BY FC Expert Blogger Jody Turner

The business press loves to create mythic heroes of industry and we love it, too. To a point.

As much as we love a business visionary like, say, Steve Jobs--and we love him to pieces--we are not Steve Jobs, and never could be. Nor should we. All leaders have their own unique talents, which they will use in different ways to bring out the best in themselves and others. Here are 5 ways to discover your own strongest qualities and put them to work in business and in life.

It’s so much easier to keep your job than look for a new one in this economy. These tips are a good reminder for all of us to love the one we’re with.

1. Do Your Job – Only Better
A freelancer I know recently told me she’d rather just go to work for someone else so that she could show up in the morning and leave in the afternoon without worrying about every moment of billable time. That is exactly the kind of thing that’ll get you fired anytime, and especially now. Bottom line: contribute to the bottom line.

2. Suck It Up
Unless you work for AIG, you’re probably not getting a bonus this year. Or a raise. Get over it. Money isn’t everything. Giving off the impression that you’re working just for a paycheck is a direct route to Pinkslipville.

When you wake up to the sound of your alarm and prepare to face another day on the job, do you dread the idea, feel good about it or are you somewhere in between? If you crawl into a fetal position and pray for an excuse to stay home, you may have a problem with job security.

For the most part, we know deep down inside when our time is up. You can deny, deny, deny, but if you were smart enough to get the job in the first place, you should be able to spot a potential pink slip headed in your direction. We have nine signs you're about to get fired here, and if you recognize one, you could be on the street soon. Just hope you read the sign in time to reverse your fate.

Having a job is fulfilling but if problems occur you could be facing the most critical situations in your life.

That is because you need that job and you cannot afford to lose it. There are usually problems at work either with your boss or your co-worker. This is sometimes inevitable given that a working place is where different individuals try to communicate and socialize.

How can you handle situations in order not to get fired or be hated by your co-workers?