A PSA on Behalf of the Admins...

When trying to get the attention of any given Administrative Assistant, you need to only ring the telephone or instant message or email them. Not in any particular order.

NOT ALL AT ONCE!

Really people.  Is it necessary to demonstrate your attention deficit issues by by using every single method of communication you have at your disposal to get our attention?  We know you exist.  Unless you are the person who signs our paycheck, you will have to get in line and wait your turn with the others.

Waiting 30 seconds is not an acceptable wait time.  Try 30 minutes.  If its not bleeding or an ambulance doesn't need to be called, it can generally wait.

Thus concludes our Administrative Public Service Announcement.

Have a Nice Day.

Politics at Work

Politics & Religion should always be discussed with great sensitivity and tolerance.  There is nothing that is a bigger hot button topic.

But I have a bit of a pet peeve.  It's one thing when the company you work for encourages you to 'do your civic duty and get out there to vote'. It's another when they direct you specifically to do certain actions regarding bills in process. Up to and including form letters and scripts to Congress people and Senators.  These letters do not offer a choice of opinion, but a specific view point that supports the political views of the company.

I get it.  I can make a difference.  The point is 'I' can make the difference.  I have the backing of the Constitution & the Bill of Rights to vote my conscience.  Not be a political lackey for the company I work for.


For a minimum of 2,080 hours out of a year, thats 8,760 hours, I give my employer my full attention.  Often it is much more than that.  That time does not give them the right to influence my political view point.


I'm willing to have a civil discussion about politics and religion with people I trust to respond in kind.  But I won't allow my self to be used to further the political agenda of a corporation.

Won't You Be My Frienemy?

The old adage ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ seems to have become an unfortunate by product of today’s work environment. 

The workplace is always wild mix of personalities.  The quiet to the quixotic, the domineering to the domestic, no two people are the same.   Yet management models do their darnedest to smush us all into identifiable geneses for easy judgment.

So we cozy up with people that we frankly don’t care about to further our careers, sometimes leaving the important people behind.  How can that be healthy?

A healthy work environment would allow people to get the job done; judgment would be based on performance and merit.  I really don’t enjoy working with people that I don’t trust, I can’t feel free to collaborate with, or want to spend time with.

So, no, I’m going to be honest.  Maybe start a quiet revolution.

I won’t be your frienemy.

Melting the Myth

Admin Gal is irritated. Why do you ask, oh fabulous reader? I’ll tell you!

Admin Gal is irritated with the double standard of perfection. Yes, that nasty, unobtainable expectation that is set forth before us in our performance evaluations. Yet frankly, never achievable.

Perfection on the job is a high subjective thing. One person’s perception of perfection will be completely counter another person.

The dilemma Admin Gal faces is she can’t read minds. This automatically sets her up for failure in the eyes of the person expecting perfection.

Maybe Admin Gal is becoming Zen or numb. But she has come to the realization that perfection is as elusive as the frost on a window. Pretty to look at, but under scrutiny it melts into nothing.

So, Admin Gal ignores the unobtainable expectations of others dreams of perfections. She simply lives a life that is guided by integrity, diligence and the desire to always do ones best.

At the end of the day, those same people can seldom live up to their own expectations of perfection.

Why should Admin Gal?

Smile

I read the most delightful blog entry this morning entitled "I'm Bringing My Preschool Attitude to Work".  This entry just tickled me pink.

You see, I've found that everyone gets buried in their jobs and responsibilities and forget simple courtesies.  People forget the value of a smile, a hug, and a 'good job'.  Especially in today's economic climate where everyone is working hard to just keep their job.

No matter how I'm feeling I do my best to greet everyone who comes my way with a smile, a warm greeting and a positive thought (Hugging doesn't go over well in my office environment).  I'd rather be making an effort to make my environment as positive as possible than dragging it down through negativity.
Worse case scenario, everyone is alway wondering what I'm up to.