Movin' On Up

The iPhone Versus Workplace Etiquette: Take the Poll

Smart phones are once again the talk at the water cooler as co-workers chat up the recently-launched iPhone 4's features (and bugs) and compare notes on the latest in smart phone technology – from Android to Blackberry to iPhone and beyond. According to a recent ComScore study, over 45 million people in the U.S. own smart phones, the largest-growing segment of the 234 million-strong U.S. mobile phone market.

Now that mobile phone technology has advanced to the stage that people are carrying small, hand-held computers around with them on a day-to-day basis, the culture is definitely changing. From impacting e-mail habits to altering the way our brain processes information to changing the intrapersonal communication styles of a generation, mobile technology plays an important role in the digital age.

So this month, we want to know how smart phones affect etiquette in the workplace. Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below:

Set the Example

It’s safe to say that everyone is tired of this economy. And, many of today’s workers are feeling the strain because of increased workloads, longer work hours, and decreased salaries. It’s no wonder everyone doesn’t always have the greatest attitude, right?

Although you can’t control how your co-workers feel or act every day, you’re in control of your own feelings and actions. YOU can be the example you want to see in the office. You can take the initiative to make your overall office environment better and be a good example for your fellow colleagues. How? Here are a few acts of kindness you can do around the office to help relieve tension and make the day a little brighter. And, the best thing about this is you don’t have to be in a leadership position to do this. Anyone can do this.

Send a word of praise. For this, buy a greeting card. You can write a kind note on it about someone you work with, telling them such things as they did a great job on a certain project, tell the funniest jokes, are a great cook, have a wonderful fashion sense, etc. This is just a little way of letting that person know you’re glad to be their co-worker. Then, present them with the card! After that, the person who received the card has to keep the good times going by writing another positive note to another teammate and presenting it to them.

Recognize the “Stars of the Week.” Every Friday, recognize a few individuals you feel have done a great job for the week. Each week, you can recognize different individuals until everyone has been recognized for something. Include in the e-mail why you’ve recognized them for the “star” award, and if it’s OK with management, send the e-mail to everyone on your team so they can check it out. If you want, you can also award small prizes.

Find out how things are going. Find out how your teammates are doing. What are their interests, how is their family doing, do they plans for the weekend? Make it a point to just chat with them and get to know them. If they don’t want to share information with you, that’s OK too. But, at least you made an effort to learn more about them and that will mean something to them.

Get away from the office for lunch. Plan a lunch outing for you and your co-workers. Take a vote on where everyone wants to eat, and go there for your ENTIRE lunch hour. It’s important to use your break to relax. Make it a rule for the outing that no one can talk about work during lunch.

Potluck, anyone? Everyone likes food, so why not have a potluck one Friday? You could either do a breakfast or lunch potluck. This is a cost effective choice instead of everyone going to a restaurant to eat.

Bring cupcakes, just because. Surprise everyone on your team with cupcakes just to help brighten their day.

Start a book club. Despite the economy, you and your teammates still have an opportunity to learn and advance your skills within your current job roles. Purchase books on leadership and strengths development and start a weekly book club. This gives you a chance to get to know each other more and grow your knowledge and skills.

These are just as few examples of things you can do to help create a more positive work environment and help generate some happiness. Do you have other ideas of things to do around the office to increase morale? We want to know!

Professional Lessons from the Barnyard

Some days, the hustle and bustle of cube life doesn’t seem all that different from a barnyard full of animals. The gossip group around the water cooler sounds like a henhouse full of clucking chickens. Your cube-mate’s laugh breaks your concentration like the hee-haw of a mule. And, the papers stacking up around your desk make you feel like a tired work horse. But, despite the negative attributes your daily routine may share with a brood of barnyard animals, if you look closely, there are also positive characteristics you can learn from all creatures – great and small – to improve your work environment and career.

Not sure where to start looking? Follow theses examples to be a whole different kind of employee that companies need to lead the pack.

Be loyal like a dog. Learn an old trick from man’s best friend and be a loyal and dependable employee to your company, your supervisor, and your team. Employers know that loyalty can be a hard thing to come by, so they value trustworthy employees with devotion. By being loyal, you will stand out as top dog. You can prove your loyalty by keeping confidential information confidential, ignoring and avoiding harmful office gossip, and being a dependable employee everyone can count on.

Every dog has its day. So, choose to be reliable and faithful in your daily tasks, actions, and attitude and your loyalty will be rewarded with the affection and respect of your employer and your entire team.

Keep cool like a pig. Pigs don’t have functional sweat glands, so when things get hot, they have to cool themselves down with water or mud before they overheat. Losing your cool at work can be a career killer. So, it’s important to always maintain your composure in the office. When you’re faced with stressful situations, don’t sweat it. Instead, take a deep breath and take everything in stride, because reacting inappropriately or unprofessionally will only add fuel to an already hot fire.

Since rolling around in a mud hole is not an option, if you’re having trouble staying calm under pressure at work, take a break, find someone outside of work to talk to, or listen to music to improve your serenity and keep your cool.

Rule the roost like a rooster. No matter what your title or job position, you can be a team leader who motivates your co-workers to succeed. Start every day by rousing your colleagues with a positive and energetic attitude and outlook that is contagious. Be sure to crow loudly about your co-workers’ accomplishments and triumphs with sincere praise and celebration. Protect them from the sly predator of negativity by carefully guarding your own outlook and approach to life, work, and your company.

So, next time work gets a little crazy and messy like a pig sty, keep your cool, be a loyal and dependable employee who motivates your team, and you will be the needle in the workplace haystack.

Before You Go On PTO (Paid Time Off)

Coming back to work after taking some time off is never fun, especially if you’re coming back after a fabulous vacation. But, as sure as the morning sun rises each day, going back to work is inevitable. What you do before you go on your paid time off however, will be the difference between coming back to a mountain of work and sliding back into your normal work routine with ease.

Recently, I had to take some time off for a tonsillectomy. I know, not necessarily a stay at the beach, but still a planned event that required a number of necessary days off from work. So, I made a plan ahead of time to get as much work done as possible so I wouldn’t be bombarded with projects when I came back and my co-workers didn’t hate me for pushing work onto their already full plates. When you have a scheduled vacation or any other upcoming event that requires time off from work, try following these tips to help your transition be an easy one.

Work ahead. If you work in a job where you are able to work ahead on tasks, do so. Don’t procrastinate and wait until the last minute to complete them. Figure out task deadlines that need to be completed while you’re out and those that are due when you first come back, then make sure they are done before you leave. This will ensure that your co-workers don’t have to add your additional work to their heavy workloads. If you can’t work ahead on job assignments, make sure you keep your scheduled paid time off on your boss’s radar and co-workers’ minds so they aren’t surprised when it’s time for you to leave.

Create points of contact. It’s always good to assign someone to be the point person on specific tasks in case anyone outside your department has questions while you’re away. Create a cheat sheet for the project officers you’ve assigned tasks to help them easily access information. A cheat sheet should include background information on tasks, where they can find file folders if necessary, deadlines on tasks you were unable to meet prior to your leave, and important phone numbers. 

Inform those who need to know. Make sure you let your department and contacts know the dates you will be unavailable. This will help keep the lines of communication open and allow questions or concerns to be addressed prior to your time away from work. Also, create an assigned task list with the name of the project officer to give to your supervisor to keep them apprised of who is working on what. If you work with people outside of your department, let them know who will be able to help them on specific items in your absence. Always remember to leave an out-of-office message on your e-mail and voice mail so you don’t leave people wondering why you haven’t responded.

Leave an emergency number. It’s always a good idea to leave an emergency number in case something comes up. Most times, your co-workers will value your time away from the office and will not bother you. But, if a crisis happens in your absence, it shows great consideration and dedication to your team if they can contact you if needed. If you’re concerned about being contacted often, set expectations that have been approved by your supervisor on when co-workers can call.

Preparing a plan before you go on your scheduled leave from work and completing the necessary steps outlined above will help ensure your transition back to work is a smooth one. Not to mention a smooth work environment for your co-workers who have to help you in your absence. Plus, when it’s time for your co-workers to take time off from work, they may follow your example and remember how you prepared. 

Who’s Your Boss? - Understanding Leadership Styles

In every work environment, you encounter different leadership styles among managers. Some might have exceptional leaders, but others might experience a manager with not-so-great leadership. Leadership styles vary broadly from one manager to the next and from situation to situation. So, how do you know what type of leadership style your manager has? Here is a list of the most common leadership styles and a description of what they are to help you identify the type of manager you work for.

1. Authoritarian.

The authoritarian leader exudes extreme power over their employees. This leader calls all the shots and does not leave much decision making up to the team. They have a vision they want to achieve and know exactly how they’re going to get there … no matter what. With this type of leader they won’t ask employees to do something – they will tell you to do something. If so, to keep the peace, do what is asked without griping or complaining.

Leaders who fall under this category are also classified as transactional leaders. Basically, these are no-nonsense leaders who lay down the law to their employees from day one. Team members have no say and the manager doesn’t really focus on helping the team grow and develop – they just want the work done right.

2. Bureaucratic. This individual is a rule follower and makes sure that the team sticks to the rules. They don’t allow for team brainstorming or coming up with creative new ways to accomplish work. To stay on this leader’s good side, make sure you are following the rules. Over time, this leader may become comfortable with new ideas that you propose – just remember to relate them back to the company and show how they follow the rules and meet company standards.

3. Democratic. A democratic leader is the exact opposite of an authoritarian. They involve the team in decision-making processes, and take all suggestions into account when making the final decision. Also, a democratic leader is considered to be a transformational leader because they focus on the future and on positive growth at work. They want to help others become better leaders as well.

With democratic leaders, feel free to voice opinions or suggestions that you might have. Tell them why you believe in an idea or support or dislike something in the workplace. They will respect your interest in the business.

4. Laissez-Fair. A leader with this style tends to be hands off and allows the team to make all the decisions. In French, laissez-fair means “leave it be” or “let it be.” Basically, this leader leaves everything alone and puts the team in charge. However, this can create a stressful, chaotic environment that lacks direction and goes nowhere.

Unfortunately with this type of leader, they are not very interested in an organization, and there is little that an employee can do to improve the situation. An organization needs leadership to survive. If your organization is dealing with a laissez-fair leader, it might be in the best interest to elect someone into the leadership role who will be involved in the organization.

As you can see, the top leadership styles vary widely and range from the good to the bad. Apply this information to find out what type of leader you work for and to make the best of your workday.

Bad Boss of the Week: A Christmas Carol’s Ebenezer Scrooge

Ebenezer Scrooge – the self-centered, tight-fisted, hum bug in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – is this week’s bad boss. His constant malice, degrading demeanor, and entire lack of work/life balance make him the classic bad boss.

While there’s a great deal to be said for hard work, knowing how to balance business with life is an important and necessary skill that eluded Scrooge for much of his career.  He spent most of his life at work and expected his employee, Bob Crachit, to do the same, only reluctantly giving him Christmas day off.

Have you found that your work/life balance can be more work than life?  In order to keep pace with a workaholic boss, here are three things you can do to reprioritize your life and still meet their expectations.

1. Discuss and understand your employer’s expectations
2. Take time to evaluate your goals and priorities
3. Establish an agreed-upon plan in advance, including deadlines and time off.

To view a clip of Ebenezer Scrooge in action, click here.

Share your bad boss stories at www.worstbosses.com. For more information about 100 Worst Bosses – Learning from the Very Worst How to Be Your Very Best and the Movin’ on Up Bad Boss of the Week, click here.

Bad Boss of the Week: The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly

With a penchant for manipulation, a demand for the impossible and a sub-zero demeanor that would cause anyone to shudder, The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly is the Movin’ on Up Bad Boss of the Week.

Well done, Miranda! Your self-serving ambition and lack of respect for your employees and human beings in general make you a nightmare of a boss and our Bad Boss of the Week.

If you’ve had a bad boss like Miranda, who not only expected but demanded the impossible from you, like a flight home in the middle of a hurricane or a pre-release copy of the latest J.K. Rowling novel, follow these tips to help you succeed in you career without having to acquire super-human powers:

1. Manage Expectations
2. Recognize What You Can and Can Not Control
3. Anticipate Needs
4. Offer Alternative Solutions
5. Communicate Your Successes

Employers often set standards high to inspire and motivate employees to be their very best, but if you feel defeated by your boss’s unattainable demands, practice the above tips for achievable solutions that will help you succeed no matter what.
 
Share your bad boss stories at www.worstbosses.com. For more information about 100 Worst Bosses – Learning from the Very Worst How to Be Your Very Best and the Movin’ on Up Bad Boss of the Week, click here.

Watch more The Devil Wears Prada videos on AOL Video

Bad Bosses: Have You Worked for One?

Most of us have had a bad boss – or two – in our work history. From the irrational to the absolutely, even clinically, insane, bad bosses and their impressions leave catastrophes in their wake. But, if you think that the icy, fear-inducing Miranda Priestly or the awkwardly dense Michael Scott couldn’t hold a candle to a chart-topping bad boss you’ve had, now’s your chance to share your story.

Express Employment Professionals is working with best-selling author Jim Stovall to gather stories for his next book, titled 100 Worst Bosses – Learning from the Very Worst How to Be Your Very Best. To share your story, visit www.worstbosses.com. Your identity, the employer’s identity, and the company’s name will be altered to maintain your confidentiality. If your story is selected to be among the 100 Worst Bosses stories featured, you will receive an autographed, pre-release copy of the book.

Need some bad boss inspiration to help jog your buried memories of an awful boss? Visit the Movin’ on Up blog every Friday in June and July for our highlighted Hollywood bad boss of the week. Check out this week’s bad boss highlight: The ever ridiculous Michael Scott character, on NBC's The Office, unnecessarily worries his employees when he prematurely spills the beans about their branch office closing before corporate makes a final decision.

5 Simple Ways to Appreciate Your Boss (Without Kissing Butt)

Anonymity – the feeling that you are not known or appreciated for your job role – is one of the three signs of a miserable job. Everyone craves to be known and appreciated for the work they do. In fact, it’s the role of the boss or manager to provide this for every employee.

Do you ever think about who is appreciating your boss for the work they do? Chances are, they don’t get as much thanks as you would think.

Many people are hesitant to demonstrate their appreciation for a great boss. That’s because, there’s often a sticky side to employer appreciation. No one wants to be known as the office brown-noser. Especially at the price of co-worker relationships.

But, the fact is, a great boss deserves to be appreciated – and more than just with a card on National Boss Day. So, here are five simple ways you can show your boss your genuine appreciation – without kissing butt.

1. Strike up a conversation. Depending on your work situation – and your boss – this may be the easiest thing in the world or it may be difficult. Either way, having an informal conversation with your boss is a great way to build rapport. Don’t forget, conversation can happen in many ways – it doesn’t have to be in person. Write an e-mail, or make a phone call, just to say thanks or catch up. Then, make sure your thankful, positive attitude shines through in the way you communicate – verbally and non-verbally.

2. Help them meet a deadline. When you’re on top of your game and have time to spare once your tasks are completed, invest your time in helping your boss meet – or beat – an important deadline. Adding time into your boss’ workweek by offering to lighten the load when you can is one of the best ways to show your appreciation.

3. Share important news. If you have a pulse on a niche or are well-read in your industry, consider e-mailing interesting articles or resources to your boss to keep them well-informed. This practical idea not only saves them time, it also demonstrates your value and just may spark an innovative idea.

4. Send them a note. Consider writing a short note of appreciation or encouragement to your boss and leaving it on their desk. For an even bigger impact, mail the note – to their work or home address. The cost of the stamp will be worth it. Personal mail is so rare these days, your gesture is sure to stand out and make a positive impact.

5. Use the golden rule. Most bosses aren’t perfect. But who are we kidding? Most employees aren’t perfect either. So, choose to focus on the positive aspects of your boss, and show your appreciation for those factors. (Even if you don’t feel fully appreciated by them.) A simple act of gratitude may speak multitudes into the heart of even the most callous boss.

You may be surprised how far a little thanks can go. After all, a positive attitude is contagious. So, no matter how good or bad your relationship with your boss stands right now, realize you have the power to make it better than it is today.

Taking the time to show your thanks – whoever your boss may be – just may spark the positive energy they need to better motivate your entire team.