Isn't it just the strangest thing when one of your trusted, fellow comrades turns on you? Who expects controversy at work? It happens all the time.
Everyone cares so much about their careers that even simple decisions can spark great controversy. Who knows why unexpectedly, controversy arises out of the deep, calm ocean of work, but it can absolutely explode all over your day. Why do these things happen?
Office peer pressure? Well, yes. Sometimes peers still act like high-school and it's really easy to go with the popular vote and suddenly everything that was previously discussed about a project is completely unsettled because "place name here" isn't happy.
Boss pressure? See "peer pressure" only insert about 12 million pounds of more pressure.
Bad day at the office? Of course, and it's really easy to take those days out on the closest, most convenient people or projects around.
Everyone is busier because we're all working with less than what we had before the recession (smaller budgets, fewer members on staff) but we're expected to produce bigger and better than last year's ( or last quarter's) results. With all of these pressures on everyone's shoulders - is it any wonder that we're about to snap - at even our most trusted office mates?
When it happens - which it will - just have patience and remember how the ultimate professional would react and try to be that person who takes the high road. If possible, avoid email responses - because they just get annoying (and crafting the most professional responses that have no biting tone in them takes a lot of time). A great way to deflate the controversy is to have empathy with your office mate. Give them a reason to respect your work performance - even in strained moments.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
is it Christmas Eve already?
Well - closest thing to a Christmas Eve feeling at work is a Thursday!
Thursdays are the best days of the week - even better than Fridays - simply because everyone is in a GREAT mood! Think about it - we're close to the end of the week, everyone has their weekend to look forward to - with all of our big, weekend plans - we're all just a bunch of kids waiting for the school bell to ring with freedom! Nobody minds when something goes totally kabloom on a Thursday because the typical response is "Well, let's think about this over the weekend and we'll get back together next week."
Fridays, while they are also on the good side of the week - don't have as much anticipation in them. They full of the pressure to "finish stuff up" before "heading out." And what about those big, weekend plans? Now, those plans are starting to look a little more like "have to's." The Thursday anticpation of a wonderfully full, yet somehow relaxing weekend is starting to get a little more realistic and suddenly people are already stressed about the stuff that is going on next week. Before some folks head out - they'll actually start packing up work to take home with them (just to get a jump on next week's already looming hectic pace).
I LOVE A THURSDAY. It's (by far) my favorite day of the week!
Thursdays are the best days of the week - even better than Fridays - simply because everyone is in a GREAT mood! Think about it - we're close to the end of the week, everyone has their weekend to look forward to - with all of our big, weekend plans - we're all just a bunch of kids waiting for the school bell to ring with freedom! Nobody minds when something goes totally kabloom on a Thursday because the typical response is "Well, let's think about this over the weekend and we'll get back together next week."
Fridays, while they are also on the good side of the week - don't have as much anticipation in them. They full of the pressure to "finish stuff up" before "heading out." And what about those big, weekend plans? Now, those plans are starting to look a little more like "have to's." The Thursday anticpation of a wonderfully full, yet somehow relaxing weekend is starting to get a little more realistic and suddenly people are already stressed about the stuff that is going on next week. Before some folks head out - they'll actually start packing up work to take home with them (just to get a jump on next week's already looming hectic pace).
I LOVE A THURSDAY. It's (by far) my favorite day of the week!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
it's 4pm. what are you snacking on?
I've got a mixture of almonds and a banana (late dinner tonight).
Can file folders really make you happy?
Okay - seriously, office storage is usually a pretty boring subject, but has anyone - ANYONE - ever told you about the super-awesome file folder designs at The Container Store? All I can say is that I went and I bought. The way I see it - I'm investing in my own personal job satisfaction of looking great with the best work materials. Yes, they are more expensive, but WAY better looking and more sturdy than the simplicity of classic manila. My favorite design is the Chelsea file folders, but you may be more of a Bloom or Safari type. I'm already trying to determine which work subjects should be so lucky to be stored in the "good" folders. These folders will be used for items that I'll need to access on a regular basis - just to ensure a smile during the busiest, most hectic days.
BTW - the folders are on currently on sale (which is how I discovered them). Worth it!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Open or closed?
I'm always fascinated when it comes to work spaces. Is it more productive to be in an open work space or in a tall wall cubicle environment (closed)?
When I was first married, I worked in an environment in which we each had our own large connected cubicles, but with short walls. There were six of us working closely together in this environment. I really liked it because we kept each other on our toes and focused on getting the work done. When we had a moment to be funny, or de-stress - we would, but then we would get right back into the work. It was a comfortable environment where we all had our own space yet it was open enough to shine a light on anyone not pulling their share of the jobs to be produced. This also cut down on everyone's personal tastes at the office. We basically had our desktops to decorate with a picture and desk accessories and that was pretty much it. This was an environment of who could do the best job in the fastest amount of time. I loved it.
I also have had the pleasure of working in a smaller, family-owned office environment in which we weren't given cubicles to work in - more like all of us working in one big room on long tables against the wall with pretty uncomfortable chairs and a 30 minute lunch break. TOTALLY different in that there wasn't much competitiveness in production of work, but very similar in hardly any personal calls and when at work - very focused on work. The manager of our team made that job really good for me. I learned at lot from working there.
Moving back into corporate world - I was entranced by one of the director's offices. It was neat and orderly, but had a real sense of style (my first introduction to style at work). We were all in tall cubicles, but we were also all on one long row - so everyone knew who was working and who was a flake. My current office space has tall cubicles, but no longer in one long row - more of an open large space for everyone to roll their chairs into when we meet.
Watching Kell On Earth (yes - addicted), made me wonder if that one long table with everyone working in such an open environment was productive and if the employees like that work environment. It does look cool. Makes me wonder about the phone calls that are always going on and if anyone can hear the other end of their call while the person next to them is dealing with a fashion crisis. I'm sure it is less expensive to set up an office this way (cubicles are so expensive!) and maybe the background noise during phone calls make the business seem more impressive or busy.
No matter how the office is set up, I know that not everyone will be happy with their work space and yet the best employees who are passionate about their work won't really care. They will do their best, regardless.
When I was first married, I worked in an environment in which we each had our own large connected cubicles, but with short walls. There were six of us working closely together in this environment. I really liked it because we kept each other on our toes and focused on getting the work done. When we had a moment to be funny, or de-stress - we would, but then we would get right back into the work. It was a comfortable environment where we all had our own space yet it was open enough to shine a light on anyone not pulling their share of the jobs to be produced. This also cut down on everyone's personal tastes at the office. We basically had our desktops to decorate with a picture and desk accessories and that was pretty much it. This was an environment of who could do the best job in the fastest amount of time. I loved it.
I also have had the pleasure of working in a smaller, family-owned office environment in which we weren't given cubicles to work in - more like all of us working in one big room on long tables against the wall with pretty uncomfortable chairs and a 30 minute lunch break. TOTALLY different in that there wasn't much competitiveness in production of work, but very similar in hardly any personal calls and when at work - very focused on work. The manager of our team made that job really good for me. I learned at lot from working there.
Moving back into corporate world - I was entranced by one of the director's offices. It was neat and orderly, but had a real sense of style (my first introduction to style at work). We were all in tall cubicles, but we were also all on one long row - so everyone knew who was working and who was a flake. My current office space has tall cubicles, but no longer in one long row - more of an open large space for everyone to roll their chairs into when we meet.
Watching Kell On Earth (yes - addicted), made me wonder if that one long table with everyone working in such an open environment was productive and if the employees like that work environment. It does look cool. Makes me wonder about the phone calls that are always going on and if anyone can hear the other end of their call while the person next to them is dealing with a fashion crisis. I'm sure it is less expensive to set up an office this way (cubicles are so expensive!) and maybe the background noise during phone calls make the business seem more impressive or busy.
No matter how the office is set up, I know that not everyone will be happy with their work space and yet the best employees who are passionate about their work won't really care. They will do their best, regardless.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Ready for Monday?
Most people have some kind of stress level increase when it comes to thinking about the upcoming workweek. Not me. I tend to think about what I can do to make my Monday something to look forward to. It might be a crisp new folder that has all of my materials organized for me or a fresh manicure. No matter what, I try to give myself just a little extra something to get excited about before my week begins. I might have a heavy workweek ahead of me, but I've got the right mindset about it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Hallelujah - It's FRIDAY!
Corporate world loves a Friday! It's the ender to a hectic work week - so we can all go have a wonderfully hectic weekend ("Work Hard, Play Hard" anyone?). At my office, we time our staff meetings for Fridays because usually everyone is in a great mood, we all have a good grasp on items to discuss, and we can look ahead to the next week and it's upcoming challenges.
The other side to our "Happy Friday" is that it's the last day of the week - and you want to get as much work finished as possible to: a) not have as much weekend homework to take home with you over the weekend, and b) not have as much on your plate - since you won't actually get ALL of your weekend homework completed - to start the next week with. (HELLO stressful Monday!!) So while Fridays are the "whistle-while-we-work" day, they are still amazingly busy.
Friday is also the day that most folk go out for lunch. They've had a week and everyone wants to actually leave the office and so Friday's are usually the days that the office café is pretty empty. They take it outside to vent about what all has happened at work during the past week and to talk about upcoming weekend plans (possibly a Happy Hour or a movie that everyone wants to see). It's a form of work therapy: eating outside of the office with work friends and talking through what's going on in your work life and also home life.
Here's to a good Friday for you and an amazing weekend that you've no-doubt earned!
The other side to our "Happy Friday" is that it's the last day of the week - and you want to get as much work finished as possible to: a) not have as much weekend homework to take home with you over the weekend, and b) not have as much on your plate - since you won't actually get ALL of your weekend homework completed - to start the next week with. (HELLO stressful Monday!!) So while Fridays are the "whistle-while-we-work" day, they are still amazingly busy.
Friday is also the day that most folk go out for lunch. They've had a week and everyone wants to actually leave the office and so Friday's are usually the days that the office café is pretty empty. They take it outside to vent about what all has happened at work during the past week and to talk about upcoming weekend plans (possibly a Happy Hour or a movie that everyone wants to see). It's a form of work therapy: eating outside of the office with work friends and talking through what's going on in your work life and also home life.
Here's to a good Friday for you and an amazing weekend that you've no-doubt earned!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
the office chat
Can't imagine that this only happens in our office: chats.
Chatting starts out productive because we start off discussing a business related topic, but it totally turns to how we felt about last night's Kell On Earth or Shear Genius episode. (LOVE THOSE SHOWS, BTW.) Most of us are so busy now that there is no time for chatting anymore. We just need to sit and grind out the work, I mean - "be productive." The thing is, in our field - we're supposed to be inspired and sometimes that inspiration comes from the office chats.
The cleanest way to end a chat that is lasting too long (usually my fault, since I'm "chatty") is to simply say, "I've got to get back to this because I have to finish it before my meeting." BTW - this is always actually true. There is always something that needs to get done (one more answered email, one more project scheduled, etc) before the next meeting in which new items will be added to the "to do" list. Our office understands this and so the conversation ends too soon (we wish we could get paid to hang - I mean "inspire" - all the time). But, it works for us.
What's your way to get out of a chatty situation?
Chatting starts out productive because we start off discussing a business related topic, but it totally turns to how we felt about last night's Kell On Earth or Shear Genius episode. (LOVE THOSE SHOWS, BTW.) Most of us are so busy now that there is no time for chatting anymore. We just need to sit and grind out the work, I mean - "be productive." The thing is, in our field - we're supposed to be inspired and sometimes that inspiration comes from the office chats.
The cleanest way to end a chat that is lasting too long (usually my fault, since I'm "chatty") is to simply say, "I've got to get back to this because I have to finish it before my meeting." BTW - this is always actually true. There is always something that needs to get done (one more answered email, one more project scheduled, etc) before the next meeting in which new items will be added to the "to do" list. Our office understands this and so the conversation ends too soon (we wish we could get paid to hang - I mean "inspire" - all the time). But, it works for us.
What's your way to get out of a chatty situation?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Things we just plain NEED
Ordering new office supplies brings great joy - let's face it, it's kinda like having Christmas at work when your order arrives! Getting just what you need can really impact performance by keeping things in good order. Here's a couple of items that were ordered today that we just can't live without:
Needless to say, cheerful colors are preferred. What are your favorite office supplies?
Post-it® Durable Index Tabs, 1" x 1 1/2", Green/Orange/Pink, 22 Flags Per Pad, Pack Of 3
Staples® Hype!™ Liquid Highlighters, Assorted, 5/Pack
Needless to say, cheerful colors are preferred. What are your favorite office supplies?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
