People need you at work for encouragement, inspiration, guidance, and daily support.
You make a difference every day you walk into that building, office, workplace, meeting, or Zoom call.
You have value and help others throughout the day.
No matter what happened in the past, it’s a new day, and you have today and the future to make your staff, customers, clients, and bosses know you care about your job and the company.
Seize the day and continue to lead with purpose, passion, and empathy. You matter! ~ Patti
Have you ever felt that as a leader, you are isolated and not having anyone to talk to about work situations?
I know I have. I think we have all been there. Our decisions are sometimes tough and tax our minds, body, and soul. The relationships within the workplace, at times, are brutal.
It reminds me of the TV Show Alone. This show is about ten survival experts put in a remote area at least 10 miles away from each other to fend for themselves with ten survival items, some clothes, and live off the land. It is interesting to follow each participant on their journey of living alone and how they cope with surviving from dealing with emotional, physical, and mental challenges with a lack of food and harsh elements.
What is their breaking point?
What keeps them going out there when they could easily hit a button and go home?
The reasons they are there in the first place, how that goal changes once they experience their time alone, and the hardship they endure.
How does this compare to your work life?
Are there days when you want to hit a button and go home and never go back?
Days of being a manager and supervisor can be overwhelming, especially when you have no support or lack of trust in others in the workplace due to betrayal, unrealistic expectations, or harsh criticism.
This life lesson changed their lives in ways they never thought it would. The time they spent in self-reflection about what matters.
To see their struggles, whether physical, mental, or emotional, can bring you to tears. How excited and thankful they get for catching a fish or trapping an animal in a snare. Each day is about trying to hold on and not give up.
Sometimes, this is how it feels for managers and supervisors dealing with the daily grind “ALONE.” Trying to hold it together each day—the pressure of being squeezed from top to bottom, trying to survive the criticism and actions of yourself and others, and being judged for every decision made or not made. The fear of what will happen when you walk into the office can be the breaking point of success or ruin.
Worrying about layoffs, unreasonable workload demands, meetings that don’t amount to anything, expectations of successfully managing the chaos each day, and ridiculous emails to answer—trying to work or lead your team without showing emotions.
Feeling emotions is natural, and what happens if you don’t have anymore?
When did the career strip you of all humanity?
The Alone series teaches us there is so much more to life than boatloads of money, fame, and a demanding career that requires attention 24/7 and eventually leads to burnout, overwhelm, health problems, and anxiety. The lessons learned from the show are to be grateful, love deeply, cherish the peacefulness, enjoy life to the fullest, and go home and spend time with your family and friends.
What actions have you implemented to combat the feeling of aloneness in the workplace?
I would love to hear your thoughts as a manager or supervisor while surviving the daily grind of feeling alone.
If you are struggling with the daily grind and feel alone, a leadership coach like me will help you work through those everyday challenges to continue moving forward to where you want to be.
Today’s podcast Affirmation I am supported in my work and a good leader!
Did you find this helpful? If so, please share this podcast with others!
One day, my husband and I were at Walmart and saw this quote on a T-shirt. I used to be a people person; then people ruined it! ~ unknown.
I held up the T-shirt and told my husband; I am buying this. As a leadership and work-life balance coach, I encourage people not to feel this way. So why did I want to buy the T-Shirt?
Well, I had many days that I felt this way in Leadership.
Have you ever felt this way?
I know I did throughout my career, especially when knee-deep in the day-to-day grind of (Bull Crap). There were days I would go home and think, why am I doing this? Am I even making a difference; why are people so picky, hateful, judgmental, petty, discouraging, and disrespectful? Somedays, Myself included.
How does having a lousy attitude at work affect your reputation, employees, coworkers, customers, and the business’s bottom line?
Do you believe that other people around you at work can jade your perspective toward others, and you start to feel like the T-shirt quote?
What happened to kindness, empathy, praise, encouragement, and compassion in the workplace?
Managers and Supervisors, you can change the attitude in the workplace. One day at a time by your approach towards the workplace, yourself, and others. Once you apply kindness, empathy, praise, encouragement, and compassion to your employees and coworkers, others will notice and, as time goes on, will follow the pattern.
Here are some Self-Reflection Questions About Daily Interactions:
Why is everything about who can “one up” each other? How can this change in my leadership style?
Why is “knowledge power”? How can I share more?
What happened to being genuinely happy for a coworker and recognizing their accomplishments? How and when can I start recognizing others?
Why is being so “busy” acceptable and “ignoring” family okay? How can I improve spending time with my family and friends?
When will these interactions change within my Leadership?
What kind of leadership legacy do you want to leave behind?
It would be so amazing if this T-shirt is no longer valid in the workplace, and people feel safe at work and are inspired and encouraged to be their best with continual support. So Managers and Supervisors, let’s make it happen one day at a time!
On April 10, 2023, I had the opportunity of being interviewed by Carol Blonder of Networking Arizona Radio Show about my unique leadership coaching style. It was a pleasure meeting Carol and doing the interview.
In this podcast episode, Patti will share her journey of why she became a Leadership Coach and how work-life balance is necessary if you are a leader so that you can effectively be present for those you manage and lead.
Patti will also offer an exclusive offer for our podcast listeners, a discount for 30-minute sessions, perfect for busy leaders needing to solve those work problems.
* Patti discusses her journey and why she became so passionate about Work-Life Balance and Leadership Coaching.
* Patti shares an example of when she had to get beyond being nice so you could help people in your workplace as their leader.
* Patti shares some strategies to get better work-life balance as a Manager and Supervisor.
* Patti shares how can coaching help leaders in the workplace who may often be making decisions that affect many other people.
* Patti shares about her coaching style.
* Patti shares about her Exploring Life and Work with Patti from Chaos to Calm Podcast.
To learn more about a balanced life and to become a better leader, follow Patti on her Coaching for Inspiration with Patti social media channels and podcasts:
My husband was looking at Facebook and saw an advertisement for a hat that said “Sh*t Show Supervisor. He sent it to me, and we both laughed. I said I should do a podcast episode on the Sh*t Show Manager and Supervisor, get the hat, and wear it while recording it. Too funny. I did consider it, and I might get one. 🙂
What is your definition of a Sh*t Show Manager and Supervisor?
A Sh*t Show Manager or Supervisor is a funny, sarcastic phrase for any manager or supervisor who has to deal with constant chaos, situations that are out of control, and managing of staff, which often turns out badly a total mess, failure, or a downright disaster.
Let’s get real here, Managers and Supervisors are the dumping ground for everything. They get the blame from the top and below. They are in the daily firing range and constantly try to dodge a bullet throughout the workday, every day while at work.
As the years go by, as managers or supervisors, the daily grind starts to wear on them, and some get to the point they don’t give a sh*t anymore, and some are just trying to get through the day without dealing with constant chaos. The job can jade the person’s faith in others, and they start questioning people’s motives and behaviors, especially if they experience betrayal and backstabbing in the workplace.
If you have ever been a manager or supervisor at some time or another, you have lived in the “Sh*t Show work environment.
If not, were you doing your job or just skating through?
Or truly blessed with a great work environment and wonderful people who worked well together?
Are you brand new in the manager position or a veteran?
Now, what about the Sh*t Show Managers and Supervisors that love the chaos and are the direct cause of it? They thrive in this environment and love seeing their team under constant pressure, making mistakes, and failing so they can save the day. So how did they get into the position in the first place? Were they good at the technical aspect of the job and got promoted due to that but lacked the people skills?
The life of a Manager and Supervisor can be lonely at times, working late and may even struggle with an unbalanced home life due to the work stress and the pressures of demands placed on them, which trickle into every aspect of their life.
So, here’s some self-reflection to consider:
Are you a Sh*t Show Manager or Supervisor?
Or a good leader?
What do your employees tell their family, friends, and coworkers about you?
Today I will explore how to keep your team focused and engaged as a Manager and Supervisor.
Employees make decisions and actions daily that can affect workplace morale, customers, the organization, and profits.
How are you and your team engaging in work?
Is there good engagement between you and your employees?
Do you enjoy the workplace atmosphere? Do they?
What is the key to keeping employees focused and engaged in their work?
Start with talking to your employees, getting to know them, and showing interest in them. Ask them how they are doing. Let them speak and listen to them. Provide some open dialogue throughout the conversation. Look at them while they are talking. Be present instead of thinking about other things.
Spend time learning about your employees. What are their backgrounds, interests, and values?
Provide on-the-job training to help them to succeed. Find their learning style, such as visual, hearing, reading a manual or procedures, hands-on learning, etc.
Give employees opportunities to grow in personal development. Employees who develop their work skills and a creative mindset will more likely stay and promote within the company.
Give employees special projects and assignments outside their regular duties when they have asked for something else. Employees who are satisfied and learning new things are much more engaged and focused at work.
Coach employees with encouragement and act on their suggestions if possible.
Encourage employees to network within the company.
Have employees participate in the hiring process and have the whole team meet potential candidates. Is this candidate someone who will work well with the team? Get their feedback and perspective. They have to work with this person just as much as you do.
Provide some recognition to the hard-working employees and the ones who complete their projects within the target timeframes. And show your appreciation for their accomplishments. Say “thank you” and give them praise for their excellent work.
Encourage employees to take breaks to help them get refocused and inspired. Stepping away for a few minutes rejuvenates people.
Set clear expectations and make sure your employees understand what expectations. Be clear and direct about workplace goals and objectives. Put the expectation in writing and follow up with the employee on their progress. They may struggle and need guidance to find another way to complete the task. Break down tasks into small achievable steps. This way, they will feel safe and start working on things.
Employees stay with leaders who show interest in them. They are more engaged and focused when they feel appreciated, making a difference and giving credit for their contributions. When a manager and supervisor reflect gratitude towards their employees, everyone will want to come to work each day and give their all!
Between running a business or having a demanding career, family time, alone time with spouse, volunteering, hobbies, taking a vacation and all other promised commitments.
We get pulled in many different directions, sometimes bringing us to our breaking point. Being overwhelmed can create the appearance that someone wants you to do something for them, and you feel obligated to do it, and you are already overbooked and can’t do one more thing.
What are the signs it is time to say no?
feel stress, anxiety, and panic.
You don’t want to do it.
It is not something you enjoy
You’re the go-to person.
You can’t get what you already promised completed
by the deadline dates.
You feel if you say no to that person, they won’t like you,
or worse, your boss will be disappointed and punish you somehow.
Do any of these statements describe your situation?
If yes, are you ready to start saying no?
Action Steps:
Make a list of all your obligations.
Checkmark the ones you enjoy doing.
Circle the ones you don’t.
The commitments you don’t want, slowly start
removing them from your life.
Take one step at a time and say no to things you don’t have time for or don’t want to do. When you start saying no, it will feel uncomfortable at the start; however, you will be set free to enjoy being you.
