Kathi and Katherine talk about managing up on this week’s episode of the My Crazy Office podcast.
First we give advice to a worker whose boss always presents new goals and agendas but never sticks to them.
Then we discuss what a manager can do if they set goals for their team but nothing gets done.
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Kathi and Katherine talk about when it’s time to leave a job on this week’s episode of the My Crazy Office podcast.
First we give advice to a worker who knows it’s time to leave her job but doesn’t have confidence or faith to do so.
Then we discuss how a manager can help facilitate an employee’s departure.
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Kathi and Katherine talk about applying to jobs on this week’s episode of the My Crazy Office podcast.
First we give advice to someone who is applying to jobs but not having much success.
Then we discuss what managers should do if they are not getting any quality applicants for their positions.
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Kathi and Katherine talk about promotions on this week’s episode of the My Crazy Office podcast.
First we give advice to an employee who puts in labor for a promotion only for it to go to their boss.
Then we discuss what a manager can do if an employee doesn’t get promoted and it’s their fault.
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Kathi and Katherine talk about asking for help on this week’s My Crazy Office Overtime show.
Are you able to ask for help at work when you need it?
Listen to this week’s podcast here.
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A social contract is an unofficial agreement shared by everyone in a society in which they give up some freedom for security. The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau popularized the idea of the social contract in the 1700s, but it’s just as applicable today. A good example is when we go to the airport and go through security. We may not like it, but we understand that it’s a freedom we give up for the benefit of safety in our society.
Social contracts in the workplace have primarily been between employees and employers where employees receive a living wage in exchange for their labor. This exchange would help employees achieve a stable life while employers would be able to produce their goods and services. As the workplace and what constitutes work have changed so has that philosophy of a social contract. Now, because of technology and the restrictions in place with COVID-19, that former social contract is being further challenged.
When reasoning through this new challenge here are five areas that need rethinking:
1 – Working virtually most of time. So many companies resisted having staff work from home for years, but guess what? We learned through the pandemic that it works! Staff have worked harder and have not missed a beat. This experiment of working from home because of the quarantine has proven that working virtually works and people like it.
2 – Flexible work hours. Another lesson the quarantine has taught us – if we do need to commute or take an elevator or fit into the same office space close to our coworkers, then we can not all do it at the same time. In addition, having also having our children homeschooled taught us that we must be flexible as people do have full lives.
3 – Equity and diversity. This is a topic that has been talked about for way too long. Its time has come, and each organization should take some time now to agree that they will hire and promote a diverse team instead of hiring and promoting the same people who look like themselves. It is going to take real effort and a level of self-awareness to do things differently. You may want to seek help.
4– Social distancing, the handshake, and buffet lunches. Adjusting to these social rules is going to be a hard one for me. I’m a hugger. I hug most of my clients. I’m sorry to say I will not be hugging anyone until we have a vaccine. Handshakes? No way! So what is your plan? Will you bow? Greet others by touch elbow to elbow? Wave? And forget about sharing platters of food for a while.
5 – Wearing a face mask. Many spaces including retail stores, supermarkets, hospitals, doctors offices, office buildings, elevators, etc. require you wear a facemask, and yet some people feel it does not apply to them. The department of health in most states is giving recommended guidelines for the workplace so how will your company handle this?
Understanding that Social Contracts are mutually understood arrangements for the greater good, we know that what constitutes greater good today is significantly different from what it was four months ago. How are you going to participate? How is your organization going to participate? Let us know how it’s going at your place of work.
Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.
Contact us at info@mycrazyoffice.co for any further help around this topic.
As an executive coach, I try to show my clients that with every awful business occurrence there is usually a silver lining. You may not see that lining at first, but with time you can see there was a lesson of value.
Not everyone is experiencing or seeing the silver lining at this time. Some of you are losing cherished members of your family and dear friends. Some of you may have lost your job and much needed income.
Some of you may feel angry because your gym is closed. Most of us desperately need a haircut. With that said, this quarantine and pause from life, as usual, can be a catalyst for each of us to take stock regarding what might actually be the silver lining.
Below is a list of silver lining comments that my clients have made over the last few weeks:
1 – I don’t miss many of my co-workers.
2 – I’m cooking all my meals and I like it.
3 – I’m sleeping better and don’t feel the pressure to get up earlier than needed.
4 – I like the relaxed attire I get to wear while working.
5 – I have so many fewer emails that my job is more doable.
6 – I’m learning that I like being by myself – I like me.
7 – I’m an introvert so I’m OK dealing with fewer people daily.
8 – I don’t have to commute.
9 – I’m hearing from friends and family that I haven’t spoken to for a while.
10 – I’m reading more, cleaning more, and finding it relaxing.
11 – I’m more appreciative of the essential workers in my city.
12 – Spending more time with my cat/dog and family is really nice.
13 – I can hear the birds singing because there are less cars on the road.
14 – It feels like the planet is healing itself.
15 – I have the opportunity to rethink my values.
16 – I’m realizing how important my supermarket workers are.
17 – I can take care of myself on my schedule throughout the day.
18 – I appreciate my job.
19 – I get to take classes for the job I really want.
20 – I’m learning how to connect with people on line.
21 – I like having access to people and places virtually that are not local.
Hard times teach us valuable lessons that help us grow and plan for the future. What are your silver linings? If you don’t see them at this time I promise they are there. You will see them when the time is right.
Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.
Contact us at info@mycrazyoffice.co for any further help around this topic.
During this pandemic, it’s our essential workers who can travel and physically go to work while the rest of us shelter at home. We naturally and deservingly celebrate these dedicated and courageous members of our workforce. We are forever grateful to our medical workers, police and firefighters, EMT’s, transit workers, mailmen, package delivery folks, food delivery people, supermarket personnel, liquor store workers, military etc.
If you are not considered an essential worker today, that does not mean your work is not important and essential at other times. But, many of my clients are wondering how they can be of service at this time. Some are feeling sad that their work is not needed, and some are discovering what can be essential in what they are doing.
How do you become essential? By making your product or service useful to your customers at this time.
For example, you may want to offer your product or service at a very low cost today in order to insure business in the future. If you have a product, it might be time to put that product on sale to make it more desirable. If you are a hairstylist, fitness trainer or home organizer, you may want to reach out to your clients and see if you can help them do some maintenance with a video call.
If you are a travel professional, it could be time to reach out to your customers and talk about future trends, or get them excited about what’s next. It’s best to stay in touch. Remember out of sight before you become out of mind.
Ask yourself:
Think out of the box and be generous. Think Strategically:
We are all in this together, and together we will get through this. All of our customers and clients will once again need us more then they need at this time. Business will resume. The economy will come back, and so will our work.
Kathi Elster – Executive Coach and co-owner of K Squared Enterprises.
Contact us at info@mycrazyoffice.co for any further help around this topic.
Join Kathi and Katherine as they answer real workplace questions with solid advice, and a great sense of humor.
Bestselling authors Katherine and Kathi use humor and a slue of engaging techniques to mediate solutions for individuals at every level of employment — from executives to managers to frontline employees.
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