Cubicle Confidential

This week we help listeners shake up the status quo. What to do when your comp doesn’t match your contribution to the business?  Next, how to start a job change when you think you’ve found some greener grass. In honor of Mother’s Day:  Chris, Tim and Jack share memories of traditions both old and new. Science Corner: Butler’s Law of Conservation of Self-esteem.

Segments in this episode:

• Hacked or Hacked Off in New Jersey - “My boss is trying to commandeer my commission”
• Word of the day:  An adjective … 11-letters … meaning “next to last” (but in the common vernacular often used incorrectly as a synonym for “last”)
• Angling for a Dream Job in Memphis - “How do I land a position with one of our vendors?”

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Given the transient and mobile nature of the modern workforce, is poaching an ethical dilemma or a smart sourcing strategy? We help a restaurant owner contemplate countermeasures when an upscale rival raids his roster. Next, Chris and Tim help a consultant calm the waters when he is accused of aiding and abetting a defection. Also, a spirited point-counterpoint on the concept of “brunch” and a few confessions about runny eggs.

Segments in this episode:

• Dine and Dash in Austin - “The restaurant up the road is swiping my servers”
• Scrambled not Poached in Spartanburg - “My client thinks I pilfered his people”
• The Gist: “The Ethics & Etiquette of Employee Poaching ” by Cherone Duggan (Workable.com)

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Tim’s much-maligned reference shelf includes the American Heritage dictionary which defines a crush as:  “a usually temporary infatuation.” This week we help listeners work through the twists and turns of office obsessions. Chris waxes poetic about the rotary phone and the dating scene at Illinois Bell. Plus:  back by popular demand – the word of the day!

Segments in this episode

• 2Good 2Be 4Gotten in Tulsa- "My boss is hot. Can I? Should I? How do I?”
• Word of the day:  A noun … 10-letters … defined as “the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous pattern” … can you guess the word?
• Daddy Issues in Des Moines - "We are dealing with a perilous paternal paradox”

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Sometimes it’s hard to stand out from the crowd, sometimes it’s hard to hide.  We help listeners chart a course into -- and out of – the spotlight. Plus: an apology to Sean Evans, the “pretend agent” that launched a career, and the all-too-common confusion around Patrick Stewart and  Patrick Swayze.

Segments in this episode:

• TV NV in NYC - “I want an internship but I’m not in Kansas anymore”
• Kitemath is an award-winning design team specializing in corporate communications. They work across media to solve problems and help companies connect with their employees, consumers and other key audiences. We thank Chris and Jen for designing our new logo.  Learn more about this amazing firm and the high-impact work they do at Kitemath.com.
• It’s Funny until someone Dies in Pittsburgh - “OMG, I emailed a carton about a stupid boss to my stupid boss”
• The Gist: “5 Ways to Make a Lasting Impression” by Jeff Vijungco from TheMuse.com

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected] and connect with us on LinkedIn.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Recreational marijuana is all the buzz but what happens when Mary Jane dances a little too close to the office? We explore the complicated tapestry of state law, company policy and individual liberty. Is pot the new alcohol or is it a little more complicated?  On a completely unrelated topic … Chris, Tim and Jack talk about their favorite binge-worthy snacks. 

Segments in this episode

• Taking the High Road in Durham - “I saw my employee smoking a joint!”
• Purely Hypothetical Scenario: If – for whatever reason – you suddenly get the munchies, what is your go-to snack?
• Dazed and Confused in Vancouver - “My staff wants a new kind of office party”
• The Gist: “Marijuana in the Workplace … How to Craft an HR Policy” as published by HSI

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

When does a stretch goal become a fool’s errand? This week listeners share their challenges with unrealistic expectations both foreign (from a client) and domestic (from the boss). Chris shares one of his favorite tools for assessing personality types and channels his inner Ross Perot.

Segments in this episode

• Baffled in the Bay Area - “S.O.S., the boss is setting beyond-audacious growth targets!”
• Fishing for Sponsors: DiSC® is a personal assessment tool used by more than one million people every year to help improve teamwork, communication, and productivity in the workplace.  Learn more at DiSCProfile.com
• Doing the Hustle in Houston - “My client’s fake deadlines are causing real problems”
• The Gist: “10 Strategies for Dealing with Difficult Customers ” by Skye Schooley

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Intelligensia Artificialis is not a real phrase but it should be. We tackle two takes on the omnipresent A.I. system, Chat GPT. How can a freelance writer stay relevant? If you find time in your day, should you ask for more work (or just play)? We close with a quick tour of A.I. trends for 2024. Bonus quiz: what do acoustic guitar, snail mail and cloth diaper have in common?

Segments in this episode

• Man vs. Machine in Philly - "How can I keep A.I. from taking my writing gigs?”
• Fishing for Sponsors: Back by popular demand … a live, on-air taste test of spicy gummies from Pakistan, made possible by our friends at ExoticSnackGuys.com
• HAL’s the Word in Hartford - "Chat GPT cut my writing time in half, should I ask for more work?"
• The Gist: “Will A.I. Take Your Job? Fear of A.I. and Trends for 2024” by Kazimierz Rajnerowicz

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].  

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

What to do when a co-worker’s pride and joy becomes your noisy nemesis?  A cry for help as the office devolves into a petting zoo. In a first for the podcast, we help two listeners from the same company! Plus, an homage to a dark chocolate-enrobed peppermint confection.

Segments in this episode

• Hound from Hell in Accounting - “How do I handle this furry miscreant?”
• An interlude: waxing poetic about the York Peppermint Patty (and the other Peppermint Patty)
• To Hell with this Menagerie in Accounting - “The office looks and smells like Noah’s Ark”
• The Gist: “How to Create a Pet Policy for Your Office” by Julie Thompson from Business.com

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Sharing the gym – and the locker room – with coworkers can lead to some uncomfortable encounters! Tune in to hear Chris and Tim help listeners avoid pulling a hamstring when access to amenities gets awkward.

Segments in this episode

• Exorcised in LA - “My boomer boss wants me to be his workout buddy”
• Fishing for Sponsors: The StopAlong serves impressive pizza, burgers and more! The Wicker Park and Logan Square locations are both walking distance from Tim’s house … how great is that? Check out the menu www.TheStopAlong.com
• My Private Parts Stay Private in Jersey - “I’m the only one wearing a towel in the company locker room”
• The Gist: “Amenity Downsides: When an Employee Shower Becomes a Liability” by Peak Construction (Rosemont, IL)

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected], tweet us: @cubicleconfide1 and connect with us on LinkedIn. Thanks for listening!

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Did you know the number one fear in America is glossophopia? Chris and Tim help a listener manage their high anxiety. Next, they discuss how to tap the brakes on an unreserved rookie without crushing his spirit.

Segments in this episode

• Naked Below the Waist in Boston - “I am so nervous about presenting to senior management”
• Fishing for Sponsors: A live, on-air taste test of banana candies from Serbia and Croatia, made possible by our friends at The Exotic Snack Guys
• Loud and Proud in Savannah - “The new kid is sharp but chimes in early and often”
• The Gist: “America’s Top 7 Phobias” by Dr. Kathryn Soule, Anxiety Specialist

We want to hear about the drama, the dilemmas, and the conundrums that you face at work! All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent.

Email us: [email protected].

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!