Here’s a true story inspired by a past incident of public-sector workplace inequality.
Back in the day I was low-key about defining my sexuality (its Bi / Pan), but a colleague speculated then gossiped about me being gay to people in the organisation who were anti-gay. Suddenly the treatment I received from those people went from neutral to unfriendly.
Aside from anger I thought they were being stupid. Their prejudices spoke loudly about their narrow-mindedness. I made new friends and carried on being good at my job. But that didn’t affect their disruptive, problem-causing attitudes.
I should have stepped up and taken responsibility for naming what was going on and dealing with the disruption it caused. The beneficiaries would have been my team, the organisation and me.
I have no idea whether those responsible for the bullying behaviour are leading teams or directing work somewhere these days. If they continued acting out their prejudices their colleagues will have suffered along the way.
The point to the story is this: when prejudice rears its ugly head it is always important to name it, find allies, and take a stand. Calling prejudice out makes it possible to hold people accountable for their actions.
No one wants their supervisor or Big Boss to take liberties.
You can protect your free time by saying No and offering an alternative suggestion to get the job done.
That’s true, even if you are new to the team and the Big Boss wants you to work over the weekend, to meet an unexpected but high priority target.
It doesn’t matter whether you and your family want to enjoy the #Coronation events, or go and see your team #play, you can say No to work unscheduled requests.
If in any doubt check with your supervisor about the policy on working in your free time.
How do you manage pre-interview nerves, when you go after a new job?
I remember coaching a colleague whose nerves were obvious when she fidgeted with her keys all the way through a mock interview.
How did she go on to earn a promotion into a dream job?
We talked and she recognised that positive self-talk, plus preparation would boost her chances of confidently performing in her next real interview, regardless of previous job search nightmares.
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