Sand in your bits is uncomfortable. Dry sand is easier to brush off than wet ,clingy, sand so let the sun do its work before trying to shake it off.
Away from the beach and back in the office what is the equivalent of sand in your bits and how best to deal with the problem.
Who is making life uncomfortable ? Maybe it’s a colleague who is always moaning or is laze and doesn’t do their fair share. Maybe it your manager micromanaging your work or being overly critical. Maybe you’re the manager with a cynical team member who is always negative or the argumentative individual who just has to disagree with everyone no matter what the issue.
Like a sandy bum these individuals could end up spoiling an otherwise pleasant experience. They’re just irritating.
Don’t join in with the moaning, stay positive , but let them vent then change the subject or find an excuse to move away such as offering to make the drinks. Don’t let the lazy co worker dump their work on you, don’t resort to doing less because they are getting away with it, your manager knows who does the work and if you think they don’t then make clear which pieces of work you have completed with out actually complaining about your co worker.
Just because your manager micro manages you doesn’t mean they don’t trust you to do a good job, unless it does, in which case you will know that is the reason. This is more about them than you and the best way to deal with it is over communicate, over load them with information about what you have done, what you are doing, how you are going about it and what you plan to do next. This will meet their need but make you feel in control. With an over critical boss it important not to take things personally and get emotional ,although that can be hard. Clarify the feedback and their expectations, don’t be defensive, accept responsibility, agree to do it the way they. Keep you own record of the conversations if it comes to it these will be evidence to support your grievance.
The cynical team member is a real pain when you’re trying to motive the team or sell the latest senior management initiative. Acknowledge their feelings and that their response maybe due to past experience. But be clear this is not your view. Talk to them one to one outside of the meeting to establish you expect positivity but you need to check out that their attitude is not due to stress or burnout.
It’s frustrating for you and the rest of the team that the same individual always feels they have to disagree with the rest. It’s important to give them a fair hearing, let them explain why they disagree but don’t fall into the trap or let the rest of the team fall into the trap of believing the longer the debate goes on the more likely they will come round to everyone else’s view pion.They won’t. As the manager you need to call a holt to the debate and state what you have decided.
You know that coming off the beach you will be covered in sand, it can be uncomfortable but with the right approach it can soon be shaken off.
Blair McPherson is back from his holidays www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
