Are Your Afraid To Fire a Popular Employee?

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss the challenge of firing an employee who seems to be popular with the staff. They start with a question from someone who has discovered that a popular employee has been cheating on time sheets and disseminating confidential information to unauthorized people. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to manage these unruly employees despite your fears about letting them go.

Are You Smarter Than Your Boss?

It can be challenging to work for someone who seems less intelligent than you but has more power. On today’s My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine ask a provocative question: Are you smarter than your boss? If so, what can you do about it?
They start with a question from someone whose boss is unable to make decisions, has a very low E.Q., takes credit for other people’s work, and constantly says things that his staff have to apologize for. K & K discuss how to manage this kind of professionally frustrating and politically delicate situation.

Does Your Boss Put You Down to Keep You Around?

In this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a hot topic: Do you secretly suspect that your boss may be keeping you down because he or she needs you? They start with a question from someone who has been working as an assistant to a top designer for two years with the promise of a promotion that never comes. Kathi and Katherine talk about why certain bosses find fault with their most capable employees so that they can keep these individuals working on their behalf.

Is Your Boss Afraid You Will Outshine Them?

Most bosses want you to do your job well, but some bosses may view your personal success as their loss. In this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine examine a delicate situation: What can you do if your boss is afraid that you will outshine them? They start with a question from someone whose recent recognition for outstanding performance resulted in the boss becoming distant and uncooperative. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to detect if your boss fears being diminished by your success and what you can do about it.

Is Your Department Moving in a Direction that You Don’t Like?

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss what you can do if your department (or company) is moving in a direction that you don’t like. They start with a question from someone who disagrees with their department’s decision to do things differently based on customer feedback. Kathi and Katherine talk about what your options are in these kinds of situations.

Are You Doing Your Boss’ Job?

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a tricky topic: What if you are doing your boss’s job? They start with a question from someone who finds themselves doing their boss’s job – even though it’s clear that the boss is incompetent, and people are quitting because of it. Kathi and Katherine discuss different ways of handling this kind of delicate situation.

Are You Dealing with a Sacred Cow?

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about a very challenging kind of boss —
The Sacred Cow. They start with a question from someone whose company CEO recently hired a close friend into the COO position. This individual seems friendly, but lacks the experience and skills to do the job. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to work with this kind of boss and keep your sanity.

Is Someone You Manage After Your Job?

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss what to do if you suspect that someone you manage is after your job. They start with a question from a manager who fears that one of their direct reports is trying to take their job. During the second part of the podcast, Kathi and Katherine consider the same topic from the employee’s perspective: What if you want to be your boss’s equal?