Friday
Forgive the Boss for He Knows Not What He Does
There will be those times when you are left feeling bewildered when it comes to what a boss thinks he needs/wants right now. Other times you just might feel like your mind is going a mile a minute, because of the downright insane things he is telling or doing to you. Every worker has a moment in his or her career when the person just doesn't want to go on due to a boss who is having a bad day or many days. Yet, you know that underneath all the chaos is a man (or woman) who is really a nice and caring person who just wants to do the best at his or her job, so what to do?
Forgive the boss. Easier said than done. But what you are doing when you forgive someone is keeping the desire at bay to want to pay him or her back for mistreating you. A lot of negative energy goes into planning a pay-back plan on someone who has hurt you. Sometimes the mean-spirited side tends to take over and before long you find yourself easily angered not only at the boss, but just about anyone who comes in contact with you. So release the need to get even and place that burden on your Creator's shoulders (that is if you have one). If not, do something positive that will help your well-being. From a visit to the Human Resources Department to a daily work out, whatever you can do to dispense the ugliness you feel inside in a productive way.
Communicate your concerns with your boss. Sometimes employees aren't very good at articulating their needs; therefore, their issues with the company fall on deaf ears. Put workplace problems in writing, schedule a meeting, and express concerns and solutions to your boss. Avoid the temptation to want to make the meeting an "attack session" where you are venting everything that you hate about the boss and the company. If you do this, most likely he or she will never let you forget what you have said. Some bosses know how to drive their workers away or mad because they were offended by them even though they will never breathe a word about the offenses.
If you feel like you can do something better at the company, why not share what you know with your boss and other leaders/workers? Enlist the help of other employees and bring along a witness or two the next time you have a bright idea. Document what you know and share copies of your ideas. Some bosses become overwhelmed with other duties that they fail to keep up with other tasks.
Take a moment to put yourself in your manager's shoes. If he or she is battling with an illness, a personal issue at home, or dealing with many workplace challenges, most likely these issues and more are affecting his or her personality. The same may have happened with you in the past or even presently. So give your boss the benefit of the doubt. Maybe a thoughtful gift might be just the thing to bring a smile on his or her face at least temporarily. Your boss will remember that time when you thought of him or her.
If things are becoming too much at the office, to the point that you have dreams of doing something bad to your boss, then by all means consider another job. Check out online directories who have lists of temporary employment agencies as well as websites with job search resources. Make the search for a new job a priority! Sometimes workers must forgive at a distance--better safe than sorry later.
Nicholl McGuire
Forgive the boss. Easier said than done. But what you are doing when you forgive someone is keeping the desire at bay to want to pay him or her back for mistreating you. A lot of negative energy goes into planning a pay-back plan on someone who has hurt you. Sometimes the mean-spirited side tends to take over and before long you find yourself easily angered not only at the boss, but just about anyone who comes in contact with you. So release the need to get even and place that burden on your Creator's shoulders (that is if you have one). If not, do something positive that will help your well-being. From a visit to the Human Resources Department to a daily work out, whatever you can do to dispense the ugliness you feel inside in a productive way.
Communicate your concerns with your boss. Sometimes employees aren't very good at articulating their needs; therefore, their issues with the company fall on deaf ears. Put workplace problems in writing, schedule a meeting, and express concerns and solutions to your boss. Avoid the temptation to want to make the meeting an "attack session" where you are venting everything that you hate about the boss and the company. If you do this, most likely he or she will never let you forget what you have said. Some bosses know how to drive their workers away or mad because they were offended by them even though they will never breathe a word about the offenses.
If you feel like you can do something better at the company, why not share what you know with your boss and other leaders/workers? Enlist the help of other employees and bring along a witness or two the next time you have a bright idea. Document what you know and share copies of your ideas. Some bosses become overwhelmed with other duties that they fail to keep up with other tasks.
Take a moment to put yourself in your manager's shoes. If he or she is battling with an illness, a personal issue at home, or dealing with many workplace challenges, most likely these issues and more are affecting his or her personality. The same may have happened with you in the past or even presently. So give your boss the benefit of the doubt. Maybe a thoughtful gift might be just the thing to bring a smile on his or her face at least temporarily. Your boss will remember that time when you thought of him or her.
If things are becoming too much at the office, to the point that you have dreams of doing something bad to your boss, then by all means consider another job. Check out online directories who have lists of temporary employment agencies as well as websites with job search resources. Make the search for a new job a priority! Sometimes workers must forgive at a distance--better safe than sorry later.
Nicholl McGuire
Friday
Managers: Planning to Take Day Off or Vacation? What Some Workers Will Do
So you are planning to take a much needed day off or vacation, but you hesitate because you know how some of your workers can be while you are out. But have you considered other issues that might arise and will you keep everyone busy enough so that they don't take advantage of your being gone? Consider what might occur leading up to the time you are out, while you are gone and when you return.
Before you go...
1. Another leader might take the day before off unexpectedly.
It's as if you are being punished for wanting some time for yourself and family, so a fellow leader will leave you holding a pile of work while he or she is out. You didn't anticipate that you would be bombarded with so many tasks. Before you make your announcement, be sure that work is caught up and you aren't working over-time prior to your vacation date just in case one of the leaders suddenly slips away at the last minute.
2. Arrange to have their vacation some time around yours.
Well for some employees they may not have thought about taking any days off until you made your announcement. Check to be sure that not everyone is going to be out the same day or close together before approaching a boss or if you are the one who approves days off.
While you are out...
3. Some employees plan to do nothing.
Everyday is a party for some workers. They are talking, laughing and having parties while the cat is away. Meanwhile, the work falls behind while some workers act as if they can't do anything unless the boss is present. "Sorry, my boss is out...I can't help you with that the manager is on vacation...Can't we wait until my boss comes back?" Make plans to discipline this sort of behavior before you leave for vacation. Do employees need to be reminded of policies like dress code, how to handle customer service issues, deadlines, approval protocol, etc.?
4. Some will snoop around or even steal.
An open office, unlocked drawer, or personal briefcase left in an office will give some workers the idea to "check up" on some things. Better lock up and take important things with you. Set an office camera or trap for those you don't trust.
5. Break the rules.
"Well the handbook says..." you tell them. You know some employees will not play by the book whether in your presence or out of your presence. Be prepared to enforce the rules before you leave, while you are gone (appoint someone to watch your staff), and upon your return. Rule-breakers will teach others to break the rules and before long you will have a bitter group awaiting your return demanding change or wanting your job.
When you return...
6. Come in late, take long lunches, leave early.
Old habits die hard, so if an employee has become accustomed to coming in late, taking a long lunch, and leaving early while you are gone, he or she will do it on and off at least the first week you return. "No wonder the work wasn't been getting done," you will think. Enlist the help of someone to watch the time your employees come and go.
7. Lie about work.
Be prepared for the one who will come up with excuses as to why something is not done from blaming others to covering up mistakes. People lie when they don't know what to say when questioned about things like: tasks completed, number count, where they were when a package arrived, why a document wasn't turned in, a phone call wasn't returned, etc.
Now that you have seven concerns that just might need to be addressed before you leave, have a great time off!
Nicholl McGuire
Before you go...
1. Another leader might take the day before off unexpectedly.
It's as if you are being punished for wanting some time for yourself and family, so a fellow leader will leave you holding a pile of work while he or she is out. You didn't anticipate that you would be bombarded with so many tasks. Before you make your announcement, be sure that work is caught up and you aren't working over-time prior to your vacation date just in case one of the leaders suddenly slips away at the last minute.
2. Arrange to have their vacation some time around yours.
Well for some employees they may not have thought about taking any days off until you made your announcement. Check to be sure that not everyone is going to be out the same day or close together before approaching a boss or if you are the one who approves days off.
While you are out...
3. Some employees plan to do nothing.
Everyday is a party for some workers. They are talking, laughing and having parties while the cat is away. Meanwhile, the work falls behind while some workers act as if they can't do anything unless the boss is present. "Sorry, my boss is out...I can't help you with that the manager is on vacation...Can't we wait until my boss comes back?" Make plans to discipline this sort of behavior before you leave for vacation. Do employees need to be reminded of policies like dress code, how to handle customer service issues, deadlines, approval protocol, etc.?
4. Some will snoop around or even steal.
An open office, unlocked drawer, or personal briefcase left in an office will give some workers the idea to "check up" on some things. Better lock up and take important things with you. Set an office camera or trap for those you don't trust.
5. Break the rules.
"Well the handbook says..." you tell them. You know some employees will not play by the book whether in your presence or out of your presence. Be prepared to enforce the rules before you leave, while you are gone (appoint someone to watch your staff), and upon your return. Rule-breakers will teach others to break the rules and before long you will have a bitter group awaiting your return demanding change or wanting your job.
When you return...
6. Come in late, take long lunches, leave early.
Old habits die hard, so if an employee has become accustomed to coming in late, taking a long lunch, and leaving early while you are gone, he or she will do it on and off at least the first week you return. "No wonder the work wasn't been getting done," you will think. Enlist the help of someone to watch the time your employees come and go.
7. Lie about work.
Be prepared for the one who will come up with excuses as to why something is not done from blaming others to covering up mistakes. People lie when they don't know what to say when questioned about things like: tasks completed, number count, where they were when a package arrived, why a document wasn't turned in, a phone call wasn't returned, etc.
Now that you have seven concerns that just might need to be addressed before you leave, have a great time off!
Nicholl McGuire
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