My Crazy Office

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address a familiar challenge to many individuals at work: What do you do if your co-worker is a suck-up? By “suck up” they mean someone who constantly does and says things to flatter and impress the boss. Kathi and Katherine start with a question from someone who recently got promoted, only to discover that her new co-worker spends most of his time sucking up to the manager that they both report to.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss how to handle a boss who plays favorites – especially if you’re not one of them. They start with a question from someone who is noticing that her new boss has a group of favorite employees, and wonders whether not being one of the favorites could hurt her career.

Most bosses want you to do your job well, but some bosses may view your personal success as their loss. In this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine examine a delicate situation: What can you do if your boss is afraid that you will outshine them? They start with a question from someone whose recent recognition for outstanding performance resulted in the boss becoming distant and uncooperative. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to detect if your boss fears being diminished by your success and what you can do about it.

In this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss a subject that many people in leadership positions must address: How do you fire a long-time employee? They start with a question from someone who was recently hired as the senior director of a large department and realizes there is a key employee who must be let go. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to navigate this kind of delicate situation carefully and professionally.

In this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address an interesting question: Is it okay to turn down a promotion? They start with a question from someone who has been offered a promotion but doesn’t want the management headache that comes with it. Kathi and Katherine consider the pros and cons to saying “No,” and what your options might be if you have to say “Yes.”

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address a hot topic: How to handle a psycho boss. They start with a question from someone who recently took a new job that is both challenging and rewarding. The new boss started out supportive and encouraging, but recently revealed another side – hypercritical, erratic and abusive. Kathi and Katherine offer ideas about how to navigate this kind of very challenging situation.

In this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine investigate what you can do if you are lashing out at people because you are overwhelmed at work. They start with a question from someone who works as an office manager for a not-for-profit where the responsibilities are overwhelming, and this person finds themselves snapping at anyone who makes a request. Are you snappy at work? Listen to this podcast.

Do you know how to negotiate a promotion? In this My Crazy Office episode, Kathi and Katherine discuss what it takes to do just that. They start with a question from someone who wants to get promoted but has been told by her boss to wait for another year so that he can offer a better promotion with higher pay. This individual would like to propose a compromise that would result in a smaller promotion in the near future. Kathi and Katherine talk about the pros and cons of this approach.

On this My Crazy Office episode, Kathi and Katherine explore whether getting fired could possibly be the best thing that ever happens to you. They start with a question from someone who was suddenly terminated from her job without warning. She now finds herself with two job offers, and wonders if getting fired could be a good thing.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine explore how to choose the best job when it’s a choice between two companies. They start with a question from someone who has been looking for a new job and now must decide between two offers; the positions are the same, but the companies are very different. One company is high profile, high pay, and high stress. The other is more laid back, but the employees seem happier. Kathi and Katherine talk about how to weigh and measure your options.

On this My Crazy Podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss those situations at work where someone tries to warn you about someone or something beforehand, and you ignore the warning. They start with a question from an individual who just got fired by a boss that his colleague told him would be a nightmare to work for. This person now regrets not heeding the warning, and wonders how to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

On this My Crazy Office episode, Kathi and Katherine examine a challenging situation — being ghosted by your manager. They start with a question from someone whose boss insists on scheduling regular bi-weekly meetings only to never show up for them. This manager also doesn’t respond to emails or texts and does not see their ghosting behavior as a problem. Join Kathi and Katherine as they consider your professional options when the boss ghosts you.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss a crucial question that some of you may be asking yourselves: Is it time to make a radical career change? We start with a question from someone who has been in a boring-but-secure job for 15 years. A recent lay-off is making this person consider whether it’s time to go back to school to pursue a degree in something that they’ve always wanted to do.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address a challenging situation: What do you do if you are attacked by a toxic client? They start with a question from someone who has experienced just that — being aggressively attacked by a client during a meeting. Kathi and Katherine talk about how to recover from this kind of difficult situation and how to manage the client going forward.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss what you can do if your department (or company) is moving in a direction that you don’t like. They start with a question from someone who disagrees with their department’s decision to do things differently based on customer feedback. Kathi and Katherine talk about what your options are in these kinds of situations.

On this My Crazy Office Podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about balancing maternity leave with career growth. They start with a question from someone who is pregnant, but also wants to take on a large new client. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to look at these kinds of situations that require incorporating a major life change (motherhood) with career ambitions.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address an important question: Is your self-talk holding you back? Self-talk is the running dialogue in your head. Negative self-talk involves your deepest doubts and fears. Kathi and Katherine start with a question from someone who knows it’s time to move their career forward, but keeps procrastinating instead of taking action and wonders why. Is your self-talk holding you back? Listen to this podcast.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about the importance of having an advocate at work. An advocate is someone who wants to see you succeed and who provides opportunities for advancement. Other terms for this important relationship are sponsor and mentor. Kathi and Katherine start with a question from an employee who was considering leaving her job, but recently noticed that her boss’s boss is giving her special projects.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine go over Ten Supervisory Shoulds that many managers hold about how their staff should behave. Supervisory Shoulds are beliefs that prevent managers from supervising their staff effectively. Do you believe you should only have to say something once? Do you assume your employees should know how to prioritize their work? Listen to this My Crazy Office podcast.

On this My Crazy Office episode Kathi and Katherine talk about a very difficult kind of person to work for – The absentee boss. They start with a question from someone who’s been working for a manager who is never around. When he does come to work, he criticizes her every move. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to manage these situations, and what your options are with an absentee boss.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address the issue of people who come to work sick and spread their sickness to others. They start with a question from someone whose co-worker came to work with a cough and fever, and proceeded to infect others with that illness. We’ll talk about what your options are if you have a coworker who insists on being a super spreader.

On this My Crazy Office episode, Kathi and Katherine talk about a tricky topic — social media in the workplace. They start with a question from someone whose coworker plays TikTok videos all day long, and the distracting sound and sight of those videos make it hard for this person to concentrate and do her job. During the second part of the podcast, Kathi and Katherine look at the same situation from the TikTok player’s point of view. Why can’t social media be used as a tool for de-stressing at work?

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about a hot topic – pets in the office. They start with a question from someone who is interviewing for a job that seems like a great fit, but learns that pets are part of the office environment. Kathi and Katherine discuss the pluses and minuses of pet-friendly work environments.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about introverts, and the challenges they face in the workplace. They start with a question from an introvert who must attend long meetings and worries that appearing checked out after a meeting could be interpreted as rude by his extroverted colleagues. Kathi and Katherine clarify some of the internal challenges of introverts and offer tips for handling delicate situations.

On this My Crazy Office episode, Kathi and Katherine discuss what you should do if you don’t get the promotion that you ask for. They start with a question from someone who applies for a promotion, meets the benchmarks, but doesn’t get promoted. Kathi and Katherine investigate when it’s worth it to hang in there and try again, or when it may be time to find a better opportunity.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine address a provocative topic — How do you keep secrets when your company is re-structuring? They start with a question from someone who is on the executive team of a company that is re-organizing. This person feels increasingly uncomfortable holding the knowledge of who will stay and who will go. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to hold that information in confidence and prepare for the eventual fallout.

On this epidsode of My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about a skill that all managers need to develop, but few managers feel comfortable doing — delegating. They start with a question from a manager who wants to be promoted but knows that it won’t happen without learning to delegate. Kathi and Katherine discuss why delegating is so difficult and what you can do to get better at it.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a certain kind of role at work – the role of rebel or scapegoat. Rebels (or scapegoats) are those individuals who view themselves as the truthtellers at work. They are willing to challenge the status quo and fight for what they think is right. Unfortunately, they can be labeled by others as troublemakers and get blamed when things go wrong. We’ll start with a question from someone who seems to be alienating coworkers without knowing it and go on to address scapegoats at work

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss what you should do if you are promised a promotion, and it never comes. They start with a question from someone who has been waiting for a promotion for two years, but circumstances keep arising that stop it from happening. Kathi and Katherine talk about what you can do if a promised promotion feels out of reach.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine talk about the value of staying in your job while you start something else. They start with a question from someone who has a comfortable but uninspiring job. She has a great business idea, but can’t afford to leave her job. Kathi and Katherine discuss how it’s possible to stay in your current job and launch your next career move.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss a topic that is important to every manager: How do you know you are hiring the right person? They start with a question from someone who needs to hire an assistant director but has a history of hiring the wrong person in the past. Kathi and Katherine talk about different ways that you can protect yourself from making a bad choice when you hire.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine talk about a topic that many people hate: networking. They start with a question from someone who loves their job, but knows that in order to get promoted they need to network. Kathi and Katherine talk about all the ways to network, and how to move through networking resistant.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a delicate topic: Does your physical appearance hold you back from changing jobs? They start with a question from someone who knows it’s time to leave their job but hesitates to take action because they feel physically unattractive. Kathi and Katherine consider what you can do if your physical appearance prevents you from going after a better job.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a problem that everyone faces at one time or another, what do you do when your personal life makes it hard to focus at work? We’ll start with a question from someone who just got promoted into a great new job, but also has to deal with several personal problems — making it hard to focus. We’ll discuss how to stay focused at work and deal with personal challenges at the same time.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine ask an important question of anyone who manages people: Is you anger backfiring with your staff? They start with a question from someone whose angry reactions to under-performing employees are hurting their reputation at work. Kathi and Katherine discuss what managers can do instead of getting angry when employees under-perform.

On this third and final podcast of the My Crazy Office Holiday Series, Kathi and Katherine address a question that many people ponder during this time of year: Should you give your boss a holiday gift? They start with a question from someone whose boss gives lavish gifts to every member of his staff. Is it appropriate to give the boss a gift in return? If so, what should it be?

On this second podcast of MCO Holiday Series, Kathi and Katherine answer a question that many people ask this time of year: Do I have to go to my company holiday party? They start with a question from someone who is up for a promotion and wonders whether she needs to attend her company’s “large, formal, boring Christmas party.” Kathi and Katherine discuss why these events may be important and how to navigate them.

Today, on the first podcast of the My Crazy Office Holiday Series, Kathi and Katherine address a common problem for certain employees during this time of year — Being the hardest worker at the company, while everyone else takes time off. Kathi and Katherine start with a question from someone who is exhausted from over-working, but feels compelled to cover for others. They offer tips for anyone who suffers from the Hero Syndrome at work.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine examine a common phenomenon that few people talk about: What do you do if you’ve outgrown the work that you know how to do? They start with a question from someone who is a skilled salesperson, but no longer finds sales interesting. Kathi and Katherine go on to discuss what you can do if you realize that what you are good at is no longer what you want to do.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a tricky topic: What if you are doing your boss’s job? They start with a question from someone who finds themselves doing their boss’s job – even though it’s clear that the boss is incompetent, and people are quitting because of it. Kathi and Katherine discuss different ways of handling this kind of delicate situation.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss what you may be missing by not being in the office. They start with a question from someone who works remotely and enjoys it, but also suspects that she’s missing out on important conversations and projects. Kathi and Katherine consider why it might be important to show up at the office on a regular basis.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a tricky topic: What do you do if your boss is a gossip? They start with a question from someone whose new boss is friendly but a little too familiar. This boss shares personal information about everyone in the office and asks probing question about the employee’s personal life. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to set boundaries with a gossip-seeking boss.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about what you should do if you’ve been unfairly labeled at work. They start with a question from someone whose boss keeps saying she needs to “up her game,” and work harder — even though her colleagues describe her as the hardest working member of the team. Kathi and Katherine describe other ways that people can be labeled at work, and what you can do to address it.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine explore a common management challenge — What if you are so busy managing down that you don’t have time to manage up? Kathi and Katherine start with a question from a manager who spends so much time helping her staff complete their work that she misses opportunities to be seen by the people who could promote her and her department.

On this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about a very challenging kind of boss — The Sacred Cow. They start with a question from someone whose company CEO recently hired a close friend into the COO position. This individual seems friendly, but lacks the experience and skills to do the job. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to work with this kind of boss and keep your sanity.

On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine address a tough question that many managers grapple with: When is enough enough? When is it time to fire someone? They start with a question from a manager who has an employee who keeps missing days of work due to personal issues. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to determine whether it’s time to let someone go, and what you need to do to prepare.

On this, My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine talk about a very important topic: staff morale. They start with a question from a new manager who discovers that the people she’s been hired to manage are suffering from very low morale. Kathi and Katherine discuss what a manager can do to turn the low morale of their staff around.

On this, My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Katherine explore one of the biggest hidden reasons why people don’t apply for new jobs — not feeling deserving. They start with a question from an individual who knows it’s time to leave, has updated their resume and LinkedIn profile, but can’t seem to actually apply for new positions. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to manage the fear that may hold you back from actively engaging in a job hunt, and steps you can take to feel deserving of a better job.

On this, My Crazy Office Podcast, Kathi and Katherine discuss a very real challenge for some people at work — Freezing at meetings. They start with a question from someone who’s recently been promoted to a managerial position and finds himself freezing at important meetings where he should be making a positive impression. Kathi and Katherine discuss field-tested techniques for “unfreezing” at important meetings so that your ideas, opinions, and achievements can be heard.

Figuring out how to get noticed by the people above your boss can be challenging — especially if you sense that your boss isn’t sharing your successes. On this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss how to get noticed by your boss’s boss. They start with a question from someone who made the mistake of going over her boss’ head to get a meeting with the boss’s boss. Kathi and Katherine describe specific things you can do to avoid making that kind of mistake and still get the visibility that you desire.