Standard Office Procedures

A workplace should never be an intimidating environment. Even one intimidating person in an office can foster conflict, stifle creativity, and make a company less desirable to work at.

Teams work at their best when there is a foundation of trust between workers. Intimidation, either from a boss or someone else on the team, causes conflict, competition, and distrust.

This week, Shannon and Grace discuss how to prioritize your mental energy, and how to address negative, intimidating behavior at work — especially when it comes from someone in a position of power and authority.

Read more about how to handle intimidation at work on our blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Employees are a business's most valuable asset. A team’s cohesion can make or break office dynamics, team happiness, and overall productivity. Hiring based on organizational fit ensures you find someone who shares the same values as your brand, meets the requirements of the job, and meshes with your team.

This week, Shannon and Grace discuss how to add the right people to your team. Plus, our guest Jo Anne Myers of Sunstone Coaching sheds light on tools to suss out who is the best fit for your organization.

Read more about enneagrams on our blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Do you ever struggle to understand where your coworkers are coming from? Every one of your teammates has their own idiosyncrasies, work habits, and communication preferences—including you. And the enneagram is one tool to help you navigate them.

This week, Shannon and Grace dissect what it means to work with different enneagram types in a professional setting and how to better serve and understand your differently-typed colleagues.

Read more about enneagrams on our blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.

Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected].

Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Uncertainty doesn’t feel good, but there are techniques you can implement to combat a lack of control inside and outside of the workplace.

This week, join Grace and Shannon as we share strategies for gaining back control, recognizing what’s not in your control, and dealing with stress at work, including ideas for how employers and managers can help.

Plus, our guest Melissa Welch weighs in on her own experiences with what it means to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Read more about the Circle of Control on our blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.

Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

As we phase back into in-office work, expectations and clarity are key - as well as prioritizing health and safety.

This week, join Grace and Shannon as  we outline some key considerations for returning to work, including how to prepare yourself, your team, ideas for an office return to work plan, and a return to work checklist.

Plus, our guest Chrispian shares his own experience working in-office after working remotely and some methods he's developed for easing the transition.

Read the article that inspired this episode on the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected].

Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Trouble getting into the 'flow zone' for productivity?

Artists aren't the only ones that benefit from creative work flows. They can be essential for focused productivity and there's a good chance you've experienced them without realizing it. The 'flow zone' is the kind of focus where time slips away from you and you get so engrossed in your project you forget you're even working!

This week, join Grace and Shannon as they discuss the value in cultivating your creative flow, and tips on how to find it if you're unfamiliar with the concept.

Our special guest favorite in-house creative, Jess, offers her advice and tools on how to best access a creative flow that works for you, no matter what your type of work!

Read the article that inspired this episode on the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.

Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected].

Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

At one point or another, we’ve all worked a job we didn’t like. While we’ve all felt like this, it’s hard to know when to make a career transition. Is it too dramatic a step? Should you knuckle down and endure even if you find your work unfulfilling? These aren't easy questions to answer, but if you dread going to work every day, it may be time to make a change. This week, Grace and Shannon discuss how to know when it’s time to make a career adjustment and how to make a smooth career transition. Plus, we have an awesome guest in Sarah Wong, who has lived this topic herself and offers some excellent firsthand advice. Sarah transitioned from a petroleum engineer to an entrepreneur and creative and offers tips and insight applicable to anyone considering making a career transition.Find Sarah on Instagram at @sarahwongmedia and @sarah_thebella and visit her blog, The Bella Insider.Read the article that inspired this episode on the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com. Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected]!

Clear, open, and respectful communication is essential to a successful workplace, but it doesn’t happen overnight.

While we all communicate differently, at some point, we’ve all wanted to become a better communicator—or, at the very least, we’ve wished the people around us were better communicators.

But how do we foster better communication between team members and become more effective communicators ourselves?

This week, Grace and Shannon share seven strategies for building effective communication in the workplace. These actionable strategies will help you become a better communicator—no matter your industry or current role.

Read the article that inspired this episode on the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.

We mention taking a free Enneagram test, which you can find here.

Connect with Blue Summit Supplies for more helpful professional development content on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Listen to all episodes of the Standard Office Procedures podcast - and reach out to us to be featured on the podcast or offer feedback by emailing [email protected]. Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

Asking for a raise is can be a nerve-wracking experience, but we're here to help! Grace and Shannon break down how you know it's the right time to ask for a raise, plus how to prepare yourself and set yourself up for a 'yes.' (Spoiler alert: it has a lot to do with preparation.) Plus, our CEO Owen comes onto the podcast for the first time and gives his insight on what's most likely to get him to say 'yes!' Read more on the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.

Impostor Syndrome is a real problem that plagues more than half of the American workforce, and it's something both Shannon and Grace are intimately familiar with - so, this week, they break it down and discuss ways to overcome it. Listen as we discuss what Impostor Syndrome is, how it effects work performance, and what you can do to lessen its effects. Read more on this topic at the blog at BlueSummitSupplies.com.