In Search of the Elusive Office “Drama” Antidote
I work from my home office. I have since 1994 when FrogPond was founded. At first glance, I missed the noise, the sharing, the laughter, the camaraderie’s…
…Not the infighting, the negativity, the jealousy, the getting into your car in the wet, cold mornings to find the street heaving heavy traffic…you get the picture.
It was easy. I wasn’t afraid. I had myself! All I needed was a computer, phone, dial-up connectivity, printer, stationery, stamps, 800#, business cards, a desk with a draw for pencils, a chair and a trash can. Oops! Almost forgot the coffee and mug with my logo.
WOW! Life was good and I knew it! Today’s even better. High speed wireless allows me to sit anywhere, go anywhere, like Starbucks if I want the noise, really great coffee and colleagues. I’m not restricted to any place or thing. Ideas have no boundaries, no negativity. My productivity soars.
Life and work are good by design. I enjoy my quiet office with a grand window over-looking the bayou. Interruptions to my peaceful quiet are inbound calls or the sightings of blue birds or cranes walking along the edge of the water; sometimes I watch two alligators sunning on the sandy banks. My binoculars sitting on my desk at arms’ reach.
I can be dressed up for a conference Skype call or very casual in my flip flops and shorts. What matters most is how my environment lends itself so beautifully to my success. I accomplish my daily goals; my attention is keenly focused on what needs to be accomplished. I’m available to callers; I can react gracefully to any situation or need.
I work with my tech team, my programmers and designers in Pakistan, at first light each morning. Some go to the gym. I have my coffee in one hand and the other is typing out Chats; I share my screen; I work collaboratively.
It’s perfect! It’s paradise! It’s how I like it! It’s today!
I just read an article, “7 Steps to a Drama-Free Office” by Kaley Klemp and Jim Warner. Kaley and Jim aroused a deep concern. It got me thinking how much time is wasted by energy-draining behaviors in the brick and mortar offices. I worry how much negativity becomes an influencer embedding disbelief in our friends and co-workers. I’m curious how much of the “drama” accounts for lack of productivity; declining sales.
I worry about the brokers. Are they aware of the “drama”? Are they seeking an antidote to keep the disease at bay? Far away; out of their offices?
What steps are being taken to fortify the office culture against this dangerous strain of lethargy; inactivity?
Are the brokers exploring ways to eliminate energy-draining behaviors and create an environment of fun and productivity? Are the brokers blaming loss revenues only on difficult economic times? Do they see this crazed threat?
I know I don’t have answers to why these dysfunctional office environments hold human potential from gaining traction. I ask, “How to isolate the discord and let it die?”
Kaley Klemp and Jim Warner‘s article, “7 Steps to a Drama Free Office” provides a glimpse of the problem and a guide to survival.
Time will tell whether office “drama” will cause some to close their doors; some to seek solitude. There’s not a better time to take Klemp and Warner’s assessment survey to determine if “drama” has sucked the “S” out of “Success” in your office. Think of it as a House Call!
Thanks for this! I work out of my home now and remember the “bad ol’ days” in corporate America with the back-stabbing — you had to keep on your toes! Now brokers always need to help their agents keep their eyes on prospecting, to follow the dollars and stay focused. But they also need to look in the mirror. Do they contribute to a positive office environment, or are they playing favorites and setting up rivalries? Being a good example is job #1 for a broker.
cjyeoman
August 19, 2011
[...] In Search of the Elusive Office “Drama” Antidote (frogpondblog.wordpress.com) [...]
Get You Some Attention « A Friend to Yourself
October 5, 2011