Training
I've spent a lot of my time training Grace with tidbits of office etiquette and processes this week. Although it's my 2nd nature, my mind reels back back at least 18 years ago when I received my first business/office training at some youth program. Who would've thunk that these City-based programs in Chinatown would actually do me any good.
With our senior bratty receptionist, Yuki, I was fortunate to have someone who thinks on her feet and searches for any dire shortcuts that would still get her ahead of ballgame without too much effort. From a Chinese perspective, it would appear that she's lazy as hell, but for a kid w/o previous office experience, this qualifies her in the genius category. She only needed one day to train and that was it. Of course, business was dead last year compared to this year's. So the kid learned on the job.
On the other hand, Grace isn't the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer. Although she had some office experience, her mindset is anchored to the restaurant business. As a result, her work ethics and thinking closely mimics to that of robots and hamsters in wheels. So, I have to train her from scratch - all the way from answering the phone to basic photocopying. Her filing's horrendous, shows NO confidence, and gets picked on by these moronic patients.
So, my mind situates itself back to 1986. While I sit in a hot sweltering room with peeling paint, my Chinese instructor is barking about the top 10 principles of what NOT to do in her bwoken Engrish. Amazingly, I am reiterating the same principles to Grace. It's weird because I recall scoffing at the entire program and was dragged in by mum because she insisted that I get a decent office job instead of working at some sweatshop or restaurant.
For me, all of Grace's errors parallel to my own experiences but I learned from them to prevent future accidents. Unfortunately, she belongs in the category of the underachievers who try very hard to please but doesn't understand operational mechanics. For the manager, this means you have to explain everything in simplistic terms and micromanage the hell outta them.
Bottom Line: Management Sucks.
With our senior bratty receptionist, Yuki, I was fortunate to have someone who thinks on her feet and searches for any dire shortcuts that would still get her ahead of ballgame without too much effort. From a Chinese perspective, it would appear that she's lazy as hell, but for a kid w/o previous office experience, this qualifies her in the genius category. She only needed one day to train and that was it. Of course, business was dead last year compared to this year's. So the kid learned on the job.
On the other hand, Grace isn't the sharpest knife in the kitchen drawer. Although she had some office experience, her mindset is anchored to the restaurant business. As a result, her work ethics and thinking closely mimics to that of robots and hamsters in wheels. So, I have to train her from scratch - all the way from answering the phone to basic photocopying. Her filing's horrendous, shows NO confidence, and gets picked on by these moronic patients.
So, my mind situates itself back to 1986. While I sit in a hot sweltering room with peeling paint, my Chinese instructor is barking about the top 10 principles of what NOT to do in her bwoken Engrish. Amazingly, I am reiterating the same principles to Grace. It's weird because I recall scoffing at the entire program and was dragged in by mum because she insisted that I get a decent office job instead of working at some sweatshop or restaurant.
For me, all of Grace's errors parallel to my own experiences but I learned from them to prevent future accidents. Unfortunately, she belongs in the category of the underachievers who try very hard to please but doesn't understand operational mechanics. For the manager, this means you have to explain everything in simplistic terms and micromanage the hell outta them.
Bottom Line: Management Sucks.
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just always walk around with papers in your hand and people will think you're actually doing something.
You know what?
IT WORKS.
People at the office don't bother when I'm carrying something around. I look very important.
Image is everything.
IT WORKS.
People at the office don't bother when I'm carrying something around. I look very important.
Image is everything.
I start the new job tomorrow and I've just given myself a facial and a French manicure.
In my US career I was very much the ice queen. Having worked this past month with a woman who is both very feminine and a brilliant businesswoman CEO, I'm learning to find the happy medium.
That doesn't mean, of course, ruffly skirts or big curly hair. But no one ever made it to the top looking like a schoolmarm.
It's a nice manicure BTW :)
In my US career I was very much the ice queen. Having worked this past month with a woman who is both very feminine and a brilliant businesswoman CEO, I'm learning to find the happy medium.
That doesn't mean, of course, ruffly skirts or big curly hair. But no one ever made it to the top looking like a schoolmarm.
It's a nice manicure BTW :)