Loading the searchable article library…
Browse published articles attributed to Nan Russell, with full-archive search.
Based on dozens of articles that arrived in my inbox in a single week, one might think that the majority of people work in difficult work-cultures, alongside clueless co-workers, under distrusting bosses. Here are a few examples: • "You're the Boss, Not the Babysitter" • "What to Do When Your Employees Won't Stop Whining" • "Giving Feedback to the Clueless" • "How to Survive a Toxic Boss"
It feels great at the end of a workday to know you've made progress on a mounting to-do list, resolved a persistent problem, dealt with a difficult challenge, or accomplished an important objective. Yet, too often we get to the end of a day and haven't felt feelings of satisfaction, accomplishment, or progress at work, at least not as much as we'd like. Instead, frustration, bureaucracy, and unresponsiveness creep in to thwart our well-being.
When more than half of Americans were identified as overweight, people took notice. Major news outlets began educating on how to stay out, or get out, of that statistic. I wish the same attention had been paid when a new survey was released confirming more than half of Americans are dissatisfied with their job. Disliking your job is hazardous to your health and well-being, too. You can't be winning at working if you're dissatisfied with your work or languishing in the status-quo of dislike.
Seated in the courtyard of a sports bar during a playoff game in the home city of one of the teams, it was an energetic crowd that Sunday. While we'd come for a quick bite to eat, we caught a glimpse of a play now and then as home-team enthusiasts roared their approval during the first half.
"I don't like to be kept waiting," he responded when asked by the travel-study professor why he delayed the entire group for a third straight day. "Next time," the professor warned, "we won't hold the bus."
Maybe you received an email seeking applicants as paid mystery shoppers in your area, or offering cash in exchange for filling out online surveys. Or you heard theaters used subliminal advertising to increase sales of popco and soft drinks. Maybe it was the "send old shoes, get a new one free" Nike promotion that caught your attention, or the discovery that you can cure disease by drinking four glasses of water every morning.
The subject line of the email read: "We met at ..." and the name of a conference where I'd recently spoken. Thinking it was from someone who attended my session, I opened it sooner versus later. "I never heard back from you," she wrote, "I wanted to take you to lunch or drop by your office to explain my product more."
I've lost track of the times I've been told in someone's positive or naive thinking mode, "No problem," only to have the non problem become one. At the time they said it, there might not have been a problem, but they didn't factor in workplace potholes, speed bumps, detours, or traffic stops. Like a high-wire acrobat in a Cirque du Soleil performance, winning at working necessitates the use of safety nets with your work, too.
After a mutually beneficial business connection, he spontaneously offered, "if you need anything in the future don't hesitate to contact me." He went so far as to name some of the things he'd be happy to be involved in, or help me with, and I made a mental note for future reference. It seemed more than an obligatory remark from this well recognized individual.
The cyclical and now ubiquitously appearing phrase, back to basics, ignites supporters. The reasonableness of returning to previously successful principles, ethics, systems, accountability, approaches, or you-name-it, appears a tantalizing remedy for our individual or collective woes.
I like teaching workshops. On one hand, I'm humbled by the knowledge, insights, and challenges of those attending. I'm invigorated by the persistence and passion woven into the stories that unfold. And I'm grateful for the real-world perspectives of people who are focused on doing a great job and making a difference at work.
I hesitated before I answered the question. It was just a slight hesitation, but the question took me by surprise. Someone asked me how could they work on self-improvement and development on the clock. And while I answered at the time with a few tips, the on the clock part stuck with me and got me thinking.
The story goes that after one of Ludwig van Beethoven's performances, several people were offering him their congratulations, when one woman commented, "I wish God had bestowed me with such genius." "It isn't genius, madam, nor is it magic." Beethoven replied. "All you have to do is practice on your piano eight hours a day for 40 years."
Unfamiliar with the city and location where I was to speak, I added the address to the GPS before leaving home. Arriving in the conference city hours later, I turn it on and dutifully followed the route that chirped at me from the device. "That's odd," I thought as the directed turn took me away from the city towards the foothills and into a neighborhood. "Maybe it's a retreat location," I mulled as I followed that voice up a winding, steep hill.
Years after Disneyland was built, after the completion of Walt Disney World, the story goes that someone went up to Mike Vance, Creative Director for Walt Disney Studios and said, "Isn't it too bad Walt Disney didn't live to see this?" Without pausing, he replied, "But he did see it, that's why it's here."
Twelve minutes before I was to speak to a large group gathering in a downtown hotel ballroom, I was still struggling with A/V equipment. With hundreds of presentations under my belt, I'm accustomed to handling last minute glitches. But no matter what I tried, my presentation wouldn't project.
"Remember, the feeling you get from a good run is far better than the feeling you get from sitting around wishing you were running." Those words from Olympic swimmer and author Sarah Connor capture the essence of a skill those wanting to thrive in the new world of work need.
Despite efforts on the Wii Fitness balance game, Wii persists in rating me as "unbalanced." And while it's true I'm feeling a bit stressed with a new book coming out in May, and more commitments than common sense dictates, being balanced is a challenge.
On our first morning of vacation, we were pleased to find open tables when we arrived for breakfast at a popular and highly recommended café. With several people actively filling walk-up specialty coffee orders at the counter, it took several minutes to be acknowledged: "It'll be about five minutes for a table since the waitress needs to catch up," a person finally called out in our direction.
Instead of an early start, with time to read the news, check key messages, and write uninterruptedly for a pending project, I spent it down a rabbit hole. What I expected was a five or ten minute interruption to answer a client's email, marked with one of those urgent exclamation points, but it took me over an hour. Before I could even send the requested information, I got an email telling me, in essence, "never mind," the direction had changed.
Myths. Beliefs. Conventional wisdom. Even our own eyes get in our way. Consider what happened to Galileo. In 1589, he gathered the world’s most learned professors to the Leaning Tower of Pisa for a demonstration to disprove a 2,000 year old physics principle of Aristotle’s: the heavier an object is, the faster it will fall to earth.
A common pastime at work, it seems, is pointing out flaws, missteps, and problems – especially the boss's, a coworker's down the hall, or that roadblock person in some other department. Stories of performance and style inadequacies, or snippets of memorable negative encounters can be repeated for days or even weeks. Some live perpetually in the work-culture, fueling rumors about a perceived inept, difficult, or bureaucratic department or person based on years-ago happenings.