Tag Archives: boss

How to Manage When Your Manager is on Vacation

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The boss is away, so should the employees play? Of course not – managers deserve time off without having to worry about the office falling to ruins without them. Most people would agree, but there is still the issue about the best way to handle the boss being out of the office. Are there extra responsibilities that need to be taken up? Should anything in the office change, or should day-to-day life continue unhindered? Since our own boss is currently partying it up with Mickey Mouse on the Disney Cruise Line, the Social Media department figured that others could benefit from our sage advice on how we deal with the managerial absence in the office.

  1. Keep a log of what you’ve done

    2. Now this doesn’t mean you have to write down every, single little detail of what you’ve finished while your boss was gone, but you should at least keep a broad log of what you’ve finished so that everyone can stay in the loop. We typically have a meeting with our boss every week so this little log is expected, but even if you don’t meet with them it’s still a good idea to have something on hand that you can turn over if somebody comes by your desk for an update on what you’ve been up to.

  2. If you’re trusted, act trustworthy

    3. Our office operates in a very healthy atmosphere of trust. The employees trust the managers, the managers trust the employees, and everyone gets along. The bigger the office gets, the more important trust becomes. Office morale can be killed overnight by a nosy employee or an irresponsible manager. You should never do anything that you’d be embarrassed of if you were caught. Plus, the last thing you want is for your boss to come back and think that they suddenly need to micromanage everyone.

  3. Don’t be afraid to send them a quick e-mail to see how things are going!

    4. Now this may not fly in every office, but MyCorp’s workforce is fairly close and we chat with our CEO all the time. More than anything, checking in is just a nice gesture. Our Social Media manager Heather sent out a little ‘Bon Voyage’ e-mail that has led to a few good back-and-forths between her and our CEO. If you don’t feel it’s appropriate then feel free to ignore this piece of advice, but if you have a close knit office then it’s not a bad idea to check in and ask how the vacation is going.

In all likelihood, your office isn’t going to change very much when your boss heads out for a couple of days. But it is always a little weird to have the person you report to and work for head out the door – it’s certainly odd to not have Deborah walking through our office. Just have a little common sense, and write down whatever you think your boss will want to know when they come back. That way they’ll be relaxed, updated, and happy – plus they’ll know they can loosen the reigns a bit without having to worry about things falling apart.

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Guest Post: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself If You're Ready to Become an Entrepreneur

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Today we’re featuring a special guest post from our friends at Guidant Financial! It’s one thing to dream of being your own boss but another completely to put it into action by becoming a business owner. Only problem from there on out is determining whether you’re better suited for a lifestyle as an entrepreneur or not. CEO and co-founder David Nilssen has the 3 questions you need to ask to see if the entrepreneurial road is the right one for you!

1. Is your environment influencing you positively or negatively?

Sometimes when you dream big, there are people in your life waiting in the wings to tell you that “you can’t do that,” or that your idea “will never work.” You may not be able to control what people in your life say or feel, but you can control how you react to their negativity. You can choose to ignore their comments, which have the power to erode your self-esteem, and continue on with your pursuit. Their energy will only become valid if you allow for it to influence you.

2. Are you a true entrepreneur at heart?

At the end of the day, do you think, live and breathe like a business owner?

If you can go without a paycheck for 6 – 24 months; are capable of letting a vision take priority in front of your short-term needs; perform well under pressure; have the ability to act as a solid mentor; are good at working independently and are responsible at all times, you may just fit the bill!

3. Do you possess the core characteristics of an entrepreneur?

Detail Oriented. The old saying “the devil is in the details” rings true for aspiring entrepreneurs—and you’ll need to make sure you have the focus to take care of the little things while you drive your big picture strategy.

Competitive. Every entrepreneur must love to win. It’s almost more important to some than the journey itself.

Excellent at Communicating. The ability to share one’s vision and create excitement about the venture is crucial. If you’re the only person on board for your journey, it’s bound to be a short one. You must be able to communicate your ideas clearly and passionately so others will take notice.

Flexible. Entrepreneurship means changing hats often and embracing that change. If you can’t multitask, business ownership is probably not for you.

David Nilssen is the CEO & Co-Founder of Guidant Financial. Read more tips about becoming a successful entrepreneur in his book, Making the Jump into Small Business Ownership. Follow David on Twitter @davidnilssen and @guidant.

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Gift This… Not that.

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If there is one thing internet blogging outlets have become increasingly good at, it is telling you what to buy. Once the holidays roll around nearly every, single business blog begins to look like a Sky Mall catalog. Did you know that your boss wants a personalized business card case? Or that CEOs everywhere are clamoring for the fancy vinegars and expensive laptop stands?

Neither did we! But, judging from what we’ve been reading online on holiday office shopping, your best bet is to just walk into your closest Brookstone and just grab a handful of the shiniest gadgets. Since Christmas is getting closer, we thought we’d help everyone out by giving our suggestions on what you can get your favorite CEO or entrepreneur. While our suggestions aren’t as cute or whimsical as others, we feel that, at the very least, they can be used without causing any embarrassment.

Don’t buy them a tie/a skirt/a pair of shoes. Offer inspiration instead!

Every year people all across the world are given ugly ties, ill-fitting skirts or some other awful piece of clothing that’d they never, ever wear. People don’t really like to be dressed once they get past the age of three, so clothes are often a risky purchase to make during the holidays. Even if you pin the receipt to the gift bag and assure them that you understand if you don’t like it, really, just go back and return it… clothes still aren’t the best gift idea. Instead, give them something to inspire their style. The Sartorialist, one of our Social Media department’s favorite style blogs, released an awesome book back in 2009 of the top fashion photos from the blog. It is only $16.50 at Amazon, and is a great alternative to another sweater. Not only is it a cool book to have, but it can give some great ideas to more fashion-forward entrepreneurs.

Go for something practical, not gaudy.

A CEO’s office has to breath a certain air of personality. It doesn’t necessarily have to be rigid, stiff and regal, but it should allow for the maintenance of mutual respect when other people come in for meetings or conferences.

If there is a Family Guy calendar of Peter Griffin telling a fart joke on the wall, then that maintenance is pretty difficult.

People love to give others gifts that they can use, but sometimes you have to step away from the more… personal ones and opt for practicality and style. So instead of a Fireman’s calendar or a book of kitten pictures, give them something that they will both use AND look good while using it. Moleskin, just as an example, sells a very minimalistic desk calendar that is practical, easily movable and stylish. It won’t tell your boss what the various qualities of being a redneck are, but it will do its job and look good while doing it.

Instead of the latest business book, maybe get them something a little more… hot.

Now don’t misunderstand us on this one; we love business books as much as the next person. However, business books have a habit of flaring in and out of existence. The must have book of the year in January may be completely forgotten by March, and it is pretty difficult to gauge the lasting potential of a book when you first buy it. So instead of adding yet another tome to clog up desk space, think about something with a bit more lasting potential.

Something like the new Kindle Fire. Now this is a bit more expensive, but could work well as an office gift – everyone pitches in a little bit of money and the entire office can give an awesome gift without breaking the bank. Or, if the entrepreneur in your life is someone you wouldn’t mind spending a little more money on, the Kindle Fire may be right up your alley.

Of course, you could also enter our contest for a free Kindle Fire by liking our Facebook page. It couldn’t hurt, right?

Whatever you decide to get, remember our advice on style. Edge away from overly personal (unless you’re already very close to the person you are gifting to) and instead try to find something practical and stylish. Finding a gift should be a bit more involved than running into Target and grabbing the first thing you see labelled with a “PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS!” sign.

Of course, you could always just ask them what they want. But where’s the fun in that?

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Five ways to effectively communicate with your boss

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Bosses. Everyone’s had one, if not more. Finding effective ways to communicate with your boss is paramount regardless of what industry you are in.  Of course, not everyone loves their boss, thus making communication difficult. Thankfully, we here at MyCorp are led by a pretty awesome team. However, we know not everyone can be as lucky as are. So what are the most effective ways to communicate with your boss? Why does it even matter?

First of all, open lines of communication are essential to any successful business. Think of communication as water in a pipe line, if not water is flowing there is bound to be a buildup. This buildup will eventually burst causing severe damage. Let that water flow! It may sound easier said than done, however keep in mind the following tips and you should be smooth sailing.

Be Professional. Even if your boss is a close friend, remember that you are in an office and certain rules apply. Professionalism is a must! Your boss is your boss for a reason. Regardless if you like it or not, being polite and polished is always a good idea. Even if the topic of conversation is not work related, such as weekend plans, the same rule of courtesy should apply. Present yourself in a thought out, polite manner regardless of the situation.

Be Honest. We all know that time is money. When talking to your boss, make sure to keep that phrase in mind. Make the conversation to the point and concise. Embellishing, sugar coating and rambling are all in direct opposition to using your time wisely. When you talk to your boss, be honest, be direct and straight forward. Cut to the chase! Addressing issues head on will allow both you and your boss to discuss the issue, find a course of action and proceed easily and in a time effective manner.

Take a Step Back. Remember in 1st grade when Sam pinched you and you chased after him so that you could pinch him back? Let’s take a lesson from the playground, instant retaliation, or perceived gratification, is not always the best step. Take a moment to step back. What really is the issue here? Do I really need to take this to my boss, or can I resolve the problem on my own. Are there others that I could talk to in order to figure out the situation? Take some time to consider what you are bringing to your boss and ask yourself whether or not the course of action you have chosen is the right one.

Find Your Inner “Gumby.” When you think Gumby, what do you think about? Flexibility right?! Finding your inner Gumby means being flexible. Understand that your boss is busy and you can’t always have the conversation you want to have exactly when you want to have it. In fact, some things may never reach your boss. This idea falls in line with the mantra, pick your battles. Work with your boss. He or she will appreciate your patience and flexibility, and, in turn, will respect you more for it.

Whether you have the greatest boss in the world or your boss asks you to come in on Saturday to finish your TPS reports (hey hey Office Space), keep the above tips in mind. Forming open and functional lines of communication will ensure stability and smoothness in your workplace. Happy chatting!

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How to be your own boss… even if you're not the boss.

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Most bosses love the self-starter type. The person who is willing to go the extra mile, ask for more work and then not only do it well, but finish it early.

Unfortunately, most people aren’t that type of person. And that’s okay! If you focused that hard on every little trivial task you’ve been assigned you will end up burning out before you ever make your mark, collapsing on your keyboard after seven straight hours of database updates. That’s bad for your image at work and the keyboard.

Just imagine your own face instead of a large box with a question mark on it.

The trick is to learn how to manage yourself like, well, a manager. Maybe your boss is involved in every step of every project you have, or maybe you only see your boss as they leave the office at one in the afternoon to go play golf. Either way, a great method to keeping yourself on task without running into a wall is to manage your workload like you would manage employees. With that in mind, here are our tips on how to be your own boss, even if you’re not.

Divide Up Tasks

Do you have a job or project sitting on your desk that is more akin to an amorphous blob than a list of things to accomplish? When you stare at this behemoth of work, you have to be able to divide it up into smaller sections. Any good manager knows how to take an order or an assignment or even a business and divide it up into small sections to be tackled at different times. That is how you have to start looking at your work; instead of seeing it like some sort of terrible undertaking waiting to engulf you, give yourself sections of it to do at a time. These sections could be big or small, but the point is that you can begin to see the steps needed to finish a project before it threatens to consume every minute of your working life. Exercises like this also allow you to know exactly how far along you are when trying to accomplish something and will let you give your boss, your real boss, a great idea as to how far along things are.

I know it sounds a little silly, but having a list of things to do and checking them off one by one is quite satisfying. It’s almost as if you can physically watch your workload shrink, which is great for your overall motivation and well-being.

Evaluate Yourself

Have you ever had to fill out a self-evaluation form? Or sit nervously in a cramped waiting room for your turn to hear how your manager thinks you are performing? Most people dread evaluation; think too long about your faults and suddenly every little bump and mistake becomes a career ending problem. But evaluations can be useful if you get a bit of fair critique out of them. That is why evaluating yourself like a manager would evaluate an employee can be very useful to picking out your faults without feeling like a total failure. If you were your employee, what would you want to see improved? Do you procrastinate too much? Do you get caught up on the little details and lose sight of the big picture?

If nothing else, you will at least be able to avoid the “I sometimes just work too hard” answer – there is no one to impress but yourself. So take your self-identified weaknesses and try to work on them. Keep them in mind while working without completely obsessing over them. Like I said, the only person to impress is yourself so even if you end up working on one or two things, at least you’ve made that much improvement without any outside pressure forcing you to.

Don’t be Afraid to Talk with your “Colleagues”

We have a great relationship with our boss at MyCorporation because she is willing to listen to any advice given and is usually very open to talking with her employees. But most people may not have that type of relationship with their manager or boss; there is a certain level of fear that bubbles to the surface when talking to someone who can terminate your main source of income. If you can, try to see the person or people in charge of you as more of a colleague than a boss. That doesn’t mean regaling them with every detail of your life but, if you feel you have a good idea or suggestion, talk to them about it. And we mean talk – don’t stammer and look at your feet like they’ll somehow back you up. Eye contact and a bit of confidence make all the difference when getting someone to see you as their equal.

This advice works better in small offices than in gigantic corporations, but even if there is a middle manager that you talk to every so often, try not to treat them like an overbearing parent or stern school teacher. Instead, respect them as you would any other colleague; this both boosts your own self-confidence and can help get them to see you as more than just another employee.

The idea behind all of this advice is just to try and see yourself in a more imposing light. It can be easy to just assign your position as being just another cog in a machine, but doing that will kill your motivation and, before you know it, you’ll be doing the bare minimum until you can go home. In the end, you’ll be miserable and hate your work. So our biggest piece of advice is to size yourself up, be proud in your work and act like your own boss, even if you don’t have a corner office with a great view of the city.

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Chit Chat at the Office: Good Idea or Bad Idea?

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Whether your office is big or small there’s a good chance that you encounter daily office chatter. This can take place between people’s desks, in the break room or in the hallways. Although workplace comradery is generally encouraged, how much chatter is too much? What is the line between appropriate discussion and becoming a pair of chatty Kathy’s? Before you strike up conversation, consider the following questions:

Would you want your boss to hear you?

Sure, this seems like a no-brainer, however over time people tend to forget office etiquette 101. You are at the office to earn a living and hopefully produce a stellar work product. Of course, this does not mean that you should conduct yourself as if you have a zipper for a mouth. Conversation is good! However, make sure that you really think through what you are saying. Gossip about other coworkers, complaints about your manager or too much detail about your home life should probably remain in your head. If you wouldn’t want your boss to be a part of the conversation, mum’s the word.

Does this have anything to do with a fellow co-worker?

As just mentioned, co-worker bashing at work is definitely a no-no. Of course, this is the real world and different personality types within the office may clash. However, think back to your high school days. Remember how each clique spent an ungodly amount of time gossiping about the other cliques? Heavens to Betsy don’t revert to that!! An office is synonymous with professionalism.  Wait until you are home to tell your dog Spike about how Mary chews her gum too loudly or that Sam is always late. Finally, if you have a serious problem with a co-worker, speak to your manager. Interoffice gossip will only make the problem worse.

Could your comment be sent over e-mail?

You know that dream where you send something to a co-worker and it is accidentally sent to the entire office?  Terrifying, right? Consider the consequences of a conversation being spread by word of mouth. Think about your office as one giant game of telephone. Per the game, what Sally tells Jim, and what Jim tells Taylor are not going to be the same. Chatter beware! As with the mass e-mail, don’t assume that what is said between you and a co-worker will stay between you and the co-worker. Words can spread like wildfire, and you don’t want to be the one who lights the match.

Does the conversation pass the three minute rule?

Although the office is primarily a place of business, establishing rapport with co-workers is important. You know the saying the family that plays together stays together? The office that gets along moves along. Of course you want to hear about each other’s weekends, children and travel plans. Small talk does not qualify as office chatter. However, try to follow the three minute rule; make sure you can wrap up the conversation around the three minute mark. Yes, three minutes sounds like a short period of time. However, chances are you will probably have several three minute conversations with your co-workers. Try to keep the recaps to a reasonable length. After all, you can always text, tweet or telephone your co-workers after hours and on the weekends to get the extended scoop.

Don’t be afraid to have fun or make friends at the office. Keep in mind the above questions and conduct yourself professionally. This will allow you to make friends while still performing at work, giving you the best of both worlds.

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