NonsenseAtWork
507 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsBoost your career and success by learning to deal with the nonsense of pleasing a boss, playing nice with colleagues, making subordinates productive, and living a life. (Why should you learn to deal with nonsense at work? Because nonsense stops you from being successful. Nonsense is always at work. It never stops. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there is always some sense in nonsense, if you look for it. And if you are willing to look for it, time and again you will find that you can make the nonsense at work work for you.)
For more, visit https://nonsenseatwork.com
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Episodes
#297: Expecting More of the Same Is Just Insane
March 01, 2022 13:00 - 1 minute - 939 KBWhen you suddenly face Goliath, what does your gut say? Big is best!
#244: Want To Make a Million? Then Be Good at Plan B.
February 22, 2022 13:00 - 1 minute - 939 KBHere is a little known fact about me. I am working on my second million. That’s right, my second million. My first million was a complete disaster.
#296: Want To Make a Million? Then Be Good at Plan B.
February 22, 2022 13:00 - 1 minute - 939 KBWhat did you assume I meant with my question, "Want to make a million?" Make a million dollars? Make a million (fill in your currency here)? Or did you assume "make a million people happy"? Or "make a million trees grow in the desert"? (See Saudi Arabia's goal to plant 10 billion trees. Now that's a plan!) Actually, it does not matter what you assumed. What matters is that you have a Plan B.
#243: Manage Your History or Be Ignored by the Future
February 14, 2022 17:15 - 1 minute - 940 KBOnce upon a time there lived a man called Albert Einstein. We revered him then and we revere him today. But we sure as hell don't heed him the way we should. For example, he once said that "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Or words to that effect. And yet, here we are, acting as if yesterday's behavior will save us today. We have yet to learn that to understand new things, we must remember to forget.
#295: Manage Your History or Be Ignored by the Future
February 14, 2022 17:15 - 1 minute - 940 KBOnce upon a time there lived a man called Albert Einstein. We revered him then and we revere him today. But we sure as hell don't heed him the way we should. For example, he once said that "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Or words to that effect. And yet, here we are, acting as if yesterday's behavior will save us today. We have yet to learn that to understand new things, we must remember to forget.
#242: Take a Stand in the Sand To Propel Past Pitfalls
February 07, 2022 15:45 - 1 minute - 939 KBRemember that line in the sand you used to draw as a kid? "Step over this line and I'll biff you." And if the other kid was bigger...
#294: Take a Stand in the Sand To Propel Past Pitfalls
February 07, 2022 15:45 - 1 minute - 939 KBFrom the donkeys of change (previous post) to the squirrels of obstacles (this post), I'm giving Aesop a hare for his tortoise. Whatever that means. The moral of both fables, donkey and squirrel, is simply this. Don't let mere lines on your path trip you short of your goals.
#293: When People Won’t Change, Try Feinting
January 31, 2022 15:16 - 1 minute - 941 KBThis is a true story about greener grass somewhere. The funny thing about true stories is that different people interpret them differently. And the same people can interpret them differently on different days. I mean, how do you know the grass is truly greener on the other side? What makes you think the grass will still be greener by the time you get there? And what's so wrong in lowering your expectations to match the not-so-green grass where you are? Source of true story: The Humble Farm...
#241: When People Won’t Change, Try Feinting
January 31, 2022 15:16 - 1 minute - 941 KBThis is a true story about greener grass somewhere. But how do you know the grass is truly greener on the other side?
#292: It’s Time To Wake Up to Your Rules
January 24, 2022 17:52 - 1 minute - 939 KBGuess what hidden bonus came with working from home. New rules! Guess what awaits you when you return to the office. New rules! Has where you do your job changed what you do? Probably not much, if at all. And yet, the powers that be keep changing how you do what you do every time where you do it changes. (If that hasn't happened to you, then don't resign. You have no idea how lucky you are.)
#240: It’s Time To Wake Up to Your Rules
January 24, 2022 17:52 - 1 minute - 939 KBGuess what hidden bonus came with working from home. New rules! Guess what awaits you when you return to the office. New rules! Has where you do your job changed what you do? Probably not much, if at all. And yet, the powers that be keep changing how you do what you do every time where you do it changes.
#239: Do you need a mentor or a coach? How to decide.
January 17, 2022 18:11 - 1 minute - 940 KBToo many goals, not enough go. Would a coach help? That question is so then. Today, the question is: Would a coach help more than an app? Actually, there is a third question.
#291: Do you need a mentor or a coach? How to decide.
January 17, 2022 18:11 - 1 minute - 940 KBToo many goals, not enough go. Would a coach help? That question is so then. Today, the question is: Would a coach help more than an app? Actually, there is a third question.
#290: Suspicious minds at work can lead to divorce
January 10, 2022 18:11 - 1 minute - 939 KBThis era of The Great Resignation has me thinking about suspicious minds at work. You know what I mean. Will she? Won't she? Will he? Won't he? (Resign, that is.) The problem with suspicious minds is the type of conclusions they invariably jump to. Incorrect ones. Here's one powerful way to counter suspicious minds at work.
#238: Suspicious minds at work can lead to divorce
January 10, 2022 18:11 - 1 minute - 939 KBThis era of The Great Resignation has me thinking about suspicious minds at work. You know what I mean. Will she? Won't she? Will he? Won't he? (Resign, that is.)
#289: Try Less Dream, More Resolution
January 03, 2022 16:33 - 1 minute - 939 KBLast week, I suggested you give your goals more meaning by focusing on the outcome you want. If you don't feel like ready that post again, here's a simple example to show what I mean: Do you wash dishes to get them clean (planned goal)? Or do you clean them to prevent food poisoning the next time you use them (desired outcome)? The first one is about getting the task done. The second one is about how well you do the task. The same idea applies to making resolutions. (Unless, like me, you ...
#237: Try Less Dream, More Resolution
January 03, 2022 16:33 - 1 minute - 939 KBI wonder, why do New Year's resolutions seldom stick around longer than the hangover created at the same time?
#288: Give Your Goal More Meaning
December 27, 2021 18:44 - 1 minute - 767 KB(Maybe then your resolutions will stick. But that's another story.)
#236: Give Your Goal More Meaning
December 27, 2021 18:44 - 1 minute - 767 KBMaybe then your resolutions will stick. But that's another story.
#235: Is There a Hole in This Holiday or What
December 27, 2021 18:39 - 1 minute - 762 KBWhen I was a kid, the build-up to Christmas was long and slow. Nowadays it just seems to arrive. No slow build-up. No bubbling anticipation.
#287: Is There a Hole in This Holiday or What
December 27, 2021 18:39 - 1 minute - 762 KBNo slow build-up. No bubbling anticipation.
#286: When tech revolution promotes management devolution
December 13, 2021 20:40 - 1 minute - 773 KBHow do I fire thee? Let me count the ways. (Sorry, Elizabeth Barret Browning) By now you have surely heard of the 900 employees fired via Zoom. Well, it's a management trend encouraged by technology advances, nothing more.
#234: When tech revolution promotes management devolution
December 13, 2021 20:40 - 1 minute - 773 KBHow do I fire thee? Let me count the ways. (Sorry, Elizabeth Barret Browning.) By now you have surely heard of the 900 employees fired via Zoom. Well, it's a management trend encouraged by technology advances, nothing more.
Ep286 When tech revolution promotes management devolution
December 13, 2021 20:40 - 1 minute - 773 KBHow do I fire thee? Let me count the ways. (Sorry, Elizabeth Barret Browning) By now you have surely heard of the 900 employees fired via Zoom. Well, it's a management trend encouraged by technology advances, nothing more.
#285 When Fun Is Work, Workers Find the Ha-ha in Their Bosses
December 06, 2021 17:53 - 1 minute - 2.29 MBIt's true. Every cloud has a silver lining. Here's another. Working from home and mandated social distancing have curtailed the stupid notion of fun at work. And hopefully killed that oxymoron, the festive office party, once and for all. (Stop listening now if you have fun at work, if you expect fun at work, if you demand fun at work, or if you like obligatory gatherings with co-workers in your personal time. You will not find any fun in listening to what follows.)
#233 When Fun Is Work, Workers Find the Ha-ha in Their Bosses
December 06, 2021 17:53 - 1 minute - 2.29 MBIt's true. Every cloud has a silver lining. Here's another. Working from home and mandated social distancing have curtailed the stupid notion of fun at work. And hopefully killed that oxymoron, the festive office party, once and for all.
#284: In the Land of I, I Drop U Until Needed
November 29, 2021 17:50 - 1 minute - 938 KBHere's nonsense at work. Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I am still thankful. And have been since early-2002. That's when several Americans graciously helped us find our USA feet while Africa still held our souls. Thank you for teaching me how to drop I to help U.
#232: In the Land of I, I Drop U Until Needed
November 29, 2021 17:50 - 1 minute - 938 KBDuring my early years in the USA, I often made cultural blunders. One of my first offenses was to wonder why anyone would drive around in a chicken coop.
#231: When is it chill to chill?
November 22, 2021 15:38 - 1 minute - 2.29 MBIt’s almost that formal time to give thanks and you know what I’m thinking?
#283: When is it chill to chill?
November 22, 2021 15:38 - 1 minute - 2.29 MBThank you. No, I'm not thanking you for being a loyal listener. Well, maybe I am. But I'm really thanking you for listening to the rest of this piece. Even though I don't know whether you will. Want to know why I thank you in advance? Broccoli. Or was it cauliflower?
#230: Why the Office Gossip Has Butterfly Lips
November 15, 2021 19:40 - 1 minute - 939 KBIf anything, isolation increased the need for a little gossip. Real, fake, or in between. (You thought Instant Messaging during group video calls was for serious communication?)
#282: Why the Office Gossip Has Butterfly Lips
November 15, 2021 19:40 - 1 minute - 939 KBThe beat goes on. The gut-thump of the conspiracy theory drum, egged on by the mind-altering crash of the fake fact cymbal and the seductive tinkle of the did-you-hear triangle. Social distancing did not stop the beat. Neither did WFH. If anything, isolation increased the need for a little gossip. Real, fake, or in between. (You thought Instant Messaging during group video calls was for serious communication?) Did I say need for gossip? Yes. Gossip seems to be a human need. Just another bu...
Who Hesitates Is Luckier Than the Early Bird. And Vice Versa.
November 08, 2021 16:20 - 1 minute - 940 KBI am driving to meet a client for lunch. The four-lane road splits, with big trees and thick undergrowth dividing the two lanes going to my future from the two lanes going back where I came from. Suddenly, on a gentle curve, a car appeared. Going fast. Coming towards me. We dodged. And continued on our way. Me? Shaken. Later, when the shaking stopped, I was stirred into shouting, “WTF just happened?” Once again, Time had played a timing trick on me.
#281: Who Hesitates Is Luckier Than the Early Bird. And Vice Versa.
November 08, 2021 16:20 - 1 minute - 940 KBI am driving to meet a client for lunch. The four-lane road splits, with big trees and thick undergrowth dividing the two lanes going to my future from the two lanes going back where I came from. Suddenly, on a gentle curve, a car appeared. Going fast. Coming towards me. We dodged. And continued on our way. Me? Shaken. Later, when the shaking stopped, I was stirred into shouting, “WTF just happened?” Once again, Time had played a timing trick on me.
#229: Who Hesitates Is Luckier Than the Early Bird. And Vice Versa.
November 08, 2021 16:20 - 1 minute - 940 KBHow do you know when the time is right to make a decision?
#280: What should you do when change is heavy?
November 01, 2021 16:01 - 1 minute - 2.3 MBYou’ve heard it before. The only constant is change. Which has now brought us to this. So much to change, so little time. This begs the questions. Who triggers change (in your organization)? Who makes change happen? Who should you engage? Who should you ignore?
#228: What should you do when change is heavy?
November 01, 2021 16:01 - 1 minute - 2.3 MBIf you plan to make change happen, who should you influence?
#279: Listen to the Idea, Not the Person
October 25, 2021 13:01 - 1 minute - 939 KBAre you also struggling to get through this era of endless political waffle? Well, here’s a game you can play. It might not help you much in coping with politicians, but I guarantee it will make you a more effective leader, manager, employee, worker, person, significant other, friend, and whatnot. (It might even make you a more effective voter. But that might be a claim too far.)
#227: Listen to the Idea, Not the Person
October 25, 2021 13:01 - 1 minute - 939 KBHere’s a game that will help you practice your focus on what matters.
#278: Don’t Let Your Open Door Policy Turn You Into a Willy-Nilly Boss
October 18, 2021 17:47 - 1 minute - 939 KBDo you have an open Zoom policy? Or an open Teams policy? Or an open Virtual policy? Okay, that last one makes little sense. Working from home has taught us we shouldn’t risk an open webcam policy. It could be as disastrous as having an open mic incident. Or as time-wasting as practicing open door management back at the office. Time-wasting? Yes. An open door policy is a complete time waster.
#226: Don’t Let Your Open Door Policy Turn You Into a Willy-Nilly Boss
October 18, 2021 17:47 - 1 minute - 939 KBDo you have an open Zoom policy? Or an open Teams policy? Or an open Virtual policy? Okay, that last one makes little sense. Working from home has taught us we shouldn’t risk an open webcam policy.
#225: Familiarity Breeds Effectiveness. And No Promotion.
October 11, 2021 16:23 - 1 minute - 940 KBDo you want to know why you struggle to be promoted? In one word, laziness. No, not your laziness. (Well, maybe yours, but let’s ignore that for a moment.)
#277: Familiarity Breeds Effectiveness. And No Promotion.
October 11, 2021 16:23 - 1 minute - 940 KBDo you want to know why you struggle to be promoted? In one word, laziness. No, not your laziness. (Well, maybe yours, but let’s ignore that for a moment. The way you ignore it from moment to moment. Like I do.) I’m talking about laziness from above. That laziness is triggered by intimacy. (Oops! Right meaning; wrong word for this day and age. Better to use the safer synonym, familiarity.) That laziness is triggered by familiarity.
#276: When to demand the possible from the competent
October 04, 2021 13:19 - 1 minute - 940 KBThey say that a stopped clock is correct twice a day. Well, they are right because it’s true. If they demand the stopped clock to tell the right time, a rather audacious goal under the circumstances, then wise is the stopped clock who only answers them twice a day. Even wiser is the one who knows exactly when to ask the stopped clock for the right time.
#224: When to demand the possible from the competent
October 04, 2021 13:19 - 1 minute - 940 KBThere are two basic ways to motivate followers. Make them stretch or make them reach.
#223: Assemble Your Team. Then Pick Their Brains.
September 27, 2021 15:01 - 1 minute - 939 KBBelieve it or not, I did not play soccer (or football) in my younger days. I played rugby. I liked it because, whenever I touched the ball, I had fourteen muscled guys backing me up.
#275: Assemble Your Team. Then Pick Their Brains.
September 27, 2021 15:01 - 1 minute - 939 KBAs the seasons change, men in the Northern Hemisphere begin to play with oval balls as men in the Southern Hemisphere end their season of playing with oval balls. (For those of you who follow the crazy tweets of crazy rappers about crazy friends of crazy cousins, these oval balls have nothing to do with the current virus craze.) Actually, that statement is not quite factual. Rugby, played with an oval ball, is also popular with women players. And maybe even in America, because some women do...
#222: Remember To Forget To Change
September 20, 2021 16:31 - 1 minute - 939 KBDo you find it more difficult to adapt and change as you age? Blame it on time.
#274: Remember To Forget To Change
September 20, 2021 16:31 - 1 minute - 939 KBThat Virus (you know the one) came bearing lessons that too many of us hope we don’t need to learn. Maybe if there is an app for that… However, there is one of lesson we should heed soon, if not right now. It is a variation on Murphy’s Law. (To remind you, here’s my take on Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it will.) Murphy’s Law comes in rather handy when we must explain a blooper. That is, when we need to redirect blame. I predict that this new law will be just as useful. And as d...
#221: Did You Know Speed of Boarding Is a Warning?
September 13, 2021 17:22 - 1 minute - 939 KBThe other morning I was stuck behind a big yellow bus. I had to stop three times before I got away. Life, it seemed, wanted me to slow down and smell the fumes.