress will play a large role in how others determine your quality as a man. Take the usual dress code of your company and dress at the top of it. We’re talking crisp shirts, good trousers and shiny shoes - minimum! Even if your company tolerates shorts and sandals, hold yourself to a higher standard. Don’t overdress, though; you’ll look pretentious and a tad ridiculous.

Hold your liquor

Even at office parties, where employees are encouraged to cut loose, you should watch your drink count. Even if it’s a nonprofessional event, your coworkers will still remember if you grab the boss’s wife and call her a plump turkey. If you know you’re no damn good when you’re drunk, then cut yourself off after a few drinks.

Keep your private life private

You're at the office for work, not therapy. Talking about private matters makes others uncomfortable and will shatter the serious image you want to portray.