Dysfunction of the Month
“I Quit!”
Whether you are minutes away from quitting your job or you are just fantasizing about “sticking it to the man,” quitting is on our minds more often than we admit. And just like a break-up, there is a time and place for quitting one’s job. Sometimes circumstances are so extreme and abusive that quitting really is the best option. On the flip side, there are situations where a game plan … Read more »
Latest Post
QUIZ – Is it time to quit?
Knowing when to quit a job is a tricky decision. Some folks quit way too early and others stay in abusive or dead-end jobs for years, fearing what lies on the other side. So, how do you know if it’s time to quit your job? Consider the following quiz to help you determine if it’s time. Add up your scores at the end for a final: “time to quit” assessment. Your … Read more »
Recent Posts
Planning with your strengths
It’s one thing to know your strengths. It is a whole other thing to actually plan your career in a way that intentionally uses those strengths on a daily basis. Self awareness is overrated. There comes a time for action and that time is now. But don’t misunderstand me. Action is hard, and change is … Read more »
4 steps to determining your strengths
Determining your strengths isn’t as hard as we make it out to be. Before you get overwhelmed with the prospect of trying to figure out your strengths out on your own, or worse, write yourself off as “strength-less,” consider the following 4 steps: Ask others – While probably the most uncomfortable step, this approach is the … Read more »
QUIZ – Are you using your strengths?
Before we can get down to the nitty-gritty of planning the perfect role that will utilize our strengths every day, we need to take a step back and assess what are our strengths and are we using them today. How do you know if you are using your strengths? First, let’s define “strengths” and look at a … Read more »
Prescription – How to deliver a “dysfunction-free” performance review
More often than not, workplace dysfunction is a sneaky and unpredictable thing. Your boss flips out without warning simply because your report is an hour late. Your co-worker smiles at you in the break room only to be secretly plotting to get you fired the first chance they get. However, there is one time of … Read more »
When performance reviews become personal
It has been my experience that when performance reviews turn dysfunctional, 50% of the time the issue lies with the content itself (its inaccurate, vague, political, etc…). However, for the other 50% of the time it has to do with how the feedback was delivered. Sometimes the feedback comes across as a personal attack. It’s … Read more »
When performance reviews become unpleasant surprises
When it comes to performance reviews, perhaps nothing can be more frustrating than to be “surprised” during the conversation. However, before we go much further down the path, it is only fair that I share my personal bias against virtually all surprises. Admittedly, I’m not a lover of surprises, and if you don’t believe me, you … Read more »
When performance reviews become political
Years ago, I was a young manager working for a large global financial services company. During my time there, the economy plummeted into a recession (sound familiar?). As a result, raises were few and far between. As a youthful and naive manager I had plenty of ambition and more than my fair share of luck. In fact, during … Read more »
I have a bad attitude
We’re on the theme of “bad attitude” this month. We’ve had extensive conversations about others’ bad attitudes and how their bad attitudes can cause major problems for us at work. But what if the “bad attitude” culprit is you? What if you’ve got the bad attitude? What can you do? Why? Your first step in dealing with … Read more »
My employee has a bad attitude – they only do what’s in their job description
We are concluding our series on employees with “bad attitudes.” We’ve already tackled employees who have no sense of urgency as well as grumpy employees. In this post we are going to address another “bad attitude” pattern from employees and others – “That’s not in my job description.” That’s Not In My Job Description A few months … Read more »
My employee has a bad attitude – they are grumpy
We’re in the middle of a series on “attitude,” particularly as it relates to the folks we manage. One of the toughest assignments we can ever get as a manager is an employee with an “attitude problem.” What a wonderful smorgasbord of things that could mean. From being slow to respond to grumpy behavior, an … Read more »
My employee has a bad attitude – They have no urgency!
Do you have an employee with a bad attitude? If so, my heart goes out to you. Managing clear performance behaviors is one thing. Managing “attitude” is something entirely different. Attitude is fuzzy and tough to put words around. This is partly due to what falls under the category of “attitude.” Attitude is not about … Read more »
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Therapist, professor, consultant and radio host, Brandon Smith brings an upbeat, witty approach to the challenges of workplace health and dysfunction.
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Dysfunction of the Month – I Quit!
