You blame people - instead of the system: Every time your team misses a deadline, you point a finger at Bob. That dude comes in late, doesn't seem to get much done and, frankly, you just don't like him. But guess what? Picking on Bob is not going to get the project finished on time. "In fact, about 93 percent of workplace problems are caused by a bad process, not bad people," says Maravelas. We all love finding someone to take the blame, so we can bond over blaming him and feel guilt-free, but this only ensures that the problem will come up again.

Break the habit: "Instead of saying 'Whose fault is this?' ask, 'What's going on?'" Maravelas suggests. "Find out what's cumbersome or slow about your process - chances are it's an easy fix, but nobody has taken the time to figure it out."

... Or you suffer in silence: If you would rather quit your job than tell your boss why you're unhappy, you're not alone. In interviews with 500 people that were considering quitting their jobs, researcher Joseph Grenny found frustration with a boss to be their top reason for leaving - but two out of three had never attempted to discuss the problem with their supervisor. "They would rather deal with the stress and hassle of job-hunting than sit down and talk about the problem," says Grenny, co-author of "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High."

Break the habit: Don't obsess about the risks of talking to your boss. Instead, "think about what will happen if you don't speak up," advises Grenny. "The problem will continue to affect your job satisfaction, which impacts your performance, making you less likely to get promoted. People who avoid confrontation are never seen as leaders." Put that way, you can't afford not to bring it up.

You like to win: A winning attitude does not mean that "out for blood" should be your mantra. Chances are, you aren't winning friends this way, either. "I'm super competitive, and my new project manager is just as Type A, anal and organized," says Morrison. "I thought we would be a totally efficient team, but instead we've started to try to out-perfect each other. We're always edging onto each other's territory and competing to announce an accomplishment to our bosses." Morrison confesses that "waging this kind of war is exhausting and makes my entire job harder."

Break the habit: Kill your competition with kindness. "We were raised to believe that competition gets us to do our best work, but that's only true if you're speed racing," says Maravelas. "The more complex the task, the more important it is to cooperate." Cooperation also improves your self-esteem and your relationships with other people. Morrison agrees: "I made sure to share the glory when we meet our most recent deadline, which caused us to both back down a little."

Your best work habits

We asked some hard-working New Yorkers what they do every day to help them get ahead. "When I was starting out, I always made it a point to sit at 'the big table' during meetings, even though junior staffers usually sat off to the side. I think it helped the higher-ups see me as a legitimate editor - and I did get three promotions in four years."- Melissa Daly, 27, magazine editor

"I do great work on the subway. I bring my files and a highlighter and just go to it."- Lesley Prince, 32, public relations associate

"I schedule all of my meetings with my boss for after 2 p.m. I'm sluggish in the morning, but after lunch, I'm totally ready to present ideas." - Melissa Walker, 28, features editor

"I make it a point to walk to people's offices now and again, instead of e-mailing a question or just to see what's up. If someone knows you as more than a name, they're more likely to want to help you." - Dan Upham, 24, internal communications coordinator 

© New York Post, 2006