September 21, 2010 • Volume 1, Issue 19 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Thespians in the Workplace
♦	Ask Amanda: How do I handle teammates who are more interested in getting work off their desks than doing quality work?
♦	Practical Tips: Keep Good Boundaries

Thespians in the Workplace

There’s no need to fear that theater is dead; drama is alive and well in the workplace. Personally, I believe the prevalence of reality TV has ramped up workplace drama by making it seem acceptable for almost anyone to “act out.” However, there have always been drama kings/queens playing their roles at work. It just seems that they are more accepted and expected now.

While these thespians can be powerful influencers and often (inadvertently) provide comic relief, they can also create unnecessary distractions and inefficiencies. Because they are often charismatic, they can influence perceptions well beyond their immediate scope—so you want to closely manage the messages that they are sending to others.
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	Never remember others’ mistakes but always remember your own.

Practical Tips: Keep Good Boundaries

Professional athletes know that achieving peak performance involves a balance between training hard and recovery time. You’ve probably heard that weight lifters don’t exercise the same muscles every day. That’s because the day of recovery is when muscle growth actually occurs. It’s the same for you. If you are constantly working without incorporating any time to process/recover from your daily stress, you will become inefficient over time…not to mention cranky.
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I work with a bunch of "list checkers." Their main goal is to get things off their desks as quickly as possible regardless of the quality of the work. It's driving me nuts since speed is driving all decisions. How can I deal with this? A.H., Springfield, MA

Most people who are invested in quickly completing their “to do” lists believe that being productive makes them valuable. From the way you phrased your question, I would infer that your belief is that quality work is most important.
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Recommended Resources

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Save the date. Our next free call is November 11th. Learn more at takingcontrolofyourcareer.com/.

Check out our article, “5 Ways to Take Control of Your Career” at takingcontrolofyourcareer.com.

Note: We have no financial relationship with Glamour Shots—although we’ve been happy with them in the past.

About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation’s history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20-year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior-level corporate executives.