Brand new look - same feisty GenerationXpert

I decided to change up the look of my blog. It's been four years since I started this thing and I'm no longer trying to pose as Ms. Professionalism. I thought pink better reflected who I am today. That would be someone who's just trying to be herself.

Four years ago I still had that mindset that you had to be a certain way to succeed. Today I know the only way for me to succeed is be authentic. And guess what. I like pink. And I don't like wearing pant suits. And occassionally I call my boss "dude." But I also work really hard and I don't see things the same as everyone else - which is definitely a benefit in this Century (being to see things the same as everyone else was a benefit in the last Century and that's probably one of the reasons I ran into trouble.)

I think one thing Gen X women have done is make it okay to be feminine. We don't have to dress like guys or use sports jargon to get ahead (we can, if that's what we like - but we don't HAVE to.) I was never good at playing a "man's game" at work. It's interesting how much better you do when you don't play a game.

How have you changed in the last four years?

The key to managing your boss: Let her be the first to cry uncle

I had a great week last week. I was teaching a 4-day seminar and was interacting with some really great marketing minds. One question that came up in the end was what to do about a boss who is so paranoid when the marketing director works at home one day a week, the marketing director is required to meet with the boss her next day on site and go over everything she did at home.

My advice: suck it up and just do it.

Recently, Seth Godin said this a little more eloquently. He said that being irrational and being unreasonable are not the same thing. He said being right isn’t always the goal.

The reason I told the marketing director to just have the meeting is because there is nothing to be gained by not doing it. Is it annoying? Yes. Should the boss realize that the marketing director is doing her job because the work is done? Of course. Will arguing with the boss or getting mad at the boss make the boss say, “Oh, you are right. I’m being annoying and silly”?

However, meeting with the boss enthusiastically each week may actually help. An email the day before she works from home and a follow up email after she meets with the boss may help even more. If the ultimate goal is to get the boss to back off, the boss needs to trust you. And if it takes six months of meetings, just do it.

Let be the boss be the first to cry uncle.