I’ve worked at many fast food restaurants when I was growing up and a few mini marts;we had rats, mice and other yucky critters and then we had real workplace rats. This post is about rats in the workplace, but not the kind you may be thinking about now. While these rats may scurry about, they don’t nibble on left overs (well, I guess they could), these rats get you fired. Do you work in an atmosphere where employees are expected to rat each other out?  If so, do you feel its just your imagination, that maybe you are being petty or perhaps need need a reality check? Most of the time I know where I am going with an article–but, sometimes it takes it’s own course. This one has a dilemma to ponder and I ask you for solutions or opinions. But I dug up a few things on the web that were interesting as well.

Do You Work with a Rat?

Okay, so we know this isn’t your typical workplace rodent that causes some of us to jump up of tables and desks, some people have to work with the rats as a condition of employment.  Yeah, those ones.

The dilemma:  My friend works at a small company who encourages their employees to tell on each other.  In the four months that she’s been employed with this company, she noticed turnover seemed to be extremely high. She has seen new (and a few with more time than her) coworkers fired for no reason she could decipher, but then again, she isn’t management and is fairly new.  As she gained the trust of a couple of senior coworkers, she was sucked into the company rumor-mill.

According to the rumor mill, it was believed that those fire-ees did nothing wrong.  But note, before she she was hired (as reported by other employees as well) the company interviewer (usually one of the supervisors) specifically asks, “What course would you take if you noticed that one of your coworkers did something wrong?”  Well, honestly, that is a pretty vague question.  Lke what?  Did some work task wrong, stole something, embezzled, did something unrelated to the job?  When I asked my friend what her response was; she wasn’t taken aback, as that is a pretty popular interview question, often worded in one way or another.

Her answer, was the same as my initial response above- She asked them “In what frame of reference?”  That was smart. She was saved completion of her answer due to the interviewers cell phone interruption and was then hired on the spot.

What’s not rumor, is that apparently, every so often, a random employee is invited by one of four supervisors to an after hours “happy hour.”  At these seemingly social gatherings the employee is asked if there is anything on their mind they’d like to share.  What happens after that?  Well, according to the rumor mill, either that employee (who was invited to social hour) or a different employee is fired shortly thereafter.

Most of the coworkers she spoke with had been invited for happy hour at some point, some employees more than once. And all of them told her that they did not consume alcohol when offered. None of them admitted to answering questions about other employees, but did mention that they were asked about specific employees or that there was talk of other employees–negative and positive.

My friend shall gain first hand experience this Friday at her first  social snitch happy hour. She asked me for advice. Well, being me, I’d quit, I wouldn’t want to work in such an establishment.  But according to her, the salary is great, the coworkers are nice and the workload is easy for her.  She attends college as well, so there is no outside learning related to her job that she needs to worry about–allowing her to focus her mental activities towards her education.  

So her alternatives as I see them.

  • Drink virgin cocktails
  • Suddenly develop an illness or emergency and excuse yourself till the next snitch hour
  • Wear a recorder for future protection to use in an EEOC  [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]
  • Bring a friend (Maybe the rat will be too embarrassed to ask about other employees)
  • Just say you love everyone to death and this is the best place you ever worked
  • Rat everyone out for breathing and using restroom
  • Tell on the boss for stealing toilet paper
  • Admit that you noticed high turnover and that employees seemed to leave soon after having a social snitch meeting
  • Give the rat some misinformation to feed to the boss, but make sure that information will discredit the rat–nah, you gotta be careful here.

The best advice I found was to ignore the snitch or if you have the power, put the rat to work sicne they must be bored.  Another said it office politics and you just deal with it. But the best article I read on office rats, aka snitches was long, but it was very articulate. HR World went into how to spot a snitch, and then how to deal with them, both as an employee and a manager, the only thing I didn’t agree whole heartedly with was this:

How to Find and Stop the Workplace Snitch

5. Who never seems to leave the office: Ninety-nine percent of the time, those who work long hours are actually working hard, and they are probably arriving early or leaving late because they’re on a tight deadline or are overloaded with projects. But long workdays also give a snitch the chance to witness all other workers’ comings, goings and other activities. So if one of your co-workers is a constant office presence and they display all of the aforementioned warning signs, you may have found the offender-HR WORLD

Why don’t I agree?  Well, because that describe my workaholic tendancies.  I know it said 99 percent of the time–blah–blah–blah, but.  No buts, I know, I stayed late and got there early and ate lunch at my desk.  That didn’t make me the office snitch, it made me the manager.  I digress. 

Okay, maybe some of my ideas were bad, but really?  What sort of activities could get you fired at this company?  To me, it takes a special kind of dictatorship to run a company like this. I’d want no part of it.  But, for my friend, it took her 13 months to land a job in the climate we are in, so I guess I can’t blame her for trying to hold her own.  

Personally, I don’t think tattlers make good employees.  It must be something from their child hood.  What are your suggestions?

**Now, believe it or not, whether you call it coincidence or BS, as I was keying out rat, out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw one racing underneath the overhang of my lower kitchen cabinets.  My first thought was, “It must be my imagination, after all, I was thinking and typing rat,” so that must be it and I do have a vivid imagination. I hope after looking at the images on Google, it was a mouse.  Better yet, I settle for my imagination. 

And if you don’t think office snitches are bad enough, look out, we now have store snitches.  I found this 2 year old Youtube video. I must have missed this one, Large retail chains partnered with Homeland Security to catch customers doing bad things–no, make that suspicious things–what ever that is.

Welcome to our world in the 21st century.

 

If you have a rat in the workplace story, please share it with us.  Maybe you have the best solution for dealing with workplace rats.

 

 

Misnomers and Myths when Reinventing Your Business

There are certain myths, misnomers, axioms, adages that once heard catch on, whether or not they are true.  They wind up getting handed down, generation after generation.  Some are so damaging, that unless they are pointed out, we keep applying them to our lives. 

Because we are all so busy with our own lives, it’s easy to absorb the latest headline and its associated spin internally, forever.  This may shadow our outlook on other things in the future too.

Common Business Cliches, Expressions and Sayings

Except from a long list

“The devil’s in the details.”

Common Meaning: It’s very important to dot all the “i”s, and cross all the “t”s.

WARNING: You better make sure that someone trustworthy is making sure the details are being carried out properly AND someone’s watching the big picture, too.

“Go for the low-hanging fruit.”

Common Meaning: It’s better to capitalize on the easiest pickings first.

WARNING: This strategy is what many people employ; quite possibly however, there are even bigger, better rewards by exploring opportunities just a little away from the pack.

“Business as usual.”

Common Meaning: It’s the normal, routine way business is accomplished at that organization. (This is one of the business cliches that actually implies several different things.)

WARNING: This can imply that business is continuing DESPITE difficult obstacles in the way, perhaps some to be commended. This could also mean business is continuing despite not taking into account market or other changes. In this case, this likely may require some changes to business operations to “keep up with the times” and retain your clients…BusinessTune-ups (Visit the site for a really long list)

“Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door”  is the first that comes to mind since this post is about mouse traps, well sort of.  The forum poster below says it is actually an aphorism (a short statement of a general truth or idea).

Re: Why ” the world will beat a path to your door”? All people want to buy it?

To understand the aphorism, one must know the idiomatic phrase “to beat a path”.

When many people walk on the same path (through a patch of grass, for example), eventually the grass gets worn down. After time, even the soil underfoot becomes hard and smooth. When this happens, we say that the path has become “beaten”.

(Note that the phrase “off the beaten path” uses the same basic idea.)

So in the aphorism “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door”, the literal meaning is that if you build a mousetrap that is far better than any that have been previously invented, the people of the world will come to your door in such great numbers and frequency that the path to your door will become beaten.

Because it is an aphorism, it does, of course, have a figurative meaning. The idea expressed here is that a useful innovation will draw many customers…UsingEnglishForum

However, from all my research in the area of business, they say it is not a true statement and does more harm than good.   

Myth: Build a better mousetrap (or other product) and the world will beat a path to your door

Build a better mousetrap (or other product) and the world will beat a path to your door: a common and logi-cal assumption, but sadly, not true. Every year hun-dreds of thousands of products fail – even well designed products, which to their manufacturers, seemed headed for slam-dunk success.

One of the biggest mistakes that companies make in promoting their products and services is to emphasize the features (qualities or characteristics that make up the product) before they state the benefits (consumers’ per-ceptions on what they’ll gain by using the product.)

Consumers are initially attracted to a product because of a benefit – What’s in it for me…Leger Marketing

 

America’s 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt said, “Build it and they will come” in reference to the Panama Canal.  In an example of later usage, Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams used that same statement using he instead of they, if I recall right.  There have been many articles on the web, saying that the phrase is a myth, so to speak and not to use it for any business idea or plans.

The opportunity and fallacy of “build it and they will come”

Many businesses, startups, entrepreneurs and even VCs & board members assume their idea, product or service is so compelling that they simply need to build it and the throngs will arrive. They assume that a great product doesn’t need marketing.

I would agree that the best marketing possible is a great product, but there are several problems with the “build it and they will come” approach…InnovationExcellence

What Has This Got to do with Reinventing Business?

So, why did I bring these up?  Empower yourself, and to show you that you should forget everything you hear and do your own research when reinventing yourself or your business.  That doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, but take a step back, read, learn, research.

Brainwashed:   Seven Ways to Reinvent Yourself

Years ago, when you were about four years old, the system set out to persuade you of something that isn’t true. Not just persuade, but drill, practice, reinforce and, yes, brainwash. The mission: to teach you that you’re average; That compliant work is the best way to a reliable  living; That creating average stuff for average people, again and again, is a safe and easy way to get what you want. Step out of line and the system would nudge (or push) you back to the center. Show signs of real creativity, originality or even genius, and well-meaning parents, teachers and authority figures would eagerly line up to get you back in line. Our culture needed compliant workers, people who would contribute without complaint, and we set out to create as many of them as we could. And so generations of students turned into generations of cogs—factory workers in search of a sinecure. We were brainwashed into fitting in, and then discovered that the economy wanted people who stood out instead. When exactly were we brainwashed into believing that the best way to earn a living is to have a job? I think each one of us needs to start with that…ChangeThis

While we are on the subject of brainwashing, take a listen to this YouTube video, the title is misleading, its really about how we are programmed.  It’s a very good analysis on living the unconscious consciously. 

Learn, apply, learn, apply.  If you want to succeed, you need business acumen.  In order to gain business acumen, you must realize that school is never out. 

Acumen Empowerment Enterprise Cloud

Enterprise and Empower

Which comes first, enterprise to empowerment or empowerment to enterprise? Empowering or enterprising are traits for success, put they do not stand on their own. Do you need one before the other? In a minute we will see what they mean in the 21st century.  

It is commonly said, “words are a reflection of our thoughts.” I can pull common truthful cliches all day, “positive words come from positive thoughts.” Since thoughts are formed from words, it can’t happen in reverse. So it make sense when we hear negative words form from negative thoughts. My mother use to tell me to watch what I say because that is what I think. It took me years to really understand what that mean. Sounds like a simple idea. To simple to think about. Remember those old misnomer, adages or myths that are untrue as well.

But sometimes the obvious escapes us because we are looking for some hidden key to life or happiness. All the words that come out of our mouths give us clues to what we are thinking, whether about ourselves, something or someone else. When you really listen to the words that come our of our mouth [or perhaps through our arms to our fingers landing in bits and bytes in space to Facebook, blogs, Twitter, comments] we have a pretty good idea what direction our thoughts are going.  What happens then?  It affects our lives, good or bad. It’s not really complex or convoluted, it is absolutely that easy. Keep reading for the best tips of all.

What is personal empowerment?

Personal empowerment comes within yourself. It results in self-reliance which embodies assuming responsibility, making your own decisions, desiring to be informed/understand and knowing where you are heading. It’s the coming to a realization that something must change.

An example of this personal empowerment is in Henrik Ibsen’s play “A Doll’s House”. The character of Nora is empowered within herself, and leaves her husband because she is tired of being his doll that he dotes on… she wants more out of life and wants to be free of society’s expectations of women…Answers

Over the course of fifty years, this definition has changed. But once thing is for sure, if you believe it you can do it. Life can sometimes take detours we would  never have imagined. Things may seem like they are beyond control. Some people have the strength to survive, yet others fall to pieces. Humans can lose self esteem which results in loss of personal power. Low self esteem can undermined the rest of one’s life. You become a victim of your own self criticism.  Negative self talk makes it hard to get past defeat. Further more this can lead to depression, making it harder if not impossible to pick up the pieces and move on. 

Folks often turn to clinical therapy, hypnotherapy, antidepressants or other measures to dig thier way out of the tunnel vision they sunk into. If you need a little perspective, check out some of the Google Tech videos on You Tube. Maybe you just need a little refocus. I know it helped me to reboot my goals and dreams.

 

Psychologists have proposed a new model of personal empowerment which states that true empowerment cannot come from merely feeling empowered but must involve real world evidence of our ability to have an impact on our relationships and social surroundings.

Popular culture often misrepresents the concept of personal empowerment by placing emphasis on attaining a subjective emotion in which one feels empowered. However, empowerment by its very definition requires increasing our actual influence within our social sphere, whether we do so within our intimate relationships our larger social context, as citizens or as consumers…Psychology Today

What is enterprise?

It is a principal or plan to succeed. An important or difficult project that is ready to be undertaken that requires the utmost of energy, adventure and spirit. What to do get when you put them together? Empowerment to form Enterprise. Here’s a good first start.

Empowerment to Enterprise Storytelling: Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich

Now, it you’ve been reading this blog, then you know the bottom line is about acumen. Simply, it is, the depth of perception, an personal understanding and the ability to make good decisions. We only achieve success by ourselves; no one can do it for us.  You don’t have to be educated, rich, or any other preconceived notion to gain acumen. 

I’m not a medical professional.  By all means, if you are depressed, please seek help. I’ve been there, but what really helped me was self talk of the positive kind.  It takes work, as it is a challenge.  Lots of sticky notes posted around my house.  If a negative thought popped into my mind there were enough stickies stuck everywhere to keep me in line:)

From everything I have read and heard over the years, I’ve found personally that taking personal initiative head on full force, led to competence in anything I ever wanted to learn.  Once you gain competence in a matter or enterprise, you are empowered.  But first you have to allow yourself to become empowered.  Talking in circles?  It sound like it.  But concentrate on the words and take action.  Whether we like it or not, we are constantly learning and growing.  What you choose to learn will help you grow and gain acumen maybe allowing you empowerment to enterprise.

Increased Water Supply Sustainable Development and Poverty in America

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Isn’t it amazing that in 2012 many third world countries still have no running water? Welcome to the water war.  There comes a time when you might be fortunate enough to travel in the Appalachians, but when you do, you might bring your own water source. What? you say. Bottles of water, sure. Nope, that isn’t what I am talking about. Did you know that there are still people in the United States without running water? That can’t possibly be, right? After all, it’s America, everyone running water in their homes. Yep, Virginia, its true, there are still folks in the US using outhouses for their toilets. What does poverty have to do with access to running water?

Millions of Americans Live Without Running Water, Believe It or Not

I’m not writing this to claim I have it as bad as the poor living on the streets in America (rates of indoor plumbing are a moot point for them, since they have no “indoors”) or the poor in Third World countries. I have heat, a roof over my head, no TV but a Shortwave/AM/FM radio and Dialup internet (which made researching this post take a looooong time.) I don’t always have enough to eat, but there are people who feed me when that happens.I am writing this because there seems to be such a denial of reality among many DUers about the lives of the poor in this nation. Currently, around 2 million Americans are living without running water or with insufficient running water. Democratic Underground

The fine line between Poverty and Homelessness

If we can help poor civilians in other countries gain access to water, then we better make sure that our folks at home are equipped before we venture out.  Whether it’s the governments problem, or the residents problems, those in poverty in the US need our help too.

 

Not All Americans Have Enough Access to Water

 

Word came last October that the federal government had earmarked more than half the required financing to hook up 10 homes on a Mississippi back road to the municipal water system in the city of Ruleville, six minutes away by car. As lead hell-raiser in the 7-year-old battle to get potable water piped to his snatch of Drew-Ruleville Road ever since the local well gave out, Robert Martin was glad to hear the news. But he didn’t get overly optimistic.

Time and again, he and his neighbors had had their entreaties to get municipal water rebuffed. In part, they were told it was not cost-effective for either a public water supplier, or any of the private ones that accommodate wealthier residents in Mississippi’s countryside, to service a handful of outlying households in Sunflower County…The Root

While we are on the subject of water and poverty, there are many of us here in the United States, heck, even world wide, that have lost jobs and we are one unemployment check (if we stll get them), or one paycheck from poverty

 

Still Living Without The Basics in the 21st Century

 

“The U.S. 2000 Census reveals that more than 1.7 million people in the United States, 670,986 households, still lack the basic plumbing facilities that most of us have come to take for granted. To some observers, these Americans may appear to be lost or insignificant within the larger population, but the hardships they endure in their daily lives are very real…Win-Water.org

What would you do, if you suddenly became unemployed in this slow economy? Your unemployment checks run dry. You’ve spent your entire 401K just to keep your home out of foreclosure. I know people that have been out of work for more than two years. What happens when you lose your home, your house, your apartment, your double wide? Where would you go after you sold all your belongings in order to survive, to eat, to put gas in your car to find a job? I guess if you’re single, you could live in your car. I’ve heard of entire families living out of their old suburbans. Not everyone is entitled to public assistance. There are waiting lists for low cost housing or section 8′s in many places. Friends may want to help, but financially can’t, they are just a few steps away from the same nightmare.

A face of homelessness in 21st century America

A lengthy article in Rolling Stone about formerly middle-class people now living out of their vehicles in Santa Barbara, in part thanks to an innovative program allowing overnight parking in church (and other) parking lots. One went from owning a nursery that grossed nearly $300,000/yr and now can’t find work as a sales person in a nursery:..GraceRector

Personally, I am half in and half out of this story. But we, as a family are still trudging along. We still have our home, because our depleted 401K made it that way. Unemployed from the work sector now over 2 years, college educated, upper white collar management experience, where’s the problem you ask? The damn economy. I’ve been disabled for years, so I make websites and sell items on them, what used to be spending money for me, now pays for what little Christmas we will have again this year. A few jobs at Odesk barely keep me afloat. When you are completing with India, Pakistan and third world countries, you compete for $ 2 dollar an hour jobs. I am very fortunate when I can prove to an English speaking Yankee, Brit or Aussie that my work is second to none and I am a native fluent writer. (This blog doesn’t count, it’s my outlet).

Families Thrown Into Homelessness by Job Loss While These 17 Senators Champion More Foreign Workers

All they really need is a job. The problem is that Congress has broken its community ties with these new homeless and stranded them by importing 125,000 new foreign workers each month to compete for a dwindling number of jobs. Congress’ response to these homeless families? “Good luck in finding another job. hahahaha!” THE FACE OF THE NEW HOMELESS — NEED A JOB, NOT A FOREIGN WORKER…NumbersUSA

But, I never lose hope. Sometimes I feel like we are are brain washed to accept what happens to us without a fight. It’s those times I write and focus on something or somebody worse off than me.  I could wine that we can’t get public assistance, because we still own a truck worth more than they allow. But, I am happy that we still at least have the truck.  We are keeping it because it pulls the 5th Wheel, which we may wind up living in permanently if things don’t get better soon. Should I spend that dollar I found in the wash machine on a lotto ticket? Nah, they cost two bucks anyhow!