Displaying All Posts in the Office Life category

Is “The Office” Real?

For those that don’t watch the American television version of The Office, it is a situation comedy about a failing paper company led by a charming-but-impulsive regional manager. The show’s humor comes mainly from its wide variety of distinct characters (although typical office stories come into play as well), some of which seem like perfect office archetypes. Protagonist Jim Halpert is a rational, level-headed salesman who, after many attempts to bring sanity to his workplace, resigns to just enjoy the humor all around him. Jim can amuse, but there are others:

  • Dwight, a goofy, abrasive know-it-all with action hero aspirations;
  • Creed, a creepy, funny should-be-retired colleague whose ambiguous comments are often disturbing and funny;
  • Kevin, an accountant who, seems woefully inattentive and thick-headed given the nature of his work;
  • Ryan, the low man on the totem pole who has little else other than Machiavellian ambition and stories of past professional glory;
  • Angela, the peculiar, pet-loving enigma who has some strange habits that are impossible to ignore; and
  • Kelley, the customer service representative who, despite her profession, is prone to having wild, dramatic fits over the insignificant.

The show is full of office-related humor, and its meaningless meetings, inappropriate antics and professional blunders leave us saying:

“Wow, that is so true.”

But, is it? Are these characters real? Can you spot them at your job? Perhaps if you can’t spot them, could you be one of them? Let’s not kid ourselves; we can’t all be cool, collected, “Jim Halpert” types. Someone has to be the drama queen, the cutthroat, the dreamer, the know-it-all.

Are you one of them?  If so, which one are you? Click Here to Read Article …

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To Beer or Not to Beer: Do You Liquid Lunch?

The other day I went out to have a quick lunch with a good friend of mine.  Nothing fancy, just a cheap pizza place that just happened to have a few excellent beers on tap.  (I’m not 100% sure, but I think it might be illegal here in Canada to eat pizza without drinking beer.)

Since I’m self-employed, had no need to drive, and was enjoying the first nice Friday afternoon in what seemed like an eternity, I opted to have a beer with my pizza.  I tried to get my beer-loving friend to join me, but he felt that it wasn’t appropriate given that he still had to go back to his office.

It got me thinking over the past week:  When is it okay to have an adult beverage?

When I was a cable guy, driving a company vehicle – no question.  And let me say this clearly – if you are driving, there’s no acceptable time to have a drink.  But when I got into the advertising world and learned that a beer fridge in the office was not grounds for immediate termination – let’s just say I didn’t think it was that big of a deal to have a “pop” and then walk back to a communications position in an office building.

Now, there’s a world of difference between wanting a drink and needing a drink – and if you are in the latter stage on a regular basis, you might want to consider asking for help.

My question to the folks in WorkAwesome:  Is there an acceptable time to have a drink during the work day?  Do you take part in a “liquid lunch” ritual? Click Here to Read Article …

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Buzzword Bingo

Have you heard of Buzzword Bingo?

The idea is that you have a little fun during a dull meeting by using bingo cards filled with vague, commonly-used office terminology. The first one to connect 5 buzzwords in a row wins.

I doubt anyone has ever truly played this game (and it’s hardly productive), but many of us have found ourselves in a meeting where the conditions are perfect for buzzword bingo.  Let’s give it a try now.

How many buzzwords can you find in the following example:

If we have some extra bandwidth while we’re circling the wagons, perhaps we could piggy-back a little morale booster to add value to the meeting and get our arms around the bigger picture. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but if we commit to best practice, this paradigm shift could push the envelope and ramp up to be a win-win situation with a strategic fit that lands us on the fast track towards proactive thinking outside the box.

(Just writing that made my head buzz.)

Do you have any favorite buzzwords? Do some make you laugh? Do some make you cringe?  Let’s “bat this around” for a while.

Click Here to Read Article …

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Toxic Coworkers: Dealing with Debbie Downers

When I started an internship at a small nonprofit in the National Press Building, I thought I was on my way up to journalist heaven. I was ready to learn. I was ready to give it my all. But I wasn’t ready to work with Debbie Downer.

Debbie Downer loved to gripe. She could suck all the air out of the room. The worst was when I had to ride the elevator with her. There was no escape. I had to stand there and listen to her go on and on. Click Here to Read Article …

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Are Traditional Offices Dead?

Today Seth Godin posted his thoughts on the state of the “traditional office.”

I hold the man in pretty high regard (he was listed as one of my examples of “really productive people”), and I even took part in this Monday’s Worldwide Linchpin Meetup Day. While not everyone will agree with his ideas, he puts them out there no matter what.

He raises some really great points, including how one can be more productive if they work from wherever they choose.

So, do you think the traditional office is dead?  Do you think there’s a place for it in today’s society? Click Here to Read Article …

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What’s Your Favorite Work-Themed Movie?

One of the things I like to do in my spare time is catch up on movies. In an art-imitates-life fashion, there are oodles of office-themed movies in case you haven’t gotten your fix of life in the workplace.

The classic workplace comedy is, of course, Office Space – which has a huge cult following. But Nine to Five is one of my personal faves (anyone who’s ever had a toxic boss will laugh hysterically at the “kill your boss” fantasy sequence). Then there’s Working Girl, Wall Street, and Clockwatchers.

What are your favorite workplace movies? Anything else I should add to my NetFlix queue? Click Here to Read Article …

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5 Reasons To Check In With Human Resources

The Human Resources department isn’t just for resolving serious work-related conflicts – or for new employees. It’s a commonly overlooked resource for both happy and unhappy employees. It’s a shame that employees only visit HR when faced with a tense situation. After all, they are quite literally “at your service,” whether you’re in the middle of a catastrophe or enjoying a long string of productive workdays. Perhaps it’s time to visit that sleepy corner of the office to see what Human Resources can do for you. Click Here to Read Article …

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Ask Forgiveness, Not Permission

“Ask forgiveness, not permission.”

Have you heard this around your workplace? It’s basically a pithy way of saying “I’d rather you go too far than do too little.” Instead of getting bogged down in the bureaucracy, they’re telling you to move forward with your work – even if you have to bend a few rules.

Whoever says this to you clearly trusts your judgment and approves of your past work. The phrase may sound a little strange, but consider it a compliment and a testament to your reliability. You’re getting permission to bulldoze through the roadblocks instead of stopping the whole operation – you get to keep the “flow” going for both you and your organization.

Just don’t take it too far.

Have you ever worked for an organization that endorses this philosophy?  Punishes those who follow it? Let us know in the comments. Click Here to Read Article …

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