Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Ask a Worklife Coach - Dealing with Disappointment

Dear Worklife Coach, 


I was recently passed up for a promotion to someone else in the department who has been with the company fewer years than I have and this was a position that I know very well because I worked closely with the individual who left. I am very disappointed in the decision and think the company is devaluing my skills. Should I look for another job? And how will I be able to work with this person who has stolen this job from me?
Undermined

Dear Undermined,

The fact that you applied for the job and got as far as the final interview deserves kudos. Dealing with disappointment is an important skill we need as is rampant in the workplace. First, ask yourself (on a scale of 1 to 10) how dissatisfied you are as a whole? Remove the disappointment factor of the current situation. In other words, do you like your job? Do you like what you do? If you answered yes to either of the questions, or your level of dissatisfaction is below 6, then re-think how you can adjust to the situation. Here are three ways:

1.       Accept the decision – acceptance means that you understand the decision that was made and you will look at the future with a positive outlook.
2.       Adjust your attitude – now that you have accepted the circumstances, change your attitude. The good news is that you can change YOUR behavior, emotions, and feelings. Winston Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Make a difference and start with changing how you think.
3.       Acknowledge – if you can do the first two, this will be easy. Recognize that this person was chosen for a reason, so give your new boss a chance.  

Once you can accept, adjust, and acknowledge, you can think logically and not let your emotions jeopardized your professionalism. Don’t let others behavior dictate yours.  If all else fails, seek new employment.

Got a question? Email worklifecoach@excite.com or Tweet #worklifecoach

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Effectively Working Together in Smaller Offices

A two-person office can be just as intimidating as an office of 25 or more.  Smaller offices are required to do more with the resources given them and that includes empowering the few bodies available to accomplish the tasks. The bar of effectiveness and productivity is raised and the atmosphere can get intense.

The most important task is the ability to get along with each other and work as a team (short-handed team) to perform the business activities of the organization. Do you have to like each other? Of course, it would help, but we all know that there are some personalities that are hard to like. However, as an administrative professional, it is in our job description to remain professional. Here are 4 ways the small office can succeed:

Thursday, May 2, 2013

World Laughter Day!



Just know everyone is being watched.
Today is World Laughter Day! Laughter is the cure for what ails us! Having a good chuckle will reduce stress, release tension, and boost your immunity system.

Stress got you down? Need a good laugh? Here are some expressions for those days when you need to laugh to keep from crying... 

Who knew that the keyboard had other functions?
               I keep hitting the ‘escape’ key but I’m still here.
               I keep hitting the ‘delete’ key, but you’re still here.

The next time the repairman/woman comes to fix your office equipment, ask this….
               How do I set the laser printer to stun?

When you want to make your case about more office space…
               How can I think outside the box when I work in a cube?

Performance review rebuttals…
                I am working on my procrastination issues, just you wait and see.
                I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early.

During  the Interview…
                I like work, it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.
                I will be a team player, if you pay me like a professional athlete.

Make everyday World Laughter Day, your heart, body, and mind will thank you. For more laughs, read the blog, Laughing All the Way to Work, by Patricia Robb, she will have you in office stitches.