Category: A Question For Ya

What would you do if you had a really bad boss? That’s the situation one reader of this blog is in. He read my post on How to Deal With a Bad Boss and left this comment:

I have a unique situation. All but 2 people in the office are treated nicely by my boss. Yes you guessed it I am one of those 2 people.

Recently I have had all my duties I was hired for taken completely away from me under “restructuring of the program” meanwhile everyone else has the same duties except my other colleague in the same boat as me. My boss avoids all attempts I make to communicate with him. In fact I have been reduced down to what my former assistant, who was incredible at her job, did all day.

To make matters worse the person with my old responsibilities does not have a graduate degree. I have my Masters and she micro manages me. Nothing I do is OK. I am completely miserable here and I hate that everyone else is treated with respect, they love both my boss and the lady with my old responsibilities.

My colleague is in a similar situation with a different person who has her responsibilities. We are treated like second class citizens here and I really need advice what to do especially since to everyone else my boss is perfect including his supervisors and upper management..

Oh I forgot to mention my former director here everyone hated. She was a great manager but lacked all people skills and came down with an iron fist on everyone. My current boss who has her old job was responsible for her being promoted out of the area. Any advice would help! Thanks for reading this post and writing this article :)

That’s a tough one. What do you think this reader could do? What would you do?

I just began working on my second book which has been fast-tracked by the publisher for a publishing date in May this year. If you know the publishing industry at all, you’ll know that’s fast; usually it takes 12-18 months to get a book out.

The theme for the new book is happiness at work in a crisis. This is of course inspired by the current financial crisis but the book is directed at any workplace in trouble. And now I need your help!

The book has three central claims:
1: Most of what companies traditionally do in a crisis doesn’t work.
The way many organizations typically handle crises is by cutting back on all expenses and doing mass layoffs. While this can be necessary, studies actually show companies who choose this approach recover more slowly.

2: It is possible to be happy at work even in a workplace in trouble.
Of course it’s easier to be happy when everything is going swimmingly, but people can still be happy at work in a crisis. It takes determination and focus, but it can be done. Surprisingly, a crisis can make people happy at work, provided that it becomes a reason for people to focus and pull together – rather than an excuse to give up.

3: Happy workplaces get out of a crisis faster.
Especially in a crisis, an organization needs to get the best out of its people – and when we’re happy at work we are more motivated, creative and productive.

Here’s how you can help: Give me your story.

Is your workplace in trouble? What does that do to you and the people around you? How is it affecting morale, motivation and happiness at work? How is your organization facing the crisis? Is it working – or is it actually making things worse?

And one final thing: I need a kick-ass title. Any and all suggestions are most welcome.

Related posts

• How to lose your fear of being fired.
• Change with a smile.
• Can you be happy in an evil business?

I’m spending this week in Atlanta and Orlando studying how some major American Corporations do business – especially in regards to customer service.

I’ve already talked to employees and managers at Coca-Cola, CNN – and Hooters :o) You can see pictures from my trip here.

And here’s something I’ve noticed: Everywhere I go, I ask the same question, namely “what makes people happy at work here.” And I’ve noticed that the answers are never about work itself. People talk about career opportunities, they talk about salary and benefits, they talk about getting free concert tickets.

No one (so far) has said “Well, I really like my job because what I do is fun, and I get to work with some really nice people.” The closest was Dimitri Shreckengost of Coca-Cola who said that he has many friends at work, and indeed, Coca-Cola looked like a fairly happy workplace.

So here’s the question: Is that typical? Is that really how most Americans view work – as a means to an end rather than something that could (and should!) be pleasant in itself? What do you think?

Gerardo Amaya asks this question:

I don’t know if you’ve already talked about this, but this thought really disturbed me. I heard a lady talking at a friend’s birthday party about her retirement. She said that she has never been happier since then, but the phrase that really makes me wonder was, when she said “I loved my work, but since my retirement I can finally do the things I really love”.

Looks to me like an oxymoron, but can this be true? She used to work as a financial adviser and she said that despite the fact that she is retired, she loves to make all the financial reports and calculations for her house budget because she misses it to much, so I guess she still loved the financial world.

Can you see the conflict here? So my question is, she loves her job, but she was wanting something else, but when she retires she had that something but misses her job. Is it possible that she loved her work but never realized it while looking forward for retirement? Can we say that she was happy and now she is not?

That’s a great question – how can you both enjoy what you do and yet long to put it aside in favor of other pursuits.

I don’t really have an answer for this. What do you think? Please write a comment, I’d really like to know your take.

I got a very nice email from Jorge who writes:

I would like to ask you if you know of any company in Mexico doing this radical stuff. Being a Mexican myself, I would love to work in happy-democratic-radical Company. Are there any here in Mexico?

That’s a great question. I don’t know of any – but maybe you do? Write a comment if you’ve heard of any happy Mexican companies!

India. I want to go there. And make people happy at work.

Here’s what I’m thinking: India is experiencing a huge(!) boom in precisely those types of businesses that need happy employees. The success of Indian businesses is also getting to the point where it’s getting harder for companies to attract and keep good people.

So I’m thinking India needs more happiness at work.

I was thinking that the my book might be hit and that it might make sense to find an Indian publisher. Of course I could look them up and start contacting them, but it’s always easier of you have a personal contact.

So: Do you know someone in publishing in India? Got an idea who I should contact? Or do you have an opinion on whether or not my book would fly in India?

You can write a comment on this post or send me an email. Thanks :o)

In my last Monday tip, I suggested asking a co-worker about their best vacation ever as a way of starting a fun, positive conversation.

But this may not always uncover happy memories. Lynn wrote a comment saying:

I’m 34, and haven’t had a real vacation since my childhood vacations with my parents.

The only way I manage to take an entire week off at a time (I work in IT) is when I’m able to schedule a week or two of “unemployment” between jobs, and in those periods, spending money on a trip is not wise.

I’m tied to my email/pager even on weekends and holidays and on the scattered “vacation” days I can take. Most Americans only get 2-3 weeks of combined sick and vacation time in any case, and professionals are expected to read email and be available, even on their days “off”.

I wonder how many people are able to have a real vacation these days!

I also wonder how many people are in similar straits – too busy to take vacations, even if they really need one.

So let me ask you: How do you do it? How do you manage to take a real, undisturbed vacation where you don’t spend much of your time answering work emails, carrying the company’s cell phone or just plain worrying about work?

I think this is a vital skill in today’s work environment so if you have a good idea, write a comment, I’d really like to know how you do it!

Related:

• Previous questions for ya
• My latest vacation :o)