DO YOU HAVE TO SUIT UP FOR WORK?

By Vernalee

I know that you initially thought that I was referring to being elegantly attired in a two or three piece business suit. However in this case, I am speaking of the defense garbs, your protective outerwear. If you work in an environment where emotional punches are thrown all day from the time you walk in until the minute you exit, you must condition your mind to withstand the blows and rope -a -dope hits.

You may encounter a cadre of bosses ranging from those who have Mt. Everest height egos to those who know everything. On the sidelines are those colleagues who may be discriminatory, mean spirited or arrogant. Walking alongside this group may be the bullies who run the “A to Z” gamut of creating fear, anxieties, pressures, and pain as they orchestrate their mastery of acting superior. I'm sure that you have seen all of these types described herein ... and more; right?

What happened to the good co-workers? They are there intermixed with the others. Thank goodness for that! Sometimes, their goodness is over-shadowed by the pettiness that rampantly occurs.

Some work sites are filled with tainted air whose fragrances stench of conceited aromas! Where is the air fresheners? No wonder some of the more talented ones vacate at the first opportunity. Lucky them! Others may have to endure for mere survival, but who knows what the future holds!

I can't answer why some executives allow this uncivilized culture to exist. I can't comprehend the superiority filled attitudes that permeate throughout the air. I praise those bosses who foster environments of wholesomeness, equality, and fair play. They have realized that the jobs can be accomplished without intimidation. A great environment facilitates higher productivity.

Hopefully, you will not have to walk in "suited up" like Laila Ali! I trust that your mind will become your internal protective suit of armor.

Out thinking your opponent is the goal. You can use your brilliant cognitive skills and wisdom to conquer adversity. It's - power to power - and the best equalizer in a hostile work environment.

Photo credit: www.ringside24.com; Pictured: Laila Ali

OVERWORKED? UNDERPAID?

By Vernalee

Overworked? Underpaid? Neither are appealing or desirable! Together, they’re intense. Not surprised; right? Moving on ... It’s time for a refreshing drink. Let’s have a cup of coffee! Shall we? The aroma of roasted Arabica beans can wake up anyone’s sensory glands. Hmm- umm - good! If you don’t drink coffee, there is usually something that can get you going early in the morning.

As we pour coffee in our Overworked/ Underpaid mug, suddenly the thought behind the cup‘s inscription makes the beverage unappetizing. It’s amazing what words can do!

As for me, I decided to switch and make Decaffeinated Tea my drink of choice! I’m drinking it out of a plain white cup these days! I just don’t need the stress. And if I may say ... neither do you!

Photo credit: www.society6.com

WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING?

By Vernalee

According to the definition " to work hard means to work a lot, to work using much effort. While to hardly work means the complete opposite, namely to work very little. Though a play on words, I am sure that you can start rattling off names of people who fit both categories.

One of my favorites is a person that I know who spends hours trying to figure out how not to work! Geez! I often wonder where he would be if he exerted that same amount of time and energy into actually doing the tasks at hand.

My Daddy always said, "A hard day's work ain't never hurt nobody." I wholeheartedly agree! Here's the million dollar question. Let's examine who is working hard and who is hardly working. To find out who fits that mold, let's take a stroll through your office! Off we go!

Here’s to the hardly working crew! I see several staffers shopping on the Internet (Walmart has a sale y'all); the clerical pool is on the phone gossiping (Hey girl!); a few managers are taking wagers and bets for the upcoming game (Browns - 30; Bengals - 21); an energetic clerk speed walking down the hall loudly reveals aspects of her personal life that no one cares about but her (I.e. Her cat gave birth to five kittens); a marginal staffer telling anyone who will listen how much she hates her job (Oh my); and let's not forget the accountant who was sleeping at his desk. Zzzz! Sorry, I failed to mention the chain smoking manager who takes long and frequent smoke breaks outside! So much for the premiere of those hardly working staffers. They are not hard to detect versus the covenant group who are working hard with sweat running down their brow as their computer keys constantly click away! Report after report; product after product; they generate.

Now that we have the new virtual office mates, we can't see what they are doing off sight, but we should be able to see the evidence of their productivity; right? I wonder how many have figured out how to"beat" the virtual system? Just saying! Moving ahead ...

No matter what, Friday is pay day and all are headed to the bank with no thoughts of the work that they did or didn't do! How's that for redemption of mediocre productivity? No kidding! Everyone wants to be paid.

Before signing off, where are the bosses? I am glad you asked! A few are setting sterling examples and a few are exercising their leadership authority by being on the golf course. No judgment; many deals are cut there. We really can’t say that they were goofing off! Or can we? Leaders ... Where are you? Please show up and provide the needed direction. It begs to ask, "Where is this lack of leadership heading?" Don't ask me! I am calling off sick tomorrow! I'm not paid to provide answers to difficult questions! That's not in my job description!

Photo credit: www.picturequotes,com