Cringing on the job
What job related things do you just not like doing? Maybe tasks that
are tedious, ones that are hard to figure out? I am looking for the
tasks that make you cringe when you hear it needs to be done. If
nothing make cringe, which ones make you sigh and go, lets get th is
over with.
What jobs do you feel happy to do? (yes the opposite of the last sound off!)
some people!!!!!!
Why does there always have to be that one person who you are asked to help out that is a nitpicker and a micromanager? As I explained in previous post, our client doesn't want to replace an admin who quit back in September and is looking to me to pick up the support of the three departments she handled. I was "asked" to do a project involving a training seminar next week which involved putting together some notebooks (no big deal - run copies, type up divider labels and cover sheets and assemble) and pull together additional handouts. The handouts are more than what's in the notebooks and his instructions on assembling them are extremely tedious. This morning I get a call that he wants to check the "quality" of the handouts before Friday so any changes that need to be made can be done over the weekend. In other words, I have to drop everything (my normal work for my normal reports which has increased 5 fold this week because their manager is onsite to discuss cutbacks) and assemble these 12 folders of handouts (3-4 docs in each folder and copies run for 12-15 people of each set of docs) so he can spot check them by Friday morning.
When I asked about possible changes and having to re-run copies - "oh no, that's not what I said". Malarky - if he wants to check the "quality", then he can look at the documents he sent me that I'm printing and copying from. Not wait until I've run 12 sets of each group.
This so called 6 hours of work has already taken more than 8 and I envision at least another 8 or more depending on how often I'm interrupted to do my normal work.
Please fire me now. Drawing unemployment is looking so much better than this stress right now. 8(
I've been a PA/Administrator for a about 5 years now but like mose people I was never trained to become one. I have been fighting with my understanding of what office procedures mean. Can anyone help?
This is a very difficult but annoying subject and no doubt many of you have faced this.
Does your boss disappear without notice? Does your boss leave the office without telling you?
My boss has quite literally vanished this morning and it's rather embarrassing as I cannot inform others of his whereabouts.
I just wondered how on earth you manage someone like this who just roams from building to building, meeting to meeting, when there is nothing concrete in the diary until later in the day.
Being new is difficult enough without having to come up with all the answers. Maybe employers should provide us with a crystal ball as part of the many props we need to do our job.
How to win over your enemies at work
I saw an article today (not sure if I'm allowed to post?) entitled: How to Win Over Your Enemies
The theory behind the article is that you ask an enemy to do you a small favor, then treat your relationship as though you had a positive relationship and then you won't be enemies any longer. The article refers to this as "The Ben Franklin Effect", from his autobiography where he wrote "Enemies who do you one favor will want to do more."
I haven't tried this, but I do have a personal theory on the subject (based on a recent experience where it worked!). Basically, I mirror the person's actions. When Shelley (name for illustrative purposes only) does something negative, I respond with a negative reaction. But when Shelley does something positive, I respond with a positive reaction. Shelley, hopefully, eventually learns that positive interactions yield more positive interactions so it's truly in her best interest to be nice.
I'm in the middle of working this theory again with someone right now so the article had particular relevance to me. Thoughts from others on how you handle these situations?
