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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This past Sunday (4/26/2020) Governor Cuomo of New York said, “We are not going back to the way things were, we are going forward.” I have to say I agree with the Governor. Many of my clients are telling me that they see this as an opportunity to do things differently.
Some small business owners want to take their businesses smaller not bigger. Other clients want to continue working from home and no longer want to commute. Several of my clients are saying they want to incorporate real work-life balance — not just pay lip service to it. And some clients are realizing that they need to find a better job/career.
Everyone is thinking about what “moving forward” means. If you aren’t, it’s time to start. We are in a reset. Go inside and listen. Do not disregard your deepest thoughts and feelings; they are telling you something. You are at a point of choice at this time. You can let go of the way you thought work had to be and decide on what is right for you.
What parts of your job/career do you want to move forward? What parts are you unwilling to continue? Consider the following:
Commuting – Maybe you want to work closer to home, or work virtually.
Change industry – If your industry is on hold, you may want to investigate a completely different industry. Maybe you want to go back to school.
Micromanaging boss – This could be a good time to see if you can transfer to another department or find another job.
Doing the work of others – Perhaps you no longer want to compensate for others’ lack of initiative.
Compromising my private life – You may want to establish a hard start and stop time to your workday, creating boundaries around work that protect your private life.
Working with a mean girl/guy – Instead of working with awful people, you may be ready to look for a new position within or outside of your current company
Not getting paid fairly – It may be time to find a position that pays you what you deserve.
Getting rid of troubling employees – Downturns have always been a good time to lay off difficult staff. Perhaps you have some people who could go.
Needing less office space – Going to a more virtual workforce may mean you don’t need as much office space.
Going back to a standard schedule – Instead of returning to your previously regimented work schedule, you may want more flexibility.
Stop eating overpriced unhealthy food – Does your company serve unhealthy, overpriced food at meetings? You may want to bring your own food to work more often.
It’s time for me to not have a boss – You may be ready to start your own business.
Doing work that has no meaning – You may feel that now is the time to make a difference.
Most of us fear change and the unknown. We tend to stay in difficult situations longer then we should for fear of not knowing what better options are available to us. Instead of being scared, embrace change and possibilities. (I know this is easier to say than it is to do.)
During this unusual time, I challenge each of you to examine and come to terms with what you really want to do professionally. Consider your happiness, your purpose, your health, and your legacy.
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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