Taking the High Road with Your Boss
Lately the stories about taking revenge on the boss have been getting surreal. You may have read about “boss-napping”, an arrest-worthy sequestering of bosses in France. Having to deal with a Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT), especially during tough times, might inspire much less severe responses, like a hidden smirk, or some of the antics recently […]
Read MoreDial Down Mistrust in the Office
Are you still in shock by reports of Wall Street failures and bailouts? Do you ever relate the performance of these firms to Terrible Office Tyrants or TOTs™ in your company? If you do you’re not alone. Apparently, a bad boss can go under the radar just like global conglomerates until it’s too late. According […]
Read MoreCalming Your Job Jitters
The unemployment climate has made even the most confident employees nervous as recently discussed in Inc. and our national study. With workplace stress up, it’s not only your manager’s responsibility to ease your worries. You can take proactive steps to overcome these jitters. As one proverb says, “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” […]
Read MoreHow to Allay Job Fears
An article in The Washington Post recently addressed a national job related survey commissioned by my firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, on how a boss’s closed door can trigger immense job insecurity. The survey showed that one-third of workers these days often gets nervous when they see their manager in private conferences, worrying about possible layoffs. […]
Read MoreSqueaky Wheels and Your Job
Dear Lynn, I was recently passed over for a promotion after taking over the jobs of two other people – for five months. And the work still keeps coming. I know that in this economy I have to be careful, yet when I look around, I see “squeaky wheels get all the grease,” at least […]
Read MoreMore on the Downsized Office, “Surprise Boss”
As I mentioned in my last blog, layoffs are reshuffling people and departments constantly. Many employees don’t know what to expect from day to day, including how this environment will impact their own job duties. Flexibility is the word of the day. But when you have a newly “inaugurated” boss as a result of a […]
Read MoreMy Newly Inaugurated Boss
Dear Lynn, My boss was just laid off last week. Suddenly I have a new one, who got pulled over from another department, and is now doing two jobs. She’s totally different from my former supervisor, who I loved. She literally stands behind me and watches me work. It makes me sweat! I’m not sure […]
Read MoreHigher Unemployment: A TOT Incubator?
A few business executives have repeated an almost identical office scenario to me lately. And with December 2008 unemployment reaching 7.2 percent, it’s no wonder. The scene: The boss, let’s call him “James,” calls an employee, who we’ll call “Steve,” into his office. (TOT alert?!) Steve opens and closes the door behind him, and apprehensively […]
Read MoreLearning From 2008, Looking Towards 2009
The year is coming to a close… and in looking back at 2008 (quite a challenging fall and winter in the world of work) and looking ahead at the New Year, here are some thoughts: 1. Tough times manifest themselves in many ways. Bad behaviors (such as territorialism or bullying) can be amplified when bosses […]
Read MoreReducing Tension During Tough Times: Tip #3
As economic pressures continue to make the workplace tone somber (except for the drumbeat of occasional Terrible Office Tyrant tantrums!), I’ve been sharing ways to minimize friction at work. This week I’d like to offer to you another one of those techniques: collaboration. Knowing that you and your colleagues are all in the same boat, […]
Read More