Cubicle Confidential

Have you ever been betrayed by a co-worker? Have you ever trusted someone at work and then discovered that they stabbed you in the back? If so, this episode is for you!

Boomeranged in Bethlehem mentored and trained an employee who left the company for more money. The employee has now returned to the company and Boomeranged feels bitter, angry, and betrayed.

Comeuppance Awaits in Texas has a tattletale in his midst. One of his co-workers went out of their way to get someone else in trouble for a minor error in judgment. He now feels he can’t trust this colleague anymore.

Loose Lips are Full of Sh*t is a department manager for a non-profit. In a recent conversation with another department manager, they happened to mention that they had ended the year with a budget excess due to an unfilled position. Lo and behold, their colleague went behind their back and snaked that money into their next year’s budget. Betrayed!

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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Believe it or not, not everybody loves being on stage (which is a sentiment that Chris and Mary do not share). Giving presentations can be very stressful for many people. In this episode, Mary and Chris help listeners sharpen their presentation skills and get over their stage fright.

Petrified about the Panel in Pennsylvania has been invited to sit on a panel and is terrified! They’ve never spoken in front of an audience this large (800 people!) and their boss keeps telling them that this is a GREAT opportunity. Petrified needs a little guidance from Chris and Mary on how to shine.

Deflated in Dallas gave—what they thought—was a great presentation, only to discover that a few people were trash-talking them. They worked hard on this presentation and now they are completely deflated. WTF?

Need Help with Hybrid in Hotlanta is struggling with delivering Hybrid presentations. How do you make hybrid presentations engaging to both in-person and virtual attendees?

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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Conflict at work can be healthy—if done well. Exploring different viewpoints is essential to innovation, progress, and problem-solving. In this episode, Mary and Chris challenge each other to take completely opposite answers to listeners’ questions. It’s time to rumble.

Tune in to decide whose answers are best to:

Torn in Toronto has a colleague who is just plain rude, snarky, and snippy. They’re tired of being nice and only getting the cold shoulder. Should they tell him how they feel and see if he changes, or should they just return the rude behavior in kind?

The Goose is Loose in Vermont is struggling with a boss who is never prepared for meetings. The boss rambles on and never follows up on action items. What should they do?

A Bird in the Hand in Chicago is torn between staying in her current job or taking an offer that pays more money—but may not be as secure. Should she take the risky—but more high-paying job or stay where she is?

On the Rocks in Rochester has noticed that a regional VP comes to work with alcohol on his breath. Should they say something to him? Should they rat him out?

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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Culture—both organizational and national-- has a huge influence over how people behave and operate in organizations. In this episode, Mary and Chris answer questions related to navigating cultural differences.

 Tune in to hear their answers to:

Looking for a Little Dutch Comfort in Charlotte supervises an employee who is just too direct, too brusque, and well too off-putting.

ABC-ing in LA is struggling with the cutthroat culture of their financial services firm. What can they do?

Every Day is a Bad Hair Day in Baltimore works for a hair salon that has a physical look that is sleek, elegant, and upscale. But, on the inside, the behavior is, well, a bit crude. How can she create an internal culture that matches the external edifice?

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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What’s the difference between being cheap, stingy, or frugal? And when is it a problem at work? How do you deal with In this week’s episode, Mary Abbajay and Chris De Santis hear from three listeners who are trying to navigate the financial failings of others.

And as a special treat, they also field a question about an employee’s dirty bathroom habits. Yes, Mary and Chris are going to talk about poop...

Tune in to hear their answers to:

My Boss is a Cheapskate in Chesapeake is embarrassed and a bit horrified at their boss’ cheapness. The boss is a skinflint when it comes to tipping and it’s driving her crazy. Should she call her boss out on this reprehensible behavior?

Bathroom Bandit in Bellevue has an employee with gross bathroom habits. How does one even go about addressing this issue? Help!

I’m Poor Not Cheap in Portland is an entry-level employee who enjoys happy hour with his more senior colleagues, but he can’t afford their champagne tastes on his beer budget. How can he keep the camaraderie and still be able to pay off his student loans?

Pilfered in Poughkeepsie has a business partner that constantly pilfers office supplies like toilet paper, napkins, post-it notes, cleaning supplies—you name it. And they do it in front of employees—which clearly can’t be sending a good message. Are they overreacting or is this a problem? 

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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What’s your comfort level with personal disclosure at work? Do you lean more private or more public? Is sharing caring? Or is sharing TMI? When does a lack of sharing become a problem and when is oversharing, well, just too much? In this week’s episode, Mary Abbajay and Chris De Santis answer listeners’ questions about how to navigate the private-public continuum.

There’s a fine line between transparency—which can build trust—and oversharing which can diminish trust.

Close the Open Book in Chelsea has an employee who clearly overshares. This employee feels the need to bring everyone up to speed on his private life – including clients. He shares his opinions, his family dramas, his personal struggles, his health issues, you name it, there are no boundaries and no limitations on what or to whom he shares. What can the manager do to curb this employee’s TMI tendencies?

All’s Quiet on the Home Front in Raleigh is struggling to get noticed by her design firm colleagues. Her boss tells her that in order to get better projects, she needs to make herself “known” to others at the firm. As a self-described introvert—how can this listener begin building better relationships and letting others get to know her?

You Can Take Me Out of Iowa, but Can You Take the Iowa Out of Me just got her dream job at a fancy New York City advertising agency. While she is thrilled and excited, she can’t help but feel that being a “country-come-to-town” girl might not be the best image. How does she make a good impression while still being authentic?

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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This week’s episode is about complaints and complainers. While complaining is a natural part of human communication—knowing how and when to complain is an important piece of emotional intelligence. Our pro tip: Inside of every complaint is a request. Find it and make it.

Dealing with the complaints of others can be challenging. Learning how to de-escalate an angry tirade is a skill everybody needs…

In this episode we hear from:

Gushing till I Puke in Galena works with a colleague whose constant over-the-top peppiness is driving them to drink. Is there a way to get this colleague to tone it down or turn it off?

Hung Up in Clifton hung up on an angry and complaining VIP customer. And she did it on purpose. So now, she is panicked that he will find out that was her. What should she do? Should confess her sin or wait to see if the angry VIP retaliates?

Duped-licated in Denver owns a print show and one of their clients has a particular employee that always complains about his orders. On top of the constant complaining, this person always seeks substantial discounts. How do they handle a chronic complainer and still stay in good graces with the larger client?

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

Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn!

In this year’s special holiday episode, Mary and Chris help listeners navigate the Ho Ho Horrors of office life during the holidays.

Should you attend the office holiday party? Should you bring an unwilling spouse with you? Should you buy your boss a gift? If so, how much should you spend?

In this episode we hear from:

Scrooged in Seattle has a husband who is grumbling about attending her law firm’s holiday party. Should she make him suck it up and go anyway? Or will his grumpy attitude be more of a liability? 

Confounded by Christmas in Connecticut needs help with the etiquette of holiday gift giving at the office. Should they buy their boss a gift? If so, what is appropriate and how much should they spend?

To Give or Not to Give in Glendale seeks advice on appropriate corporate gifts. Are fruit baskets too old school?

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...

Happy Holidays to all! Thanks for tuning in this year!

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Do you have to attend meetings that suck? If so, you are not alone. Businesses and organizations in the U.S. hold 11 MILLION meetings a day and 55 MILLION each week. Yet, research shows that over 50% of the time spent in meetings is considered wasted or unproductive by the attendees. An estimated $37B a year is lost due to unproductive meetings. In this week’s episode, Mary & Chris use their combined 40 years of experience as professional facilitators to answer listeners’ questions about how to create productive and positive meetings.

In this episode we hear from:

First Time Facilitator in Fremont has been tasked with leading her team’s meeting and seeks some advice to make them more effective and interesting.

Seeking Consensus in Connecticut must lead meetings with people who incessantly argue during meetings. The participants in her meetings tend to be very spirited (read argumentative) and a bit intransigent in their opinions. All too often, her meetings devolve into a standoff of opinions. How can she facilitate this conflict into productive conversations?

Care to Join Us in California is frustrated by team members who consistently “check out” during meetings. What can they do to get people more engaged in their meetings?

Need tips to run a better meeting? Email us to receive a free copy of “Make Your Meetings Matter: 12 Essential Building Blocks to Effective Meetings”

 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!

This week’s episode features three questions from listeners who are trying to get ahead in their lives or careers. They all seek strategies to find the best path forward. So, whether you want to get ahead, move ahead, or make more money—this episode is for you!

In this episode we hear from:

Getting Ahead in Georgia needs advice on how to get ahead in her career. While she has had career growth conversations with her boss—nothing has happened. She’s starting to wonder whether it’s time to look for greener pastures or if she needs to be assertive with her ambitions…

Stumped in St. Louis is a communications manager for a small accounting firm. The firm’s founder is retiring, and they are curious about the best way to notify clients. Specifically, should the announcement come from the founder or the new managing partner? Also, should they announce it via a formal snail mail letter or an email?

Need More Money in Montclair loves her job, but she needs a big raise. And we’re talking a BIG one. She’s got two kids about to go to college and a husband whose salary prospects are more limited than hers. What is the best way to approach her boss?

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!