“Coaching” Works at Work: An EAP Success Story
Here’s a good example of the way a flexible EAP (Employee Assistance Program) allows a line supervisor to get some needed “coaching” rather than just be forced out or into counseling. A few years ago, a supervisor who had just recently become the Office Manager of a very busy State bureau came to see me, […]
Clarity About “Clarity”
I remember with affection a very dynamic (as in not a shrinking violet) client, in her late 30’s, I came to know when I worked as the EAP person for the State almost a decade ago. We started right out with a bang. Even though she was an instinctively good manager, she’d been a tad […]
Your Own Personal Bench Coach Can Be A Game Changer
A “bench coach” is someone whose job is to think along with the manager – that’s you – look at what’s working and what’s not, brainstorm various options and best solutions, occasionally provide feedback the manager wishes wasn’t true, but is a crucial asset to anyone really trying to “get it right.” Here’s my audio […]
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Ask Shaun: Get Those “Mom Muscles” Back
Shaun- I’m finally divorced from my second husband. I have a 19-year-old son from my first marriage (doing fine) and have two children from my second marriage, ages 14 and 11. I want to say the breakup was “friendly,” because now it mostly is, but the kids have definitely seen some stuff I wish hadn’t […]
“Choose Your Battles” Doesn’t Mean “Avoid” All Battles.
Last week I heard that phrase – “choose your battles” – three times in barely half a day, and all three times it was someone being supportive of a friend who’d decided not to bang heads with her adolescent son. Of course, I’ve used that phrase myself, and I’m not big on confrontation for its […]
Those nasty F bombs: following up
I promised I’d follow up on this topic at the end of the “My ex has someone new“ post. Many of us steer clear of this issue because a) we’re guilty of using foul language ourselves, and b) things have deteriorated so badly “out there” that hardly anyone wants to look hypocritical or self-righteous – […]
Ask Shaun: My Ex Has Someone New (and she’s a piece of work)
Shaun- My ex and I were divorced about five years ago when our two kids were six and four. Since then my ex has had a new wife, another child, another divorce, and several live-in girlfriends. Even though I’m not always thrilled by my ex’s choices, we’ve done a pretty good job cooperating with each […]
Good Supervisors Acknowledge Good Employees
My vast readership usually lands here and finds case studies addressing real-world problems that tend to pop up with regularity in today’s workplaces. This time, however, I’d like to address the topic of incentives during hard economic times. The best supervisors, in addition to all the work they do themselves, manage to let the people […]
Inching Down the Limb
I’m big on humility since, in addition to having lots to be personally humble about, it turns out that being humble is also when the best learning occurs. Right now is a good example. I used to think I was pretty decent at sensing the Zeitgeist, had a good early handle on the likely public “take” on an […]
