2010 January » Nonsense At Work

#358: Working from home is impossible

Jan 302010

Have you wondered why so many people treat coffee shops as workstations? I’ve finally figured it out. No, no, it’s got little to do with this recession even though this recession has forced many more people to work in strange places.

My figuring out has to do with experts-in-the-know who believe that working from home increases performance. I don’t believe it and here’s why.

A basic law of physics is that work equals force times distance. Now, if you work from home, then distance becomes zero. We all know that if you multiply with zero you get zero. Therefore, working from home means that force times no distance equals zero work.

In other words, it does not matter how much you force yourself to get work done at home, you will get no work done unless some travel is involved, even if only to the coffee shop around the corner.

I should know. I often work from home.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Working from home is impossible’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#357: Always hungry is not a bonus

Success 1 Response »

Jan 272010

Once on a walking safari in South Africa I almost became lunch for a charging lioness.

Now that it’s bonus season on Wall Street, I’d like to send a few bonus buccaneers on a walking African safari. Not because I wish them on the poor lions, but because I wish they would learn something about the real jungle.

In the real jungle, animals are only nervous when lions are hungry because lions only hunt when they are hungry. Only man is always hungry, because only man believes in scarcity to the extent that we behave as if a bonus in the bank is worth a crippled future.

I’m here today because lions aren’t inherently greedy. They’re at the top of their food chain and yet they know when enough is enough.

That’s the jungle lesson I wish for Wall Street so that the rest of us mere mortals can be less nervous about our future.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Always hungry is not a bonus’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#356: Ask as you want answered

Uncategorized No Responses »

Jan 232010

How should you ask a question? Well, that depends on the answer you want.

If you want a ‘no’ answer, then frame the question in the negative; if you want a ‘yes’, then structure the question as a positive. Note how you feel about responding to the following questions:

“Do you think you should?” or “Don’t you think you should not?”

What if you are on the receiving end of a leading question, how should you respond? Simply respond with “Why do you ask?” No doubt, this will irritate the questioner, but it should result in the right question being asked enabling you to give a better answer.

Effective questions are neutral, of the “what do you think?” type. Of course, the problem with asking it that way implies that you are really interested in the other person’s opinion. And then you will be expected to take the answer seriously.

How annoying.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Ask as you want answered’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#355: Enough with the leadership dreams

Leadership No Responses »

Jan 202010

To all real business people out there, I say it’s time to stop encouraging leadership at work. Actually, go the whole hog – tell them to stop this leadership nonsense all together.

What are leaders supposed to do? That’s right, they are supposed to create a passionate vision that will inspire me to live up to my full potential.

Well, guess what. If I manage to get there, I’m gone. Working for you will never reflect my full potential. Working for you is a simple necessity; I must eat.

What your organization needs, and what I need, is a manager. Someone who can manage me to do my job, perform my duties, play my role, deliver as promised, whatever you want to call it. And my manager must manage me in a way that the organization reaps the best of my abilities while I am at work.

Enough with the leadership dreams. It’s time to manage your business.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Enough with the leadership dreams’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#354: Be brave, trust is (still) dangerous

Trust No Responses »

Jan 182010

A critical thing we lost last year, apart from money, is trust. Without trust we cannot form workable relationships.

But as we found out, trust can be dangerous. It involves risk, the risk that you could lose whatever it is you entrust to others.

Trust requires that you accept the risks and make yourself vulnerable on purpose. And your purpose is to secure specific future outcomes or behaviors from those you trust.

Here’s the rub. A time lag exists between when you extend your trust and when you experience the anticipated outcome. And because of the time-lag, doubt creeps in.

Don’t let it. If you have enough reason to trust someone to do as expected when expected, then trust them. Then let them be and let them get on with it. Don’t second-guess, don’t expect the worst, don’t interfere.

You made yourself vulnerable for a reason. Now be brave, don’t doubt and keep fear out of it.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Be brave, trust is (still) dangerous’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#353: How to get your boss to act like a real manager once a week

Management No Responses »

Jan 132010

I come from the land of the Ostrich and I have a question for you. When it comes to feedback on your performance at work, do you bury your head in the sand?

You do?

Well, why not do something different this year. Don’t wait for the one big day with your boss. Instead, ask for, no demand, a performance appraisal every week.

Here’s how you should manage it:

Schedule a regular weekly appointment.
Clarify what you achieved last week.
Explain what you plan to do this week.
Ask for feedback and suggestions

That’s it. Done in twenty minutes.

Don’t treat your performance appraisal as something HR wants done. Use it to manage your career every week.

By the way, the ostrich does not really bury his head in sand. Neither should you, because if you don’t, you might get your boss to act like a real manager once a week.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘How to get your boss to act like a real manager once a week’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#352: Give in now or be exhausted

Goals No Responses »

Jan 092010

Here’s my strategy for this year. I’m going with the flow.

We are conditioned to believe that life is a struggle. Yet, nature has many examples that show the success of the easy way, like rivers finding the easiest flow to the sea.

Have you swum across a river? The inexperienced river-crosser aims at a point directly across and struggles against the current. But the experienced river-crosser merely aims to get across and flows with the current to the other side.

If you are aiming at a specific spot, then you must ‘tame’ the river. But why not merely aim to cross over? Then you can ride the current across and walk to the desired spot.

About midway across the inexperienced river-crosser will find that his struggle has exhausted him. Now he must choose: a final fight against the current or give in to its flow.

Me? I’m giving in now so I won’t be exhausted by June.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Give in now or be exhausted’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#351: Don’t waste our time (again)

Leadership No Responses »

Jan 062010

What a waste of time 2009 was! I mean, it feels as if we spent the year in reverse. So much for evolution.

Talking about evolution, I think it’s time some of our so-called business leaders evolve. Why? Because we, the so-called followers, are tired of having our time wasted at work. Like in 2009.

I have seen people become very angry once they realize that their time at work had been wasted while bosses move on to the next thing. I’m not only talking about career professionals. Believe it or not, even so-called workers get angry at doing meaningless tasks or seeing their efforts turn to nought.

That’s why I say that true leaders, in business or elsewhere, don’t waste your time.

So, dear leader, how do you not waste our time? Make your intentions clear. That way we can decide whether we want to participate, whether we want to invest our time with you.

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Don’t waste our time (again)’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#350: Resolve to behave badly (again)

Goals No Responses »

Jan 042010

Are you feeling better yet or are does your head still hurt from behaving badly? I do hope you behaved badly. It’s so much easier to make resolutions stick if you start off from a low base.

For those few who behaved well, let’s consider why resolutions are easy to make but difficult to keep.

The word ‘resolution’ has different meanings. It can mean ‘separation into components’, ‘causing discord to pass into concord’, ‘boldness or firmness of purpose’, and ‘solving of problem or question’.

In other words, you must understand the components that make up your resolution; remove discord that prevents commitment; be bold and firm in action; and solve problems that crop up.

If that confused you, then consider this. A resolution is a choice about how you will behave from now on. Resolutions tend to be about behaving better which is why they don’t stick easily.

On the other hand, a resolution to behave badly is much easier to keep!

I’m James McIntosh at nonsenseatwork.com

Listen to the radio version of ‘Resolve to behave badly (again)’
(10 most recent radio files)
James can be heard on Public Radio: Monday – 7:19am and Saturday – 8:19am
88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA | 89.1 FM WCNV, Heathsville VA | 90.1 FM WMVE, Chase City VA

#358: Working from home is impossible

#357: Always hungry is not a bonus

#356: Ask as you want answered

#355: Enough with the leadership dreams

#354: Be brave, trust is (still) dangerous

#353: How to get your boss to act like a real manager once a week

#352: Give in now or be exhausted

#351: Don’t waste our time (again)

#350: Resolve to behave badly (again)

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