Welcome back to your regularly scheduled corporate Cowboys this is season seven episode 11. we’re coming up right up behind having gotten finished reading to you an audiobook if you are interested in what book that was that was the naked Corporation and if you would like to
Hear more about it well [ __ ] start at season seven episode one I may or may not get hit for having said it in the first 30 seconds but I mean I I really this podcast is for free fam and while I’m alive at least while I’m pushing it anything that comes
My way I’m reinvesting all right so here to uh to Legal expenses and business fees hey hey whereas it’s a business expenses and legal fees all right well let’s get started this is a question it’s coming from our slash career guidance right so if you’re not familiar with the corporate Cowboys podcast thus
Far the first couple of seasons were literally self-help for myself really just to find my voice be able to verbalize and or rate in a way and and find my balance as far as whether or not I should speak to you in a professional manner or in a casual manner do I want
To be that cool acquaintance that you can come to with your problems and issues and if you do have them well [ __ ] shoot them to me you can DM us at at corporate Cowboys with the Z on Instagram you could also follow us on patreon patreon there are a couple of
Tears on there and I’m not making it uberly expensive I’m keeping it within our denominations range right from zero to a hundred that’s it and that’s that if you want something exclusive you’re gonna have to reach out to us for a one-to-one some type of consultation coaching what have you you can [ __ ]
Write to us that’s P.O box 3372 Rancho Cordova California 95741 that being said this free 30-minute consultation I mean I’ll also keep it at 30 minutes uh even though I’ve eaten until the time I will give you the 30 minutes because you know I’m known to
Run over time I’m just handing out the game for free on the most illicit corporate moves possible Right some of them might be out of left field some of them might be coming from personal experience some of them I might have you know chopped the game up with a couple other associates
And we spitball a working strategy anyways none of this is legal advice might be professional but not legal advice okay I’m not an expert in your life until I learned about your life so you can’t blame me for nothing all right this question says how do you say no professionally professionally enough
So pushy bosses slash co-workers leave you the [ __ ] alone it doesn’t say the [ __ ] but I mean you want to be left alone right to to work autonomously to mind your own business to be able to deliver the work product that’s expected of you without taking on anybody else’s
Because yo you make yourself available you let yourself be known get that reputation for putting in dumbass amounts of work and being good at it now to start pawning off and requesting that you help and that you assist them at every turn that being said the body reads as such it’s asking for
Advice it says I’ve noticed people who don’t respect boundaries at work have a hard time accepting the phrase no or I’m unable to take this on right now right and they keep asking quote why not or wanting or waiting for more info right they’re wanting to know why
They’re wanting to know more it’s as if they want to plan your schedule for you I get it I get it I’ve been there I’ve been there what do you professionally say in the corporate world to get out of this situation yo good question good question right because if you’re not working on
Yourself if you’re not working on your career somebody else is asking you to work on theirs for them [ __ ] all of that unless you’re taking a piece of the change a piece of their pie a piece of the credits you having your name added onto their work product so you get a little
Shine get a little recognition right you want to be known you want your name to spread you want your name to get around not just amongst your co-workers not just between your you and your supervisors but you want it to go up and you wanted to go out
Right you want to make waves you want to make moves outside of the organization there’s a way to do it let me explain you see when they ask whether or not I want to say it’s simple right you’re a professional you’re managing your time you’re organizing your own schedule you’re
Organizing your day your week your month around whatever projects you have on hand right you’ve got deadlines some are short-term mid-term long-term and you’re prioritizing which ones you should be minding which ones require your immediate attention which ones are the most urgent which ones you can delay by
A little bit right until New facts come to light until developments and updates come down the pipeline for you to be able to act well you report exactly that sure you can say yeah why not I can do that or sure absolutely I’ll have this
For you by this day right you can you can you can uh compromise yourself you can over promise you can over commit and you’re going to end up drowning I mean you can try to swim but you’ll be doggy paddling and half-assing a lot of work producing mediocre work product and
Unless unless you can compensate for it somehow with some other value that you bring to the organization shoddy work product is not it that’s not the move that’s not the move you were hired for a reason and unless you can work around your duties and obligations for your position unless you can work
Around them somehow you’ve got to work through them what do you do what do you do your contract your agreement is both The Sword and the shield right you are the professional behind either the weapon or the defense now I’m not saying you’re going on the
Defensive like oh I’m too busy I can’t take this on right now right you don’t want to appear overwhelmed that’s reactive that’s defensive you are the assertive corporate cowboy you let them know that your plate is full and you’re eating what the [ __ ] are they doing why are they giving you more
Work now hold on hold on that is a very aggressive play right unless you’re experienced with how your organizational culture operates how it runs what the hierarchy looks like exactly what strings you can pull what levers you can actuate I wouldn’t go that route that’s for experts yeah understood you use your agreement
As common ground and you build from there you let them know which projects you are prioritizing and why they are important if you want to share with them your deadlines me personally I don’t share my deadlines with a lot of folks why because even to me they’re tentative
Right I could be done with work earlier earlier than expected earlier than anticipated or I could be delayed by something unforeseen something I did not plan right and if my supervisor absolutely has to know if my co-worker wants to know I mean I could share them depending on how
I can leverage the information on how I could leverage my priorities in relation to theirs because if they want to pawn off work on to me I may or may not be able to slide it in there may or may not be able to squeeze it into my own agenda somehow I could
Roll it up into my repertoire right if I’m the one lending a hand if I’m the one who appears to have excess bandwidth because I don’t know God forbid I make the [ __ ] look easy right but I’m pumping dumb amounts of work but I just make it look easy somehow
They’re going to want to know why I can’t take on their project why Alex why Alex cannot take on their project when they seem to be ahead of everyone else they seem to be ahead of the curve they seem to know the ins and the outs better
Than others in the organization what is this guy doing what is this dude up to that he can’t help me right now that he can’t reprioritize his own [ __ ] to help me I’m his co-worker I’ve been here longer I’m his senior I’m his supervisor his boss
What do you do you come back at them with reality you check them on their own [ __ ] you let them know where your priorities lie in relation to the organization [ __ ] regardless of the hierarchy regardless of the fact that you have to report to them
Right that’s all you have to do you have to report to them and until they give you a reason to follow their lead I mean they got to be a [ __ ] leader to do that right and so they give you a reason to follow their every direction all you’re doing is reporting
Let them know what your priorities are in terms of projects in terms of updates and actual events taking place in reality I mean you want to remain grounded and at times your supervisor your co-workers they’re not operating in reality I don’t know maybe they just got off the phone looking at memes
Or cupcaking with some [ __ ] or some dude right and now they want to pawn off this work on you because you appear to have extra bandwidth you don’t look busy but you and I both know that you stay busy and you stay working so the fact that they have you now just
All of a sudden in their sight picture they want to give you more work the [ __ ] Audacity Of course you don’t want to approach them in that in that tone with that tone right Again that is for experts but for the entry-level professional which is everybody right it doesn’t hurt to be the most reasonable person in the room and so you can say no but two letters are loud as [ __ ] just saying no you want to back it up with something tangible something emotional
Something logical something reputable I mean what’s more reputable than the company’s reputation than the organization’s reputation the projects that you’ve been assigned already and that you are working diligently you want to give them some updates give them updates on the projects you already have and why they’re important
Right it’s going to take a little finessing it’s going to take a little practice it’s going to take a little bit more professional development on your part as far as socialization goes or the socializing yeah socializing social interaction you’re gonna have to go into your toolbox and be able to emphasize your
Contributions and why and why your contributions are limited in regards it in respect to their priorities right because their priorities are their own projects are their own assignments the fact that they want to pawn them off on you means that they want to minimize their own contributions on their own assignments
Right I don’t get emotional about it I don’t think ah this [ __ ] this [ __ ] wants to Pawn off their work on me because they don’t want to do [ __ ] right no no it it could you know it could be something that I am not privy to at all
Some kind of development that caused them to fall behind a little bit on on a time schedule and now they require assistance and I may be more than willing to lend a hand like I said previously if and when I stand to contribute in a positive in a
Beneficial manner not just to the organization but to my own development how I can incorporate it into my priorities I mean if it’s some exigent favor right I mean you know you know how it is out here it’s favor for a favor for Mob figures or whatever
It fits something out of left field something that you have to go out of your way for a favor it more than likely is not job related more than likely it’s not work related it might be something extracurricular extra legal right and that’s and that’s an episode for another day
Right now we’re talking about the corporate world so we’re going to cabin our discussion here to put the question asked which is within the context of corporate so as a corporate Cowboy what do you have you got a [ __ ] revolver and a knife right yeah all right
Let’s bring it back let’s scale it back a little bit and what you have those tools those tools that you have to interact and handle clients you also have to interact with and handle your co-workers your supervisors I’ve said this before service doesn’t just go out it also goes in and up
The service folks believe they provide to the quote customer you also give that to your co-worker there’s co-worker service their supervisor service manager service right you have to maintain this front of professionalism you are representing the organization when you’re dealing with your co-worker you’re representing a facet a corner of
The organization your corner right so you’re getting your work done when you’re speaking with your manager you’re representing again the organization your corner and the work being done in it so if their coroners are crumbling right they can’t keep up the front and for some folks it’s a [ __ ] facade right
It’s a mask they hide behind they could show up for the check only and not give a [ __ ] about the work which is why you might find them which is why you might see them pawning it off to others trying to pawn it off to you what do you do not fold
Not crumble not get overwhelmed don’t sink you’re swimming this [ __ ] is easy it’s like water off of a duck’s back remain professional let them know what it is you’re up to of course of course you may want to compartmentalize some information maybe withhold it for personal use for personal and professional development’s sake
I don’t know what the ethics for private information disclosure are you know depending on what degree what industry you’re operating in in terms of the projects you’ve taken on the clients you’re handling and interacting with and it doesn’t hurt you it can’t hurt you to be a professional about saying no
To be reasonable when you do it he can’t be hurt now if they want to make us think about it if they want to I don’t know hit you for support insubordination right because they’re trying to subordinate you further than whatever you’ve already agreed to right they’re trying to pile
On the work more than you’ve agreed to right if if it becomes something else they are intentionally trying to sink your ass right they write you up for uh I don’t know something stupid like not quote not being a team player or some [ __ ] [ __ ] like that and it’s happened I’ve seen it
I’ve borne witness to that it happens it happens if that happens still can’t hurt you professionally you know what your reputation was like in the organization which is why you’ve got to be social you’ve got to learn to network a corporate Cowboy does it all they’re running a gunning shooting from the hip
So you know how to relate with your colleagues you know how to relate with others in the organization if the [ __ ] ever rolls downhill to the point where somehow some way your job is in danger folks know who the [ __ ] you are you can’t you cannot get blackballed that
Way I mean you can get blackballed via a conspiracy but folks are going to be conspiring against you not the other way around it won’t be a theory I should be actual factual and I’ve seen that too I’ve seen that too within circles you might get and and even if and this
Is again verging on the point of extreme even if you do get blackballed folks outside of the circle outside of that sphere of influence from individuals or organizations who claim to uh to blackball you they can see through the [ __ ] folks are awake to a corporate is about to the corporate politics
To the hustle to the the corporate ladder to the life when folks say you ain’t about that life on the street right dog you ain’t about that bath [Laughter] he’s saying uh home your mind brought that up one time he said he said he said when we’re fools when folks tell
You that you ain’t about that life right you just come back with you just come back at them with dog you ain’t about that death right but that’s I mean that’s a form of escalation right I mean and rarely rarely do you as a corporate Cowboy rarely do you as a professional
Want to escalate things because like I’ve said in past episodes prejudice is a last resort should be a last resort violence is a last resort it should be a last resort working extra legal it should be a last resort I mean for some it’s a second nature for some it’s first option
It should be a last resort though all right let’s take a look at these comments real quick because I myself am interested in what others have to say what others have experienced in corporate you know being a social researcher of sorts myself being a consultant a counselor of sorts myself I’m always interested
So the first comment here is actually a quote and it pretty much says I am doing quote this is a quote I am doing a b and c right now I can prioritize D if it is more urgent which of the other tasks should I pass
To a co-worker or put on hold until I finish with d okay so then in this quote I see in this quote D is the work that’s being added to your load already and if you have to recalibrate somehow if if somehow you saying no doesn’t work if somehow you putting up
A professional front and being reasonable doesn’t work and you’re required to take on this additional project because it happens too right the project might be really important and you are trusted it’s coming from a place of trust this here this response is the most reasonable re-prioritizing what you have going on
But then also asking for a little balance in return what of the projects or which ones of the assignments the tasks that you have now that you have and are working on currently can you pass on or delegate to somebody else which of those priorities are the least demanding or the least urgent
Are the least important that someone else can do in your absence of attention that is I mean you may still be there physically but if you have to reprioritize work because you’ve been given an additional more important more urgent project you would like them to know that you’re
Not just gonna [ __ ] off on all your other work you’re still cognizant you’re still considerate of the load that you have currently and if the bandwidth just isn’t there to work them all concurrently to work them all at the same time say somebody’s got to pick up the slack
Somebody’s got to pick it up because you’ve now got to reprioritize this new assignment this new work that’s been handed off to you and [ __ ] if folks hand you off work that’s important to them work that you’re trusted with dog if you’re handing the ball you run with it
This next comment says my old manager would do this she would give me work then come back 15 minutes later and give me different stuff that just sounds like a [ __ ] boss I would just take it and quietly drown until I started singing until I started
Saying I have I have to do I have this other two what I have this other two other tasks I have this to other tasks what should I prioritize yeah that’s that’s a [ __ ] up the way it’s typed not my bad but that last sentence there it’s asking
What should I prioritize and that’s good I probably would not wait until I’m [ __ ] drowning in work to ask for priorities which work I can prioritize I think as the work is coming in you ask for deadlines you ask for deadlines up front why because it’s those deadlines that you’re working around
You ask for degrees of importance levels of importance because some projects may have deadlines a bit away it might still be more important than a deadline you have tomorrow because there’s groundwork there’s preparation that needs to be done in order for success at the end of this longer term project
This comment continues and it says I don’t think these are the type of people that are deep thinkers so they often just want to assign work to whoever and have it off of their to-do list yeah I think so too I I think so too but then
It’s also your [ __ ] up for accepting it and just whatever they say hey Alex uh do this for me and then 15 minutes later they say Alex do this other thing and I’m just like yes yes I’ll do this yes yes if I’m if I’m always saying yes I’m [ __ ] up
I’m not taking in oxygen I’m not taking in fuel I’m not taking any rest I mean I’m not a machine right even though I might work with one I’m not a machine they also get annoyed if you push an important job to do their task well I
Mean that sounds like a manager you can’t satisfy right but again if you’re not vocal about it if you’re not verbal if you’re not verbalizing professionalism letting them know asking them for a Direction asking them for a bit of guidance because if they’re just gonna toss you
Some work and not give you anything with it if they’re going to toss me some work and not give me anything with it you don’t know you don’t maybe they don’t want to know how far I’ll run with it how far I’ll run it how deep my name
Goes I have my name all over that [ __ ] and I’ll make myself known ahead of the organization right they ought to put the reins they have to put the reins on the horse and now not the horse in this sense again I’m a corporate [ __ ] cowboy
So they will also get annoyed if you push an important job to do their task I mean just ask just ask be a professional be reasonable the most reasonable in the room rarely gets clipped right if you got clipped for being the most reasonable you know it’s because
They needed a scapegoat and at that point I don’t know you go [ __ ] John Rambo Chris Dorner you know I mean but that’s the last resort that’s the last resort they will also get annoyed uh just come back with facts okay just come back with
Facts I have this task to do for this person it should take about half a day unless there is some issue I can then start this task or would you prefer I start with this one however this will mean we missed deadlines on this task yo I okay
So that’s that’s good the way this person wrote this comment is somewhat incoherent it’s as if there were a stream of Consciousness but I understand it I get it what you want to do is is like I actually mentioned earlier hit them with reality let them know what’s on your
Plate what you’re eating at the moment and if they want you to cook something else up what you’re just gonna walk away from your hot plate and step back into the kitchen and whip something up while your food gets cold are you gonna stop eating
Damn that was a sick analogy it’s a sick analogy Alex I might take that to the bank and lastly it says make them make the decision and then it will be on them to explain if you get questioned about it later I like that and always get that [ __ ] in writing
You want evidence you want a record you want receipts for that [ __ ] because if it for whatever reason backfires if you don’t want to be left holding the Gap because that’s not a Smoking Gun that’s a [ __ ] grenade see what time is it actually was 30 minutes on the money
I’m gonna cap it right there folks if you have any comments any consideration you’re enjoying the content so far because season seven may just be the best yet it’s constantly getting better you want to start a season one episode one probably the best episode I ever made
Back in the day right titled The Skeleton Key chef’s kiss thank you very much for having joined me this time Proof of Life Wednesday February 1 February 1st 2023 I appreciate you all there’s some links out there in the bio somewhere sure you can find them shoot us a dollar
Shoot us a hundred shoot us a mill if you’re under one percentage you’re paying for admission to the corporate War s truly a corporate Cowboy I’ll catch you next time
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