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Q&A: Dealing with an anti-NeverEatAlone workplace

Written by: Keith Ferrazzi

Article Overview: A great question from a Never Eat Alone reader:

Q&A: Dealing with an anti-NeverEatAlone workplace

A great question from a Never Eat Alone reader:

How do I get back the feeling of wanting to help people and deepen my network when my own work environment isn't supportive of it? And even though I have tried to give and not measure returns, it starts to get pretty hard, when continually folks don't return the favour.

My therapist, Joe Lay, once told me that at some point you have to stop shopping for milk at the grocery store. Most relationships can be made more intimate and mutual and generous, but some just can't or maybe they're so difficult that you just decide that you don't want to make the investment any more. Maybe it's time to just move on...from those relationships or even that job!

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Article Tags: favour, grocery store, job, relationships, shopping, therapist joe, work environment



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Young Entrepreneur in International trading - I just turned 21 last week, and I currently own a international trading company doing trades between China, Taiwan, Thailand, and west coast of US and starting out in Canada soon. Dealing with gift items and general merchandise. We are also trying to sell some of the stuff we import as retail and wholesale products on the internet and to retail venders as we do have a lot of extra pallets that gets left over from our buyers.
Depressed Entrepreneurs - Thank you for your feedback. It seems to be the weather, isolation and some unfavourable projects getting my clients down. I personally find myself feeling quite grey with the weather. So much so that I spend as little time in my Vancouver office as I need to - it so slow and depressing there for me. In any case, thank you. Perhaps this is an issue we should be more proactive about in our entrepreneur resources. Dealing with the emotional issues of entrepreneurship. Thanks Kevin for the articles. The one was the exact one I was looking for. Must of been having a blonde moment in my searches
Re: Team Building - Thanks for the resource. I've found team building is a valuable tool to improve how employees get along in the workplace and improve both morale and productivity. When leaders and employees learn team building skills they are able to work together more effectively and do it with less effort. [Link removed by forum admin]
Re: How to be green? - Hi Evan It’s a great topic especially when it comes to going green and saving our planet. We all have a role to play and we are happy about the fact that we are into it. We have recently made our workplace greener and in the process the following changes have been implemented – 1. We provide paper invoices only if customers ask for them. Otherwise, all our invoicing is done electronically (a PDF via e-mail). 2. We have replaced the Paper Cups at our Cafeteria with Mugs for not only our in-house requirements but also for our clients. 3. We have also made it a Company policy to use only eco-friendly electronic appliances and that includes bulbs, air conditioners. 4. We are in the process of putting it into the Policy that the Employees will have to take to other transportation media – other than their personal vehicles – on at least a day per week to office. Hope we are on the right track. Regards,
And Commitment From Above... - In my experience in larger organizations, there is often a conflict between the training the sharp-end employees receive and that of the more senior managers. That sometimes means the employees feel 'done to', and don't have the belief that their bosses will be on board too. That means they feel pretty disgruntled about the organization too and higher leaving/absence rates can be the more obvious symptoms, with deeper resistance, even sabotage being quite possible too. For example, sending a bunch of employees on a gung-ho selling skills programme (with a fancy lunch included), is incongruous with not getting their pay check right or management not building good relationships with their people. The key here is understanding what training will help employees deliver the needs of the business as well as ensurinjg it is of value and in context for the individuals too. If it's not a win-win (in the bigger picture of their workplace experience too), it's just not going to fly. Sending someone on a training courtse is not a 'fix-it' for all that ails an organization.


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