One of the keys to a successful career is making the right decisions at critical junctures, whether you’re fielding a job offer, asking for a promotion or plotting your next move.

Beyond those major decisions, every day presents myriad, small opportunities to make good — and bad — choices that could have a big impact.

In an uncertain economy, knowing how to proceed at these junctures becomes even more critical, according to Arizona-based business and workplace consultants Jamie and Maren Showkeir, co-authors of “Authentic Conversations.”

Here are seven tactics to help keep your career on track.

1. Don’t play the blame game.

It’s better to acknowledge your role in the company’s problems — and contribute to their solutions — than to blame management or your coworkers.

“Once you see yourself as being in control of your future, you can change the conversation with your coworkers, by saying, ‘We need to do our best to make this business work, or we’ll be in even deeper trouble,’” Maren Showkeir says.

2. Skip the gossip and get down to work.

Send a message to coworkers about priorities by concentrating on the tasks at hand, instead of spreading speculative information.

“If you’re spending time speculating on what may happen next, it’s counterproductive,” Maren Showkeir says.

3. Get the real story.

Avoid unnecessary anxiety by approaching a trusted colleague to find out the real bottom line with your company.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the what-ifs,” Maren Showkeir says. “My advice is to go find out what your manager or boss knows, and figure out how to prepare for the future.”

4. Don’t play the victim.

Identifying problems within your company won’t get you anywhere, unless you follow through with strategic solutions.

“Being a part of an organization means having information, making sense of it, and acting on it,” Jamie Showkeir says.

5. Think big picture.

Collaboration is more important than ever during difficult times, so it’s wise to put aside any rivalries for the sake of your company’s future.

“If you’re working together, you have the power of many minds to get things done,” Maren Showkeir says. “Collaborations can be a really powerful way to both strengthen the business for when it improves again and to not feel so alone and overwhelmed by all the work staring you in the face.”

6. Be a listener, not a talker.

Remember that what’s left unspoken during a meeting is just as important as what’s on the agenda.

“If we don’t discuss concerns and fears, we’re missing two-thirds of what’s relevant to a project’s success,” Jamie Showkeir says.

7. You gotta have hope.

In the workplace, misery doesn’t really love company, so try to focus on the possibility of better times ahead.

“Would you rather place your bet on the future by engaging in hope and optimism, or be pulled kicking and dragging into it?” Jamie Showkeir says. “How we answer that question ultimately drives our behavior and our success in how we engage others.”

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