Boss and Workplace Issues

Got a bad boss? You’re not alone--about half the working population does. If you’re one of them, how do you avoid the awkwardness when someone tries to suck up by planning a happy celebration for a bad situation?

Plan now. If you have vacation or comp time saved up, schedule a long weekend, through Monday, October 17, and go have some fun.

If you’re tempted to engage in subversive activities by secretly leaving a negative message for the boss, DON’T DO IT! Yes, I’m yelling at you! Think about it. It’ll only make things worse.

And do you really want to be like your bad boss? There’s enough ugly behavior in this world. Try to live peacefully amidst it.

Besides, imagine the impact if 62,500,000 employees took the day off. What a way to send a message about the state of civility in the US!

Labels: bad boss, bad bosses, boss day, Bosses Day, October 16, October 17

For years, you’ve held employees hostage with medical benefits that were intended to attract employees in the post-industrial era. You were able to offer medical benefits thanks to the low-cost group-plans you could qualify for, or the self-funded plans into which you could fold profits, thereby reducing your total tax bill. But in a global market, competing with international businesses that are not burdened with healthcare expenses, you find it difficult to compete and continue to offer medical benefits to your employees--without whom you would earn nothing. And your executives are not willing to reduce their exponentially-high salaries to enable the provision of medical benefits for the employees who do the work that earns such hight executive income. But you act as though you think it’s okay for employees, whom you pay up to 400% LESS than your executives, to now pay for their own medical benefits, yet continue to earn your profits. You have a dilemma.

But you are working against yourselves by fighting against national health care. You could have the best of both worlds: a capitalistic economy supplemented by socialistic-like government health care plans that keep your profit makers (employees) healthy and well. So here’s a way out of your dilemma, but you look like you’re working against yourselves: You don’t want to provide medical benefits and you don’t want the government to provide medical benefits. What’s with that? Is the health-care industry threatening you?

And health-care industry: Why do you quaver at the thought of governmental competition? If you were doing your best at providing affordable insurance, our nation wouldn’t be in this dilemma, and government medical plans would be a non-issue for you. Instead, you come across as guilty of gouging--your resistance is tantamount to an admission of mismanagement and manipulation. Thinking-people are not buying into your “threat to capitalism” argument--that’s a cloak. Clean up your act and get creative, or step aside.

Capitalism has it’s benefits, but in a global economy in which business-operating costs are funded differently, perhaps a blended society is worth considering: part capitalism; part socialism.

You can have anything you want, but you can't have everything.

Labels: capitalism and socialism, employee medical benefits, health care costs, health care industry, health care reform

When your boss talks to you, do you learn something? Or do you learn nothing and suspect that your boss is either trying to hide something from you or is just ignorant? 

If you’ve never had a boss who teaches, and you don’t know what that would look like, listen to a speech by President Obama. Every time he talks to us, we learn something. He’s not trying to keep us in the dark, he’s trying to help us understand the impact of our actions. Do you appreciate knowing? Take this desire to the workplace. 

This is what a good boss does. If you’re not learning useful things from your boss, ask yourself how many years you’re willing to stagnate. Now go on job interviews, even if you’re not looking for a new job -- go just to find out what other bosses are like, to gauge how well-off you really are in your current job. Interview potential bosses--as they interview you. Listen for the ones who teach. Do you learn something? Do you like it? 

When you see the difference, you may change your life.

Want to learn how to be a good boss? Just watch President Barack Obama. 

Pay particular attention to his focus on transparency. To his openness to new ideas--from any source. To his enforcement of ethics.  

His methods could fix an ailing America. Or an ailing soul.

Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, was caught on tape, in his own words, abusing the authority granted to him as a representative of the citizens--trying to sell a political appointment to the US Senate for his personal gain. 

If such blatantly unethical, abusive behavior happens at this level, why would anyone doubt that bad bosses, all the way down the hierarchy, do the same thing with their authority? 

If you’ve reported to a boss who behaves like Blagojevich, you’re not at all surprised. Just sick to your stomach all over again, and wishing you could have recorded your slimy manager--but it was illegal for you to do so. 

On the other hand, if you know anyone who tells you about the nightmare in which s/he lives with a bad boss, now you have reason to start paying attention and stop pretending it can’t really be happening. 

The investigators in this case said that the public must speak up to help them stop criminal behavior. That’s how democracy can work. But, sadly, workplaces operate outside of democracy--where you can be punished for trying to stop criminal behavior in your employer’s organization. 

Values in our country have shifted from “do no harm” to “don’t get caught doing harm.” Perhaps we’ll get back some day.

Labels: bad boss, Blagojevich, democracy, ethics

In these challenging economic times, it may be difficult to choose a gift for those who’ve been struck by job loss. This is not the time to think about luxury items. It can be depressing to receive a new gee-whiz electronic gadget when you don’t know how you’re going to put food in the fridge or gas in the car. Practical gifts that don’t look or feel like charity can be most appreciated. Here are a few suggestions.

Gift cards

Gift cards allow people to make their own decisions, which helps maintain their dignity during difficult times. Wrap gift cards in a big box to create a festive holiday feeling.

1. Warehouse-store cards (BJ’s; Costco; Sam’s Club; etc.). These allow recipients to obtain items ranging from pharmaceuticals to food; books; office supplies; and luxury products. Include a membership with this gift if the recipient does not already have one to the club you choose.

2. Discount-store cards, to stores with a wide variety of items including food; clothing; and housewares (Target; Walmart; etc.), allow people a wide range of use to stretch their budget or enjoy a little splurge.

3. Sundry-store cards to corner stores like CVS and Walgreens provide a wide range of buying options.

4. Pet-store cards can relieve the guilt of caring for a pet when it can be hard to care for the family--and keep a family from surrendering its pet to a shelter. Pets help relieve stress for the whole family.

Memberships

Memberships to service organizations that offer discounts can provide a sense of security. 

5. Auto clubs, such as AAA, can provide peace of mind in the event car-towing or a battery-charge is needed. These services are free to members. Often, membership discounts are available for other products and services too, like eyeglasses and insurance.

6. Food-of-the-month clubs can be found that deliver items ranging from meats (Omaha Steaks) to fruit (Harry & David) and other items (http://www.monthclubstore.com). You can specify the number of months and keep the pick-me-up of gifts coming on a regular basis.

7. Children’s day-care or play-care organizations offer free time for parents to concentrate on job searching. Check the reputation and references of any provider you consider.

Services

Some things must get done--and its good not to have to think about them.

8. Prepaid cell phones can help people stay connected and, perhaps, give up the cost of a land line.

9. Transportation tickets (bus; train; shuttle) can help city dwellers get around easily.

10. Prepaid grooming and cleaning services (haircuts; dry cleaning; laundry) are useful. Think about including a bunch of dollar bills for tip-giving.

11. Prepaid babysitting or day care for dependent adults are helpful. You can make up coupons for you to provide these services, too.

12. Prepaid utilities (gas; electric, cable TV) can relieve budgeting burdens.

Entertainment

Recreation is important for clearing the mind of worries--even if only for a little while. 

13. Memberships to video stores and video delivery services.

14. Tickets to a show; concert; sporting event; or cultural event/venue.

15. A fully-supplied picnic basket with prepaid entrance fees to a park.

These gifts may not be fun for you to buy, but they’ll be used; appreciated; and remembered. 

Want a lesson in corporate wiggling-out-of-responsibility? Watch the C-span video of AIG’s just-in-time-former-executives, Martin Sullivan and Robert Willumstad, at their House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing held on Tuesday.

You might think they learned their interview techniques from just-in-time-former-Attorney-General Alberto Gonzales. But, no, this is just the corporate way. Look for these five techniques: 

1. Never admit guilt

2. Never answer a question directly

3. Never veer off of a carefully-crafted, corporate-attorney-prepared script

4. Never tell the whole truth

5. Always imply that the interviewer is ignorant

They think they're so much smarter than the rest of us that, after we bail them out, they thumb their noses in our faces by spending almost half-a-million of the bailout money on an exclusive vacation. As if they deserve it. And in addition to the huge bonuses they walk away with.

Now that we’ve seen even more examples bad corporate bosses managing investor's money, and felt the pain collectively, doesn't that make us want to run out and invest our money in the economic gas chamber of corporate stocks?  

Labels: AIG, Alberto Gonzales, House Overisight and Government Reform Committe, Martin Sullivan, Robert Willumstad