Cubicle Confidential

Career mobility might not be as straightforward as you think…

…because not everyone actually wants to move up the corporate ladder (shocking, we know!)

This week, we hear from a listener wanting to move up, one looking to step down, and one ready to move across. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to take control of your career – no matter where you want to take it!

All That Sparkles Is Not Gold in Virginia would like to convince her boss not to promote her. She also has no interest in managing people – she likes her current role as a salesperson and she’s good at it. If she says “no” to the promotion, she’s afraid her boss will promote a guy, whose romantic advances she spurned a while back. She’s afraid if he gets the promotion, he’ll make her life miserable. What should she do?

Lumbering Along in Jeff City is 62 years old and manages a lumberyard in Missouri. The owner is 79, in failing health, and asked if he could run the place. While he loves the owner, he wants to retire in three years and doesn’t see himself taking on all the additional headaches of running the whole organization just to leave in a few years. Should he come clean and tell the owner he doesn’t want the job (which will break his heart) or does he take the job until the owner passes?

Padre Conoces Mejor in Alburquerque works for a third-generation local Mexican restaurant chain. He’s one of three siblings in the family business. He and his two sisters each manage a location. Their father wants him to take over. Two problems: his sister runs a much better operation, and he doesn’t want to run the business. He wants to be a chef, not a manager. Their father is old school and thinks the business needs to pass down to the son. How can he get past his father’s biases and make himself, his sisters, and his father happy?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

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Are you a creature of habit?

Maybe you wake up at the same time each morning, eat the same meal for lunch, or are wed to particular processes or protocols.

This week we hear from a few listeners stuck in their ways and one who wants to change them.

My Way Or The Highway in Wyoming is trying to teach a new employee how to properly take inventory and it’s falling on deaf ears. They explain it, show him how it’s done, and even watch him do it. But as soon as they’re out of sight, he doesn’t follow the procedure. The job gets done but it’s not the most efficient way to do it. How can they get the new guy to adhere to their process?

OCDo Or OUDon’t in Cleveland works in a hybrid office that started hoteling. This means they are at the mercy of available space. Here’s the problem: the space isn’t always the same and they have a certain setup they need before starting work and occasionally their space is communal. Other employees end up in their space and touch their stuff. They need what they need--the way they need it. How can they make this understood without coming off as odd or compulsive?

Stuck In A Rut in Rosemont has worked at a warehouse facility outside of Chicago for eight years. They’re around the same people every day. For years, a group of them have had lunch together. While they generally enjoy the company, they’re getting tired of the routine. They like the people but not the routine.  How do they bow out of this social obligation without generating any bad feelings?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

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“There aren’t enough hours in the day!”

Do you feel like you have too much to do and too little time?

You’re not alone.

This week we hear from listeners who feel like time isn’t on their side. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ best time management tips!

Paula The Procrastinator works in professional services and needs help to overcome her procrastinator ways. She just finished the first year of her first real job and always seems to be behind. Her manager is happy with her work but unhappy that she waits until the last minute to deliver the goods. How can she prevent her procrastination from derailing her career?

Saying No in DC is a supervisor in a highly functioning government agency that provides stellar service to stakeholders. While that’s great and all, the burnout is very real. Nobody wants to say “no” and now they find themselves on the road to burnout. Their latest employee viewpoint scores have dropped dramatically. The reason no one feels empowered to say no to requests is because of fear of funding being cut. What to do?

Hate Being Late in Louisiana has a colleague who is always late for everything. Late on deadlines, meetings, lunch – you name it and they’re late to it. They’re a good person, but their lack of punctuality feels selfish and disrespectful. Is there anything that can be done to get this person to be on time? Or how can they stop stressing about their colleague’s lack of punctuality?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

#careeradvice #timemanagement #workplaceadvice

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What really gets under your skin?

Is it when employees make the same mistakes over and over again? Or maybe it’s ungrateful staff…or just plain jerks in the workplace?

This week we hear from listeners who are feeling annoyed and need to rant about it!

Fed Up in Chicago is a partner at a big bad law firm and is being framed as the villain because he’s asking his associates to stay late, come in early, or redo work that doesn’t meet his standards. And all he gets is grief! He’s just responding to their clients – the same ones who pay their six-figure salaries. The young associates must have known the level of effort expected before they got here because it’s not a secret. Has this generation decided that work is an option? And can we stop all the work-life balance talk?

Up To Here With Suck Ups in Syracuse works with a stone-cold jerk. He’s a sarcastic, passive-aggressive, narcissistic toadie. If he crawled any further up their boss’s ass, he’d be looking out his mouth.  Their boss doesn’t see his true colors because this piece of work is all sweetness and light in the boss’s presence.  How can they get him the f*@# out of their life without quitting a job they otherwise love?

Dreadful Divas in Data works at a software firm in California and before the pandemic, they built a new office space and customized it to meet the requests of their workforce. It has a gym, dining hall, game room, meditation space walking trails, and even a barista. Now they’re back on a hybrid schedule and the office is half empty. They spent millions creating a space that no one is using – totally bogus! Even if the employees don’t use it, what about a little gratitude? Is there any way to get people back in the office without threats of quitting?!

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

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Age is just a number! Well, until it isn’t.

Our listeners are feeling some of the pains of getting older – and we don’t mean back aches. We’re talking about ageism at work.

Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice about how to deal with ageism in the workplace.

Aging Angst in Manhattan recently saw Chris DeSantis speak where he asked the audience who were the Boomers in the room. They didn’t raise their hand because they think that their firm is trying to push out the Boomers and replace them with younger, cheaper workers. What can they do to continue working here?

I’m Not Dorian Grey in Michigan is 51 years old but looks considerably older than the other VPs. They work in an industry that admires vitality. The CEO is 67 but looks younger than them. They are afraid that their less-than-young look might need to be refreshed– with maybe a face or neck lift. Will that help, hurt, or make no difference in their chances to move up?

Howard Johnson’s This Ain’t works in HR for a casual dining franchise. The restaurant’s theme is all about having fun as soon as you walk in the door. They have games and contests – focusing on a young demographic. The more “mature” employees feel like they’re being discriminated against since the front-of-the-house positions mostly go to the younger employees. It might be true, but that’s what they’re trying to sell. Is there a way around this to make everyone happy?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

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So, you’ve been promoted to manager…congratulations! And, well, condolences.

Managing a team can be a great resume builder and a rewarding way to develop talent, but it’s certainly no walk in the park.

This week, we hear from listeners whose leadership positions are leaving them stuck between a rock and a hard place.

In this special 100th episode, it’s Mary’s turn to face off against the machine this time. Tune in to hear top management advice from Mary and ChatGPT! And you get to decide who wins!

A Manager’s Dilemma in Delaware works in the tech field and manages a department of about 20 people. They hired too many people during the pandemic, so now they’re starting layoffs. He’s been told that he must reduce his staff by 20% - cutting between 4-6 people. Everyone on his team is really strong and he doesn’t want to be the bad guy. The weight of this decision and the guilt are killing him. How does he decide who stays and who goes?

Not Blind to the Bullying in Boulder is a mid-level Director in a large, national non-profit. They’re fairly new to the company, but they recently became aware of a troubling situation…one of their peers is a toxic leader. He screams, shouts, bullies, and demeans. His employees have been reaching out for help.  Our dear listener has seen one of his employees crying in the bathroom on more than one occasion. Turning a blind eye is wrong, but will saying something impede their ability to succeed? SOS!

Negating the Naysayers in Nebraska manages a local chapter of a national association and they’re facing a wall of resistance from committee members. Every time they or their staff suggests a new strategy, program, or event, the members of the committee resist – saying things like “that’ll never work” or “We tried that 10 years ago and it didn’t work...” The chapter is underperforming but they can’t seem to get through to the members, but, because they’re an association, can’t fire the people on the committee…how can they deal with this reluctance to change?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

Thanks for listening! Producing these past 100 episodes has been a total labor of love. Or, well, at least a labor. Please connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

How do you remain authentic while keeping it work-appropriate?

This week, we’re hearing from listeners who want to bring their true selves to work while keeping their careers on track…and sometimes those two things don’t necessarily line up.

Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to keep it real and run a tight ship to get ahead and stay ahead.

Time Matters in Tempe’s boss is always late to team meetings – like 15-20 minutes late…and when he shows up, he never acknowledges that he’s late and acts like that was the time the meeting was supposed to start. This means that meetings scheduled for 30 minutes end up taking an hour. Sometimes he doesn’t even show up at all! No explanation, no apologies. How can they raise this problem to their boss without getting on his shit list?

Make Up Free And Happy To Be Me in Maryland  works in the marketing/recruiting department at Big Law. Their workplace is hybrid, and they have a standing Monday morning meeting on Zoom. She’s responsible for getting her kids to daycare on remote days, so she usually joins the team meetings makeup-free, hair in a ponytail, and wearing a hoodie. But everyone else on her team, especially her boss, looks completely done up. She’s starting to worry that her undone “look” might affect her chances at a promotion.

To Kiss Ass Or Not To Kiss Ass in Alabama has a co-worker who is a pro at kissing their boss’ ass. What advice could be imparted to a novice ass-kisser? Is it a good strategy for getting ahead? How much is too much? Is there a way to kiss some ass and still retain some self-respect?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Mary is shifting the power of this episode…

And she’s making Chris answer three questions he’s never seen before with an added twist!

Chris DeSantis is going up against ChatGPT in this Man vs. Machine duel.

Who do you think will give better advice? The man or the machine?! Does Artificial Intelligence have the power to run us out of business?

Tune in to hear Chris’ and ChatGPT’s answers to these questions:

New Guard in Northern Ireland recently landed her dream job in the childcare field. The organization used to only have a small group of older staff (average age around 60) until they hired three new younger staff members. An unspoken divide has emerged between the “old guard” and the “new guard.” How can they honor the decades of experiences brought in by those who are their senior while encouraging change to meet the needs of 21st-century workplaces?

Vigilant in Virginia serves as an Executive Assistant for the Vice President/Chief of Staff. They’re preparing for their annual performance review with their Advancer boss after their first full year at the organization. They’re feeling anxious since they’re a Harmonizer. How can the Advancer and Harmonizer meet in the middle – especially during a performance review?

Upset Apple Cart in Alexandria volunteers at a local non-profit that helps feed the food insecure. Most of the regular volunteers are retired women, but the non-profit has had a recent influx of retired older men join their ranks. The men constantly disparage the way they do things and have turned this well-oiled machine into an unpleasant clunker. She doesn’t want to quit volunteering but doesn’t know how to keep these old guys from upsetting the entire apple cart. What to do?!

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

Have you ever made a sacrifice just to fit in?

From slightly changing your appearance to completely ditching your morals, we’re hearing from listeners who feel like outsiders but desire to be in the In-crowd.

Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’s advice on when you should try to fit in or dare to be different and stand out!

Yes, But in Minneapolis took a new corporate job in marketing for a home goods chain. The hiring manager said the company said they needed innovative thinkers who can shake up the status quo. Well, since he took the job, he’s learned it’s closer to the opposite…whenever he makes suggestions or presents new ideas he gets shut down. The pitch in the interview does not match the reality. He knows he can make an impact at the company if given the chance, but he’s one meeting away from searching for another job. Any ideas on how he can get the organization to live up to its sales pitch?

Brash, Bold, and Beautiful in Cherry Creek is a proud black gay man. He was hired as a paralegal for a firm in Denver and stands out like a sore thumb. He’s tall, wears French manicured nails, and dresses in a style that’s a mash-up of Gucci, Off-White, and Vintage. He presented himself this way when he was hired, but now it’s been suggested that he should dress more in line with the company vibe. He thinks they should change their view of men and feels like he owes it to people like him. How can he convince them that being authentic is as real as it gets?

Pretty Stressed in Tampa lost 80 pounds and not only does she feel great, but for the first time in her life she thinks she looks great, too! Other people think so as well and that’s where the problem arises – she’s being treated very differently as a result. She used to be ignored or interrupted at meetings and now those same men – and it is always men who do this – hang on her every word. At the same time, her work girlfriends are suddenly ignoring her. What’s going on? She’s not smarter or less friendly since she’s lost weight, yet that’s how she’s being treated.  Any suggestions as to how to turn this around?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

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Well, that was awkward…

This week, we hear from listeners who are experiencing some cringey situations in their workplaces. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’s suggestions about how to take the awk out of awkward.

Cat’s Out of the Bag in Benton works with a cat lady…who brings her cats into the office. He doesn’t like cats, but the cats apparently like him. They end up under his desk, on his cubicle shelf, or occasionally in his seat. He told HR about the problem, and they told him to sort it out. Short of putting them on a leash, what should he do to get these cats out of his office and life?

A Hamburglar Lurks in Little Rock works in an office of about 70 people and one of them is a food thief. Lately, people are complaining that someone is stealing their food from the shared fridge. The catch? It’s the boss! They saw their empty freezer bag that they use for their afternoon snacks in the boss’ trash can. Do they call him out? Report the boss to HR? Or leave it to (hopefully) blow over?

Mayhem in Memphis is organizing the annual “bring your daughters to work” day. One employee wants to bring her non-binary son into the office. Their company isn't very progressive, and they are worried about negative reactions and possibly bad publicity. On a personal level, they’re completely fine with it but are unsure if everyone else will feel the same way. How should they manage this delicate situation?

We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: [email protected] or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!