My Crazy Office | K Squared Enterprises

My Crazy Office is a weekly workplace podcast dedicated to helping listeners navigate their careers. Executive coach Kathi Elster and career therapist Katherine Crowley combine their expertise to solve both serious and silly situations at work. Join Kathi and Katherine as they answer real workplace questions with solid advice and a side of humor. Do you have someone or something at work that’s driving your crazy? Send your questions to info@mycrazyoffice.co. (All submissions kept confidential.)

5 Tips For Working with Difficult People

June 5, 2012

Don’t react in the heat of the moment
It’s so tempting when dealing with a difficult person to let them have it, but that never works. You know what happens, you end up getting in trouble because you were heard fighting with a co-worker. So, take a few minutes or even a day to cool off, exercise, do some deep breathing, put the issue in perspective before you say anything.
When speaking to a difficult person address the facts, not their personality
Once you get personal with a difficult person you are in for a battle. For example, if a difficult co-worker does not deliver their report to you when it’s due. Never say “you always deliver your work late, you are such a problem” instead say, ‘I may have misunderstood something, but I expected that report yesterday, when can I expect it?”
Set clear boundaries with this person and then reinforce those boundaries as needed
A difficult person has a tendency to not respect boundaries, whether it’s your personal space, being late, or simply not having manners. Whatever it is, if you do not set boundaries they will not set them for themselves. For example, if a work with someone who arrives 15 minutes late to every meeting with you, instead of being mad you can say “ I have limited time to meet with you and it’s important that our meetings start on time, so the next time you are more then 10 minutes late I would like to reschedule” I promise this works for a while then you may have to say it again.
Don’t take their behavior personally
I know this is easier said then done. But, you have no reason to take this persons behavior personally, because they treat everyone this way. They treated people before you arrived like this and they will treat people after you are long gone this way, IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU.
Learn to detach
Detaching is when you understand that you cannot change this person. Understanding this should give you great relief. How they behave is not your responsibility.

5 Signs That You Need an Executive Coach

June 4, 2012

During these times of rapid change, many people in management positions are navigating both personal and professional challenges. Perhaps you’re one of those people. You may have recently been promoted to a more advanced management position. Or, maybe your company is under new management,
Or possibly your job has been re-defined and you find yourself managing former peers. Faced with these kinds of career changes, it can be difficult to find the guidance you need.

That’s when an executive coach can provide invaluable support. The job of an executive coach is to assist you in developing professionally and meeting your personal career goals. Executive coaching is designed to enhance on-the-job performance. It helps you develop strategic and leadership skills so that you can meet whatever challenges arise in your workplace.

When is it time to hire an executive coach?

While you may like the idea of having your own support system at work, you may also wonder when it’s appropriate to hire a coach. We’ve identified five situations where the guidance and counsel of an executive coach can really make a difference:

– You’re looking for a confidante but don’t have anyone at work that you can trust.
– You know your career could use a boost but you’re not sure what to do.
– You’re feeling unchallenged at work, and contemplating a job or a career change.
– You’ve been promoted but you aren’t feeling worthy of the promotion.
– You have goals but you aren’t reaching them. Something is in the way but you don’t know what it is.

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What does it take to re-invent your career?

June 1, 2012

As an executive coach in today’s economy I find myself helping many clients re-invent their careers. I like to say “welcome to the age of opportunity disguised as loss.” As industries shrink and change, staying on top of your skills and seeing work in a slightly different way becomes the new survivor’s thinking.

Re-inventing your career usually requires a period of unknowing; of being a beginner again. You must be willing to learn new skills, investigate new industries and build new relationships.

During this kind of career transition, it’s possible to construct an interim, more general definition of your talents, skills and capabilities. This short-term identity is based on the skills that you’d like to continue to use as you enter your new career path.
Here are 5 tips to remember when re-inventing your career.

– Get help in defining the skills and talents that you’d like to apply to a new position.
– Build your credibility in this new area by volunteering, interning or getting trained or educated.
– Attend events where you can meet new people and forge new business relationships.
– Find others who have successfully re-invented their careers for support.
– Practice positive thinking while navigating your discomfort.

Before You Offer Advice…

April 24, 2012

Before you offer advice, make sure that the person on the receiving end is open to hearing it.

Sometimes, we think we know what someone needs to do or say or even wear at work. We’re sure that we’re right, and if our colleague or client would just listen to us, a certain problem or situation would immediately improve.

But offering unsolicited advice to someone who’s not ready to receive it can create more problems going forward.

Before you offer advice, stop and take the recipient’s temperature.

Say, “I’ve got a few ideas about how to resolve _________. Let me know when you’re ready to hear it.”

If you’re itching to advise a colleague on a personal matter like health or weight or love life, you’re better off waiting until that person requests your input.

If you can’t hold it in, say, “I’m having a strong reaction to ________. Can we discuss it?” Or “I’m really concerned about ________ . “ and see how the listener responds.

It may be hard to zip your lip. You may feel anxious and frustrated. But learning when and how to offer advice is an important life skill. It takes practice to offer assistance in a way that can be received.

Morning Routine

April 10, 2012

What’s your morning routine? Do you fall out of bed after hitting the snooze button a dozen times, jump in the shower, and rush off to work? Or do you take a few moments to wake up, drink tea or coffee, read or write, exercise, and prepare for your day?

I find that my morning routine really matters. If I start out rushed, frazzled, or running behind, so goes the day. If I give myself time to check in and get centered, then my day unfolds in a similar fashion.

In a world where we’re constantly asked to react and respond, where the work day can start any time and end whenever, giving yourself just a little time to wake up and re-enter the world could make a BIG difference.

Try giving yourself time to wake up, check in, and decide what matters today. Your mind and body will thank you later.