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.