Life and Work Balance

Admin Gal has been a busy person.  Her duties as an admin and her extracurricular writing duties has created a dilemma. 

My simple truth is I have become to busy to update my adventures as a admin on a regular basis.
So, I am taking the time to say thank you to my regular readers.  I can't tell you how much I have appreciated your support.

I promise to update the adventures when I can.  Please come and visit my other site, writeami.wordpress.com, to catch up on the latest adventures.

Thank you again for your support.

Telephone Sales

Admin Gal received a call from a company that specialized in 'College Recruitment'.

Education is absolutely important. Trawling for customers via cold calling, not so productive.

Just saying.

Productivity

It's budget time and all inquiring minds turn to productivity.  Admin Gal is all about efficient use of time.

However, others version of productivity is:

1. Productive consumption of coffee/tea/soda in the pantry.
2. Efficient use of the company gym during work hours.
3. Proactively checking out prospective markets and news.
4. Streamlining vending machine distribution.

Anything to avoid the budgetary nightmare.

Hiding isn't an Option

In an office environment, it is never a good thing to avoid the boss.

Ignoring phone calls, emails or calendar events only aggravate people.  Leaving the task of hunting the person down.

Too bad I can't fit people with GPS transmitters like they do to wildlife.

Refrigerator Courtesy

Refrigerator real-estate is a precious commodity.

Admin Gal has become the bad guy in the battle of the refrigerator space.  She is the one who must decide what can stay and what must go.

The general rule of thumb followed: No expiration date = wastebasket.

Are there some misses?  Does Admin Gal care? NO.

Soliciting...

Admin Gal recognizes that the world is turning, companies are struggling to drum up new business.  She receives dozens of cold calls during week of products that will better the bottom line, provide outsourcing services that will save the company and make us heroes (not), or have the next best widget in the universe.

What Admin Gal sincerely dislikes are sales people who call with the sole intention of annoying her.  Aside from their actual existence, no sales person should annoy Admin Gal or any other person on her staff.

Today's winner in the 'Uber Annoyance' category is a repeat caller.  This individual sole goal was/is/will be to speak directly with my boss.  I have indicated numerous times our specific process for handling these requests. After repeating the instructions three separate times in one conversation, Admin Gal asked the individual to repeat back what had been said.  What did the individual do?  'I can't tell you specifics, only Mr. XXXX.'

ARRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!

No reference to the instructions Admin Gal had given were acknowledged.  Finally, Admin Gal said (in clear and concise language), "Do not call back.  We are not interested."

Admin Gal is positive there will be another call in approximately 3 weeks.

At my Expense

Expense reports can be the bane of any admin.  Crumple, coffee-stained receipts in foreign currency.  Tips and mileage.  Meals where clients are entertained.

Admin Gal doesn't mind processing the reports, she minds having to mine the receipts from the people she supports.  Or, the straggling receipts, 'Oh, I forgot to give this one to you.' The minute after you submit the report for processing.  Worse are the unidentifiable expenses in the expense report system, that are over the limit for not having a receipt and the individual just says, 'Process it anyway.'

Admin Gal's reply to all this?  If you don't produce what I need, the Auditor will get you!


Auditors make very effective bogeymen.

Red Light, Green Light

I remember playing Red Light, Green Light  when I was a kid. The purpose of the game is to reach the 'stop light' without being caught in a moving violation (red light).

The corporate work place is somewhat similar. We are all heading for the same goal, but the journey there is fraught with obstacles, lights and diversions.

While the game is often a singular event, in the corporate environment the employee is seldom alone.  We should be working together to obtain the goals and projects given us.  Checks and balances exist to help us keep moving along.

Sometimes, we hit the Red Light.  The key to surviving the sudden stop is to be paying attention to everything around you so you are not benched.

Juggling, I'm a Pro

Balls, chainsaws and knives are flying through the air in an attempt to get through the day.

Some days, everything stays in the air...

and some days not so much.

Gears of the Workplace

Merriam-Webster.com defines Collaboration as:

to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor

In the work space, collaboration is essential to making deadlines, managing projects or people, and sailing through the politics of the office.  When done correctly, everyone is an essential gear in a well-oiled machine.

 Each gear and cog has a place and purpose.  Sometimes the gears can be changed around, creating a different manner to reach the same conclusion.

HOWEVER, there are times when a person or two refuse to cooperate in the achievement of a common goal.  The reasons vary.  Sometimes, people do not have the skills to work in a team.  The right team will help them understand a collaborative environment.

Other times, individuals feel that holding on to the information they know will make them more valuable.  More often than not, it just frustrates people.

In today's work environment, no person is an island.  Our jobs are interconnected.

Being the stuck or uncooperative gear will only cause dissension.  When push comes to shove, the stuck gear gets replaced.

Are YOU Prepared?

Everyone is prepared for fire, since grade school we learned the basics of orderly evacuation and how to stay with our classes.  In the corporate world, fire drills are much the same.

However,  NO ONE on the east coast is prepared for earthquakes (unless you grew up on the west coast, then that's another story).

Today, Richmond, VA experienced an earthquake.  The epicenter was 40 miles away, but the shocks were worrisome.  The building I work in is only 2 years old, so it is structurally equipped to withstand an earthquake.  The employees?  That's another story.

No alarm sounded, no lights flashed just my boss saying 'We're evacuating! Tell everyone on the floor.'

I ran the floor, using my best parade grounds voice, saying 'Everyone to the emergency exits.  THIS IS NOT A DRILL!'

Fast forward to after the building was deemed safe and we were all back at our desks.  The following email was sent:

As you may have noticed, our region experienced a 5.8 earthquake earlier today.  The epicenter appeared to be in Louisa County, about 40 miles northwest of Richmond.  This building was designed to manage seismic activity typical for this region.  Aftershocks following an earthquake of this magnitude are not uncommon, so don’t be unduly alarmed should we experience them.  

In the event an evacuation is necessary, an announcement will be made over the building intercom system and alarms will be sounded.  If that should happen, use the stairwells (not the elevators) and proceed to your designated waiting area across from our 5th Street entrance.

My question is to the powers that be, are we now going to have earthquake drills?

Ch-ch-ch-changes

The organization I work for has been stable for several years.  What I mean by stable is major initiatives started and completed and no major change in leadership.

All this lulled me into a false sense of security.  Yes, I know that I've broken the cardinal rule of employment.  I had grown comfortable in the status quo.

Not to fear, the familiar feeling of being unbalanced and striving to keep all things in sync has once more begun to consume my life.

I am unamused with the person who cursed me with "May you live in interesting times."  When I find them?  I'll never tell.

Transformation

Admin Gal has an observation:

Transformation for the sake of transforming is never as productive as actual constructive change. (circular thinking at its best)

What brings Admin Gal to this startling conclusion?  Yet another round of change in the work place.  There is nothing wrong with change, it's what keeps things moving along.  Yes, stagnation is bad.

HOWEVER, a purpose and obvious goal would be nice for us poor minions.

Mandatory....

Singing?

Admin Gal is in a bit of a pickle.  She mentioned that she had musical experience of the choral kind, only to be pegged by the Senior Management to lead the company choir.

Music isn't an issue, Admin Gal loves music.  The quintessential problem that arises, is this is a time drain of epic proportions.  In addition to her work load (which is expanding), now she has to wrangle people are reluctant to attend rehearsals because it interferes with their work schedule and their life.

ADMIN GAL IS NOT BEING PAID FOR THIS EITHER!

Ohmmmmmm!  Seeking inner harmony.

Office Supplies

School is getting ready to start and the office supplies are dwindling fast. A co-opt here for the summer was observed filling up her purse with supplies from the cabinet.  At least the regular employees are more discreet.

The co-opt will be dealt with by her manager.  It makes me VERY, VERY ANNOYED, to have to be the big, bad when it comes to office supplies. I'm going to have to lock the cabinets until school starts.

Word to the wise, taking office supplies from your place of business is considered stealing.
Are pens, pencils and notebooks worth losing your job?

The Reviews are In!

Admin Gal survived her Mid-Year Review and is ready to take on the next part of the year.  

The preparation that goes into the process is nerve racking. The goal is to put your best foot forward without being so cocky the review is ruined. 

THEN, there is the carefully chosen evaluation software.  It's processes are absolutely Byzantine!  Here is where Admin Gal looses her mind and patience.  The good thing is, her boss feels the same way.

Good luck with everyone and their mid-year reviews.

Dear Tech Support

Admin Gal has had a series of technical support calls that have sent her over the edge.  Complete with the insinuation that the problem was 'user error' with out allowing her to fully explain the issue.

The wrath of Admin Gal shall not be dissuaded!

Here are a few simple rules that can make the support arena more functional:

1. Let the CUSTOMER explain the problem and what they have done to resolve it, BEFORE cutting them off with an off the cuff comment.
2. DON'T MAKE THEM REPEAT PROCEDURES THEY'VE ALREADY DONE! More often than not, the person placing the call has done all the obvious things to fix the problem.
3. As a tech person, if you DO NOT know the answer - PLEASE, find someone who does.  
4. NO, the caller DOES NOT have all the time in the world to listen to the tech support person hem and haw so they don't have to answer the next call.

What are some of your pet peeves when it comes to technical support?

Calendar Pandemonium

As an Administrative Professional, calendaring is part of the job.  However, some weeks are worse than others.

Yes, this was how my week looked.  All the pretty colors are enough to make me nauseous.  sigh.

My favorite request for the week?  Find time to meet with three business unit presidents, my boss and four directors by Friday.  I horse trade with the best of the best, even I couldn't pull that request off.  It got pushed to the following week.

I only have a finite amount of miracles I can grant.  Thank goodness it's Friday!

Staying on Task

Admin Gal has been running amok the last several weeks.  Projects to run, people to manage and chaos to sow.  With all this fun, it has been hard to stay on task.  The 'to do' list is lengthy and the writing illegible.

Yet, with out the almighty task list, little things might fall through the cracks.  So, what's an Admin to do?  Make a list, check it twice and be flexible to bend in the wild whirlwind that is the job.

The Devil is in the Details

Being an Administrative Professional is akin to being a coach, trainer and strategist - at the same time.  In order to keep all the balls in the air, or at least bouncing, we need to pay attention to the details.  

Some days, this is easier said than done.  However, the effort is truly worthwhile.

The devil we face as Admins are the little details.  Not paying attention can cost us our jobs, our networks, the trust of our associates, and/or friendships.

For the sake of all things sane!  Don't let the devil win - pay attention to your details.

Please Consider!

Dear Friends-

On Tuesday, July 12, 2011, the Montgomery County Council met in Rockville to make the move to erode collective bargaining for Montgomery County Police.

They will claim they are doing this to save the tax payers money and reign in the power of the Fraternal Order of Police.

What they aren't telling you that in their continued attempts to neuter the working police officers in Montgomery County -- they are affecting the structure of our public safety system by putting it at the mercy of the County Council and their political priorities.

The removal of collective bargaining not only means the stripping of benefits and pay to the police officers and the outright disregard of agreements between the County Council and the FOP, it also means the current working system of organized police shifts and procedures to cover all corners of this County may be disrupted.

At the end of the day, do you really want your public safety to be in the hands of individuals who have absolutely NO IDEA of what needs to be done to keep the streets safe for our families?

The current system WORKS. The County Council need to work within the established guidelines of collective bargaining and honor the agreements made with the Fraternal Order of Police.

Your support is needed. The Council will be meeting again on Tuesday, July 18 for a full vote on these bills.

The police officers of this County need to be able to do their jobs without having to worry about the interference of the County Council.

Enough is enough-- leave the police officers alone to do their jobs.

If you can't make the call,  please write to the Council and voice your opinion.


This is still a democracy and we, as citizens have a right to speak our mind.  Tell them you oppose Bills 18-11, 19-11 and 20-11 changing the rights of police officers.


·  Phil Andrews 240-777-7906 councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Roger Berliner 240-777-7828 councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Marc Elrich 240-777-7966 councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Valerie Ervin 240-777-7960 councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Nancy Floreen 240-777-7959 councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  George Leventhal 240-777-7811 councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Nancy Navarro 240-777-7968 councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Craig Rice 240-777-7955 councilmember.rice@montgomerycountymd.gov
·  Hans Riemer 240-777-7964 councilmember.riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov


If this can happen to the people that provide our public safety, how long before the County Council strips the rights for our fire fighters, our teachers, and what happens when they decide they want the total right to dictate what happens to us as Montgomery County residents?

Do you really want the County Council to have 100% say in your right to exist as a tax paying citizen? If they can blatantly shake the system that keeps us safe, they will have no issues with putting their hands into everything else.

Organizational Chaos

If anyone has seen their organizational charts lately, you'll have noticed that with every Executive, Director, Manager, and Minion box and connecting line, there are as many dotted lines connecting said boxes to other parts of the organization.  Effectively blurring the lines of reporting and responsibility.

Some organization call this transparency.  The people in the trenches call this STRESS!

Having a clear line of authority helps when a person needs to leverage support for tricky situations or to garner support for projects.  When the field is too wide, and the hoops to jump through are too varied, failure is a expectation.

Create some clarity, reign in the dotted lines.  Clean up the Org Charts and let Peace reign in the land.

The Calendar Gods are in Alignment

There are times when calendaring can be a joy or the very circle of hell.  I'm pretty sure when Dante wrote of the 'ninth circle of hell' he was managing a number calenders simultaneously.

But every so often miracles appear and the universe aligns.  Calendars line up and a coveted time opens up.  I swear I can hear angelic choruses singing grand hallelujahs. 

My day is wonderful. I feel like a miracle worker.  What does the boss say?  'So?'

Ingrate.

Brew the Darn Pot!

There has been an unfortunate rash of burnt coffee pots.  Admin Gal is contractually restricted from hunting the offenders down and showing them the error of their ways.  

The end results is appealing to the variety of higher powers that are observed in the department. 

Admin Gal believes if any of the higher powers were as caffeine addicted as the offenders were, they would brew the next pot.  If this doesn't work?  She will instal a badge swipe machine to meter coffee usage.

That'll boost Admin Gal's popularity.

IM Misuse

Admin Gal would like to clarify the that the 'INSTANT' in Instant Messaging is just that - messages that are INSTANT, BRIEF, QUICK, etc.

Too often, Admin Gal's colleagues have been taken to creating long dialogues that would be better suited to other mediums, such as - email, telephone conversations, smoke signals or even carrier pigeons.

Instant Messaging is a very intrusive method of communication. No, Admin Gal was not born in the stone-age. She believes that there is a time and a place for all methods of communication.  Writing a novel in an IM is not appropriate business practice - EVER.

Please Instant Message responsibly.

Life of a Mushroom

Admin Gal is a mushroom.  Buried deep in the minutiae of secrets and bureaucracy, poking her head out in order to get the lay of the land.

In the teeming soil she sits in, Admin Gal gathers information.  Piecing together the puzzle that will keep her boss savvy to the powers that be and in touch with the people that work in the division he manages.

Being a mushroom is a very difficult job!

Squirrel!

With the office move to the heart of the city, Admin Gal has had to develop a whole new level of patience.

Prior to the move, Admin Gal lived in close proximity to the office.  One tank of gas would last a month.

Alas, those days are history.  She is now saddled with a monthly commute of 2.5 tanks of gas and $20 in tolls.  To quote Guy Fleegman aka 'Crewman #6' from Galaxy Quest, "That's just not right!"

On top of it all, Admin Gal's fellow commuters all seem to have the attention span of gnats.  Stopping willy-nilly in the middle of the highway.  The only reason Admin Gall can determine was an imaginary squirrel crossed their path.

sigh

Ain't No Rest for The Wicked

Admin Gal has determined that vacation is just another excuse for said employer to invent new and unusual ways to torment employees upon their return.

Upon her return, Admin Gal found:

1. 700 emails in her inbox - No, that is NOT an exaggeration.  She only wishes it were.  Oh, the horror, the horror! 
2. Numerous 'projects' assigned to her in her absence - After all, how could Admin Gal say 'NO' if she wasn't there to do so. GRRRRRR!
3. Two supply rooms to unpack - The dreaded office move occurred during her absence.
4. And one new Admin, who was close to making a break for it.

Was the vacation worth it? Absolutely!

Admin Gal loves her job!

Happy Admin/ Annoyed Admin - You Choose

Admin Gal is all for people taking the initiative.  She applauds people being proactive, on-time, and forward thinking.

What Admin Gal does NOT appreciate are people who can't grasp simple concepts:

1. No, Admin Gal does not know why the sophisticated and very expensive HR software STILL doesn't have your information correct.  No, she won't go in and change it for you.
2. The correlative nature between annoying Admin Gal and their inability to get things done.
3. Just because they are having a piss poor day, does not mean they can bring their woes to Admin Gal's desk.  There is a 'No Whining or Complaining - Violators will be Stapled' sign posted for a reason.

Auto Responder: Admin Gal is on Vacation

Admin Gal is on a well deserved vacation for the next two weeks.  She will return rejuvenated and in fine form.

Please see her minion, the flying cat, for any administrative needs in her absence.

Thank you.

Acumulus Nimbus

Admin Gal is amazed, appalled, and astonished at the amount of office supplies that have been found in abandoned desk drawers and overhead bins.

One would think that people might be preparing for an apocalypse - of expense reports and other such horrors.

Really?

Why must do people need 20 bottles of correction fluid, 5 boxes of staples with one staple row missing, 30 rubber finger tips of varying sizes- I won't even go there, and possibly a partridge in a file drawer.

What we can't use in the new building, we'll donate.

Sigh

You've got to Move it, Move it

Admin Gal has been movin' it all right.  The floor move is looming, her vacation is scheduled smack dab in the middle of the move (excellent timing one would say - ha!), she is training new admins, AND packing out her boss's office and her own.

Admin Gal is pretty sure that the company is conspiring against her to make sure she is too exhausted to enjoy her 10 days free of the corporate overlords.  

Never fear, where Admin Gal is going, she'll be beyond the reach of cell phones, email and/or smoke signals. If the office implodes before she gets back, she will dutifully put all the pieces back together.

Rocket Science

When did filling out a form become rocket science?

Seriously?

Admin Gal is currently in the middle of organizing a move to another building.  While, we have all been in and out of the new facility, Security has made the late request that we update our information.  You know, in case of apocalyptic events such as lack of paper, crashed computers, etc.

The form is simple enough.  Admin Gal is finding that her comrades are stymied by the simplest of fields.

1. What department do they work for?  
2. Who is their HR representative?  
3. Which building do they currently work in and what building will they work in? 

If these simple questions cause consternation, Admin Gal can only imagine what misery the hard questions cause.

Gary Fields does NOT Work Here!

Admin Gal has been bedeviled since she started her job by calls for a mysterious 'Gary Fields'.  All the callers have had heavy Bronx accents.  They would request Mr. Fields, Admin Gal would say 'Who?', then they would hang up, never allowing her the opportunity to let them know that the gentleman in question was not an employee.

The frustrating part was they were calling my direct number, their numbers were blocked. And at month's end, their calls were a plague of locust on Admin Gal's existence.

Flash forward four years later and the calls have become a trickle. Admin Gal can always tell when the desperate sales guys have brushed off the old lists.

You would think that after four years of being told the man doesn't work here, people would get the hint.

Admin Gal is Annoyed...

by the machinations of persistent sales people.  Honestly, you'd think after giving them clear and precise directions of how your company accepts their information, they would be grateful.

Instead, Admin Gal finds herself besieged by the peppering calls of salespeople who are hoping and praying that the boss will pick up the phone on a number he doesn't recognize.  

Seriously? 

Were these people born in the cabbage patch?

Admin Gal's job is simple, get the information, direct it to the correct person and get on with her day. Sales people have become the static that you can't drown out of the stereo system.

You Be the Judge

Dear Reader,

Not too long ago, Admin Gal was made aware of an unfortunate situation of an administrative colleague.  

We Admins are often in positions to make many different decisions based on undocumented conversations.  This particular colleague had been asked to add some variety to the catering to an annual multi-week event.  Ever conscious of budgets and time constraints, this Admin went to work to make this request happen.

Imagine her surprise when she was taken to task by her manager, in front of multiple departments, for having blown a budget.  

Here are some key points to take into consideration:

1.     Said Admin had negotiated excellent rates with every vendor who provided food for the event.

2.     At no point did the manager ask to see costs for the meals being provided before he made a scene.

3.     Said manager had a plate full of food as he made a fool of himself.

4.     Everything came well with in the budget alloted for the event.

Admin Gal has heard many a sad tale in her career, but this particular tale of abuse raised her hackles.  

As Admins, we are like ducks, shaking off the bad and reveling in the good.  However, one bad manager can certainly spoil the job.

Dear Reader, what would you do in our dear Admin's place?

Spammit!

Admin Gal hates it when she requests information from a vendor, only to find herself on there mailing list forever. That was not the initial request.

Usually the request was initiated due to a phone call on the part of the vendor.

Admin Gal is not fond of spam.  The kind found in cans, nor the kind found in her inbox.  Her simple recourse is to set up a filter to trash everything she doesn't recognize.

If the next best thing since sliced bread is passed up?  You shouldn't have added me to your mailing list without my permission.

Fashion Faux Pas

Alas, gentle reader, the temperature gauge is rising with the hemlines. The landscape is filled with unfortunate fashion choices with the advent of the warmer weather.

In corporate America, it is time for a few gentle reminders for the summer wardrobe in the workplace.  If the following rules are followed, Admin Gal can promise a Spring and Summer season free of disaster.

1. Skirts - I see London, I see France.... If you can't bend over without exposing everything, don't wear it!  Admin Gal is appalled at the articles of clothing that are mistakenly called skirts that can show up at the workplace.  According to the majority of corporate dress codes, women should be covered from their waist to 2 inches above their knees.
2. Blouses & Tops - Just because the temperature is rising doesn't mean the décolletage should be lowered.  The workplace is not a brothel.  It is a place of business.  It is better to leave things to the imagination.
3. Short Shorts - There is no professional environment where short shorts are appropriate work attire.  Daisy Duke wasn't a really person, she existed only in comics.  That's where those shorts should stay.
4. Overall Clingy-ness - While many of us work hard to maintain our physical fitness, properly fitted clothing is much more attractive than ill fitted clothing.  Clothing should not reveal every lump, bump or unmentionables.  Leave something to the imagination.  
5. KNOW YOUR CORPORATE DRESS CODE

Here's to a summer season without a fashion disaster!

Happy Administrative Professional Day

Admin Gal is proud to be ranked in the midst of the Administrative Professional crowd.  We are the glue and the grease that keeps the corporate machine together and humming along.  No other profession can be used as a jumping off point to other opportunities.

Plus, its comforting to know it will all go to pieces without us!

Just Saying...

Admin Gal realizes that often business relationships are built on the interpersonal.  For example, a consulting firm will often use a company they consider a success as a reference to bring in new business.  In theory this is a good idea.

In theory.

In actuality, a consultant is a really good sales guy peddling high end concepts to companies who might or might not take the bait. If the company bites, the consulting company wants to use the 'caught' company as chum in the corporate waters to stir up interest.

This will only work for a short time before the executives of the 'chum' company get tired of the entire game and tell the consultants to take a hike.

Just saying.

Sales Call Fail #2

Admin Gal:  Thank you for calling ABC Company, how may I assist you?
Persistent Sales Guy: I'm calling for Mr. X.
Admin Gal: Whom may I say is calling?
Persistent Sales Guy:  He knows who I am, it is on a need to know basis.
Dear readers, after uncurling her fingers from her cracked telephone receiver Admin Gal replies.
Admin Gal: I need to know as I let Mr. X know who is calling.
Persistent Sales Guy: No, you don't. You are only the admin.
CLICK!
oops!

A Beastly Week

Admin Gal is sorry for the delay, my dears.  This week has held her hostage.

The run down:

1. A 3-day meeting for a business unit only works on her floor.  Yet, they are cut off from their administrative support and needed hand holding, planning and feeding.  It wouldn't do to have starved corpses littering my hallways. It wouldn't do at all.
2. An executive on vacation.  But not really if you count the emails, telephone conversations and meetings he called into.  Admin Gal admired the dedication, but this is what put her much admired boss into the hospital last year with a heart attack.  She would rather not repeat the experience.  Good bosses are hard to find.
3. The floor move to the new building is on.  Finally.  The planning and panicking has begun.  Panicking on the Project Manager's part, who doesn't have a clue to the actual administrative minutia involved in.  Planning involved on Admin Gal's part in making sure that every desk is free of anything valuable and every person will receive all the contents of their cubicles.  
4. The department is an Admin down, so Admin Gal is covering three additional VP's.  All of whom have had heavy, last minute international travel schedules.  
5. And Admin Gal has developed sudden and vicious allergies to the building she works in.

So, gentle reader, how has your week gone?

Teamwork FTW!

The best part of being an Admin is being part of a network of like minded individuals who can help each other in a pinch.

Admin Gal is part of such a network.  She knows that in a crunch, anyone of the Admins in her vast network will help her.  Just as she will render assistance.

Of course, our executives really don't realize that we are about to stage a revolt and take over.

Calendar Misfires

A professional calendar is just that - Professional.

More often than not, Admin Gal finds more and more of her colleagues using their work calendars to keep up with the events of their personal life.  As the administrator of more than a few of those calendars, Admin Gal does not want to see the following:

1. Nip and Tuck.
2. Pick up 'Sexy Stuff' for tonight.
3. Keep 'R' from knowing about 'S'.
4. ANYTHING to do with intimate performance.
5. Innumerable references to dinners, doctor appointments, dates, children's plays and other performances, etc.

All of these things belong on personal calendars. If they need to be on your professional calendar, by all things sane, create a code by which you can spare the Admin.  We already know to much about your lives.  

Seriously!

A Serious Moment

Admin Gal was reading the news the morning and stumbled upon this depressing headline - "U.S. values profits over jobs."

It was all she could do not to roll her eyes and shout 'Duh!' at the top of her lungs.

Why is this a surprise?

Admin Gal has watched her company off-shore positions for the sake of the almighty shareholder profit.  As long as the shareholders are making money, the company can justify minuscule to no raises for employees.  After all there are bonuses.  Unfortunately not everyone is a part of the bonus structure.

Employees are being weighed down with the work of three or four people because companies are not hiring replacements.  Admin Gal is seeing stress take its toll on the physical and mental health of her co-workers.  It's taking a toll on her.

Admin Gal is grateful to have a job.  Even she knows that something has got to give.  Companies are losing valuable corporate history as they slash their work force looking for younger and cheaper.

Admin Gal can only hope that this course for disaster can be averted, if it isn't too late.

Thank you for Flying Admin Air

Admin Gal is flummoxed!

Flummoxed!

When booking travel for a company, it is always important to adhere to corporate guidelines.  Especially when budgets are tight.

Nothing is more frustrating than having found a decent flight, for a really good price, only to be told to ignore corporate guidelines and book something twice the price.

ARGH!

In the end, Admin Gal keeps all correspondence regarding this kind of discussion.  Telephone conversations won't do.  So when the time comes for budget justification and fingers point her way, the fingers and documentation will point right back.

Thank you for flying Admin Air.

Admin Gal has Failed

Admin Gal was bamboozled, snookered, beguiled, and hoodwinked by an evil rotten scoundrel of a sales person.

She had noticed a proliferation of calls from a certain organization.  Her caller ID would not register a number just a company name.  This time the caller ID came in through the company tree.  The sales person provided just enough legitimate information.

Admin Gal prides herself on being able to sort through the dross and know my legitimate callers.

Admin Gal has failed in her front line duties to block the evil phisher of information.

sigh

The Helpless Desk

Admin Gal prides herself on having above average technical skills.  Contacting the 'Help Desk' is the last thing she wants to do when faced with computer problems that will affect her productivity.

When faced with the phone tree of the 'Help Desk', Admin Gal does her best to be as precise as possible as to the problem and what has been down to resolve the issue. Receiving an automated list of questions that ask exactly the questions she's already answered does little to buoy her confidence in their ability.

In fact, that kind of response will illicit a response rather like a stick being poked into a wasps nest - repeatedly.

Did Admin Gal forget to mention her boss is technically their boss?  And her boss doesn't like it when they waste time.

Calendar Mayhem

When you work for a large or small corporation, the calendar is an important tool to your day to day duties. It doesn't matter if you are an admin, a manager, or a CEO.

The one thing that will aggravate EVERYONE around you is when a calendar, which is the property of the company, is blocked from the rest of the company.  We're not talking about seeing the details.  Frankly, no one cares!

I'm talking about seeing the basic Free/Busy. Thereby allowing some basic planning for when, as a courtesy, you call the person to confirm the time is actually available.

When the CEO and the Chairman of the company allow their calendars to show Free/Busy, it is poor form on an individual's part to think themselves more important than the people who allow them to have a job.

Free/Busy won't kill you, but not seeing your calendar might make important people wonder what you are hiding.

A Perfect Day

Every time Admin Gal picks up the telephone, there is a potential customer on the other end of the line.

Admin Gal knows that she regularly vents her spleen about sales calls.  Heaven knows that she has had her fair share of that persistent, oblivious breed who can't understand why I won't give them the time of day. Because, isn't it obvious their product can save the company, the world, the UNIVERSE?!?!?!?!!

Then there are those gems that make your day.  Those shining stars that leave you feeling like you've made a friend.  Whether their product was right for your company or not.

A discourse is had between two adults, determining needs and goals. In the end opportunities happen, maybe not in the original intent, but an opportunity.  A conversation between professionals.

Those are the moments that make a day perfect.

A Word of Advice

Sales people, when you call:

1. Do not claim to have called Admin Gal's boss when she is CLEARLY the person who answers the phone.
2. Do not claim to have had a prior conversation.
3. Do not cut Admin Gal off when she is trying to gather information to help you possibly get to the correct person.
4. Do not lie.

Last but not least, when Admin Gal calls you place of business to give pointers to you about how you might be more successful, DO NOT have your receptionist lie about your employment status there.  

If these simple, yet effective, suggestions can be followed you might have success in your business endeavors.

A Challenge

Admin Gal has a challenge for all her readers.

No, she is not asking anything of a felonious nature.

Simply, that over the next seven days you reach out do something to improve someone's day.

Random acts of kindness have been known to increase productivity and moral exponentially.

Added bonus?

It makes your boss and others wonder what you're up to.

Feel free to report on your collective mayhem.

People are Silly

Admin Gal as an observation and pet peeve all rolled into one.

We all know that person.  The one who takes on a project and can't let go of the details.  They do everything, up to and INCLUDING every task that the team members are suppose to do.

Leaving the project member to do what - you may ask?

Why to take the fall for the impending failure on their part - of course.

Look people.  Projects, events, committees are all things that are comprised of multiple tasks, milestones and, often times, deadlines.  Having several people on the team is meant to alleviate the stress of the over all project.

Taking the burden upon yourself is just plain silly.

Taking Stock of My Wretched Existence

Admin Gal ran across this fabulous speaker from TED on work/life balance.  Nigel Marsh gives an amazing break down of how we can take a hard look at our lives and take control.



We have to be responsible for setting and enforcing the boundaries the boundaries in our lives.

May we all strive to seek our balance and find our lives.

Annual Increases

It's Annual Increase time and time to see what your worth in your company's eyes. If you don't have a proper perspective, your own personal worth can hinge on this number.

Here are the hard lessons learned in this Admin's illustrious career:

1. The company will always pay the shareholders first.
2. If the manager think you won't fight about a minimal increase, that's what you'll get.
3. A minimal increase is not a reflection of your worth, rather a reflection of poor management decisions.
4. No matter how poor the economy is, there are jobs out there that will pay you what you are worth.
5. Networking is always a must.  Your next job will depend on it.

My current salary may not reflect my worth, but my next job definitely will. 

Telephonic Imbeciles

Admin Gal walked into a conference room the other day to set up for a meeting.  To her horror the previous occupants hadn't hung up the telephone, disconnecting the conference bridge.

People from the other side hadn't left their conference room, nor had they disconnected the teleconference bridge on their side.  Admin Gal walked into a serious discussion on...



Shoes.  Specifically, the new season of Loubitans.


Fortunately, this was an inter-company conference call.  Clearing her throat, Admin Gal signaled her presence and her preference for the classic platform pump.

Nothing sensitive was being discussed - this time.

But for the love of all things sane!  Make sure all the technology, that makes our meetings run smoothly, is disconnected and put away at the end of each meeting.

Driving Me to Drink

There are good days, then there are days when Admin Gal is driven around the bend, through the woods, and possibly to a beverage (reader's choice, Admin Gal prefers highly caffeinated or sugared).

Calling Admin Gal three times in 15 minutes will not make an assigned task go faster, a phone call be returned faster, or an email magically show up in the in box. Nor will pinging Admin Gal incessantly via instant messaging make any of the aforementioned things happened.

Admin Gal's tips for NOT aggravating her, thereby insuring your survival for another day, are as follows:

1. Trust her to do her job.
2. Lack of planning on your part will not mean Admin Gal will take the blame.
3. Holding back information will only make you look bad.
4. Admin Gal documents EVERYTHING, don't ever think otherwise.
5. P-Cards are audited, don't ask Admin Gal to go outside company guidelines.
6. Admin Gal is not a Butler, personal servant, nanny, nor a maid.

Marketing Ploys

Times are difficult if you are in the sales field.  I get that.

But sending free stuff won't get you in the door. It will only annoy the admin who has to reach out an contact the sales person who thought it would be a bright idea to send it in the first place.  Thereby, fanning the flame of encouragement, only to have it doused by the harsh rejection that is THE ADMIN.

Save your company some money.  Don't send unasked for stuff!

The Sin of 'Reply All'

We've all done it, hit 'Reply All' when we've only meant to send a pithy, semi-inappropriate reply to an email. And had grovel accordingly.

OR

In the case of one company, the ill-conceived notion, of starting a revolution on the matter of refurbishing the company fitness center.  After all, if 'YOU' are up in arms over the matter, surely others will follow your lead and charge up the hill with torches and pitchforks at the ready supporting you all the way.

NOT!

A few days ago a misguided soul hit 'Reply All' to a simple announcement that the fitness center would be closed on a Saturday.

Instead of a simple reply to the sender, the obliviot hit 'Reply All' and said, 'I hope it is closed for renovations! It needs it!'.  A fellow obliviot, joined in with their own spin, also sharing their remarks with the entire list.

Neither one of these individuals paid attention to the individuals on the list.  At least three Vice President, seven Directors, and each of their direct managers were party to their career suicide.

Too be fair, the fitness center director should have blind copy the entire list to avoid the entire debacle.  BUT, common sense should have prevailed.

Only use REPLY ALL in the most dire of circumstances.  Your job depends on it.

Assigning Responsibilities

Admin Gal has a co-worker who recently was assaulted with responsibilities not assigned by her manager.

Assigned by whom you ask?

Assigned and announced to the company by another admin who, frankly, couldn't be bothered to go through the proper channels to discuss additional job responsibilities.

You see, these responsibilities being added to her plate surmounted to the work of an additional employee.  Let me repeat.  An Additional Employee.

Her managers had not been apprised of these changes.  An assumption had been made that she would be 'happy' to take on these additional responsibilities.

The admin with the added responsibilities was savvy.  She made the issue be known to her manager. Who, in turn, ran it up the channels to the unfortunate admin's boss who started the mess.

A review is currently underway of policy and procedure.  The admin who started making assignments is backpedaling.  Trying to create documentation for her faux pas - too little too late.

Her boss has egg on his face.

The morale of this story?  Always know your responsibilities, and always make sure your supervisor is aware of changes not approved by him or her.

Let's Take a Break

Admin Gal once had a boss who once had the gall to say, "I own your time, you don't get a lunch break."

I worked on an hourly model, the boss was reluctant to pay for the time I worked 'off the clock'. (We won't get into legalities here.)

The boss was surprised at my response of 'Until you actually pay for the overtime you owe me, you don't get more than the 40 hours a week that you pay me for.'

No, that particular employer and I did not have a long nor fruitful relationship.

It is a myth that says we need to put all of our time into the job.  CNN had a great article about the productivity of a lunch break. Taking a break rests the mind, allowing opportunity for insight, rest and decompression when the environment is stressful.

Take a look around you, those who never step back to get a fresh perspective find themselves stuck in professional holes of their own making.  While those who take breaks, tend to be creative, innovative and energized.

Personally, everyday I take my lunch hour.  The result is a happy, well balanced employee who looks favorably on her work situation.

Hacking & Coughing

Admin Gal appreciates a firm work ethic.  In fact, she is a firm believer that very few things should prevent one from getting the job done.  

However...

Please do not come to the office hacking and coughing, spreading your germs under the guise of being a good little soldier.  Martyr doesn't look good on anyone.

Please do everyone a favor and follow these simple suggestions:

1. If you are feeling under the weather, stay home, sleep, give your body a fighting chance to get over whatever it is that has assaulted you.
2. Don't hack and wheeze your way around the office.  The office environment is worse than kindergarten when it comes to illnesses.  Give your co-workers a break. Don't bring it to the office.
3. Work from home if you aren't feeling well.  Technology is marvelous, use it.
4. Go to the Doctor if it doesn't go away.  

Help keep the work environment healthy.

Thank you!

Spell Check, People!

Admin Gal gets it, we are all in a hurry.  Our society has been destroyed by that 140 character monster Twitter and texting.  

If Admin Gal receives one more email that ends in kthxbai.  She will not be held responsible for her actions.  She KNOWS that Mrs. Grady of your first grade spelling class did not find that acceptable spelling. 

In middle school, still not acceptable.

No, high school term paper would have passed with such an atrocity.

What in the name of sanity, makes one think that kthxbai would be acceptable in business correspondence. Even the spell checker can't make head's or tails of it.

Do the world a favor, prove that your formative education actually made an impression and spell things correctly.  Future generations and your business associates will thank you for it.

Greasy Fingerprints of Guilt

Admin Gal has an issue with organizations that will not trust the committees to complete the tasks they are assigned.

Projects can not be group managed.  The failure rate is 99.99% when this happens.  An excellent example is a newsletter.  Yes, content can be produced from the organization at large.  When it comes to the actual assembly and coordination of said newsletter, let the assignee's do their job.

Who shoulders the blame when everything goes to pot?  The original group who was assigned the task, that's who.  But the greasy fingerprints of the guilty, meddlesome creatures who couldn't help themselves, will be emblazoned on the smoldering heap of the failure.

Admin Gal's conclusion is - if you can't let go, don't assign the job.

Phishing

It's bad enough Admin Gal has to deal with Sales people who give the profession a bad name.  She knows there are plenty of good ones in the sea.  But it chaps her behind when a company invokes the name of two other companies in order to phish for information.

Admin Gal just had the misfortune of a call from 'Jack', I didn't know that there were many 'Jack's' in India, who said he was from FEDEX who said he had a package for my boss.  It's one thing to confirm the address.  The tell is when the 'Jack' in question starts confirming rank and position with the company.  What does that have to do with the package?

Admin Gal detests liars.

The phishing expedition was very disappointing for 'Jack', but entertaining for us.

Sales Call Fail #1

Admin:   Good Afternoon, thank you for calling ABC Company, how may I help you?

Sales Person:  I'd like to speak with Mr. XXXX.

Admin: I'm sorry he is unavailable, may I take a message?

Sales Person: If he is unavailable, no. Click

Admin Gal as a few pithy remarks about this brief yet memorable conversation. 

Her boss is never available on first blush to a stranger.  If you don't leave a message, Admin Gal PROMISES he will never ever be available to you.  

The arrogance of assumption that you are able to speak to a ranking executive in a Fortune 500 company based on a cold call, tells Admin Gal that you have an elevated sense of importance.  She'll be happy to send you crashing back to earth.  Painfully or politely is entirely your choice.

Asking the best way to contact the executive WILL win points in Admin Gal's eyes and might get you in the door.  

Experiencing Technical Difficulties

Admin Gal walked into the office yesterday morning to find that not a phone in the building worked, the software program that ran her business unit has been taken hostage by gremlins and Monday has officially crapped all over Tuesday.

Spending the entire day sending email after email as to why the telephone system has the attention span of a gnat, the internet is as loyal as a cat and various programs have become recalcitrant has become maddening.

Here is the plain and simple truth.  Admin Gal did not break any of the following:

1. The phone system.
2. The internet.
3. The software.

Yes, she has called all the appropriate agencies to fix the problems.  No, hovering will only annoy her.

If you ask Admin Gal again 'Is it fixed yet?', no court in the land will convict her for the wrath she will bring down upon your head.

Have a nice day.

Workplace Dance

How many times have we felt overwhelmed, over-worked and over-utilized by the people we are suppose to be supporting?  It's sad that we seem to be able to do their job and not get their pay.

An Administrative Professional is a special breed of employee.  We have a special ability to be able to see globally while managing the details that get the job done.  Unfortunately, there are co-workers that see this as an opportunity to pass on parts of their jobs to the Admin.  

This is where, we the Admins, must have clearly defined roles in our workplace.  I'm happy to help people out, but only my boss has the authority to add to my workload.

I'll be blunt, I'm not paid enough to do their job and mine.

Chemical Warfare

Over the weekend, an unfortunate accident happened to the coffee machine in the office kitchenette. The water supply became disconnected.  Someone came in Monday morning to a spectacular geyser of water.  Who knows how long it had been going on.

Frantic calls were made to get the water shut off and the carpet mopped up. The next day, the all important coffee maker was still off-line, repair people had been called in for its revival.

The building maintenance people were working on drying out the carpet. One bright soul decided, in the middle of the work day, to lay down a layer of the foulest smelling carpet cleaning chemical on the affected portion of the carpet.  Let's list the effects on the working populace:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Sore Throats
• Irritability

When a complaint was filed, the response was to lay down a layer of aerosol fragrance to cover up the smell. 

Does anyone see a problem?  Anyone?

Admin Gal is currently on the building maintenance hit list. She is a witch of epic proportions for defending hers and others well-being.  She is waiting for the company facility rep to parlay with the building maintenance to fix the problem. 

Air filter masks have been purchased for the duration of the stand-off.