Category Archives for Humanize The Workplace

Time Off During the Holidays

Holidays are already stressful, especially when you’re in a hurry to finish up loose ends so you can make it out the door. But what if your boss is a TOT who suffers from “separation anxiety” and doesn’t want you to go? The signs include a last minute barrage of questions, unreasonable requests or other […]

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Is It Better to Be Liked or Feared?

Do you find your newly promoted manager vacillating between wanting to be feared and needing to be liked? It may be that the new position requires interpersonal skills that the manager doesn’t possess. He was great at his previous job where working solo was a necessity, but how to lead a team currently eludes him. […]

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TOT-taming for Beleaguered Office Workers

TOT-taming is reaching out to more beleaguered office workers this month with articles appearing in Forbes, CBS/MoneyWatch and Media Bistro. Forbes highlighted Seven Ways to Tame an Office Tyrant — don’t let them see you sweat, listen actively, be a role model, be a problem solver, harness strengths and weaknesses, use humor and show empathy. Of […]

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Landing a Survival Job

Today many people are forced to look for jobs below their qualifications. In the current tough economic climate even “settling for less” often presents a challenge and needs to be done right. What advice would you give to candidates seeking “survival jobs” – or use yourself in a tough situation? Megan Malugani, a contributing writer […]

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Holiday Season Separation Anxiety

Having tied all loose ends at work, you are about to take a well-deserved holiday vacation. But do you feel that your boss is uncomfortable letting you go, as if even more is expected of you in addition to all you’ve done? Fear is a big driver, and when bosses – and kids – don’t […]

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Generation Unretired, Gen U™ Humanizes Offices

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent months about the “unretired” – seniors who are returning to the workforce for economic or personal reasons. I call this formidable group, “Gen U™” because they represent an astounding number of workers – a true generation with a different mindset from previous retired generations. Because they have […]

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People Share Childish, Bad Boss Stories on YouTube

Many people in L.A. on Boss’s Day couldn’t resist using levity to discuss bad, childish bosses once they saw the angry yet fearful, 6.5′ TOT boss with his famed pacifier. I guess humor helps us make a point – or at least deal with annoying, seething (or teething!) people. I often say that humor is […]

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TOT Boss Gets Interest in Santa Monica on Boss Day

Here’s a glimpse of last Friday’s event for National Boss Day on the famed 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA, October 16, 2009. Scores of people told their personal anecdotes of good and bad boss behavior on tape. Many talked about the way they manage, and some even ran family businesses – with team […]

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National Boss Day in L.A.: Tell Your Tales

For National Boss Day, I’ll be conducting person-on-the-street interviews with office workers in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 15th and Friday, October 16th, on the busy Third Street Promenade at the corner of Wilshire and 3rd in Santa Monica. If you live in the Southland, please join us and share your insights, good and bad, […]

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New Survey Shows Bad Boss Behaviors Are On The Rise

A new survey commissioned by my firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, finds that bad boss behaviors are on the rise. The five-year, national comparative study looked at bad boss (a.k.a. TOT) traits and childish behavior, such as Stubborn, Self-oriented, Overly demanding, Impulsive, Interruptive and Tantrum-throwing, and found bad boss behaviors rose by 50 percent! The study, […]

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