Everyone deals with difficult (or downright unpleasant) coworkers at some point during their career. Douglas Battista notes that these workplace jerks come in many different flavors, from the know-it-all to the breakroom coffee thief. But is there a right way to deal with less-than-friendly people at work?
Q: What is the best way to eliminate tension in the office?
Douglas Battista: That really depends on the source and whether or not their actions are simply part of their personality or fall into the category of abusive or indifferent. Sometimes, your best bet is to simply pull them aside and ask them what’s going on. They may not realize they’ve been dubbed the office Scrooge. Bringing their behaviors to their attention may be all it takes to ease the animosity.
Why are senior employees paid so much more than their ground-level counterparts? According to Douglas Battista, it’s because when you reached the C-suite, you’ve amassed the amount of experience and education needed to keep a company on its feet. But what, exactly, do the chief officers do and how are they compensated?
Q: What is a chief officer?
Douglas Battista: A chief officer, which may be the CEO, COO, CFO, CHRO, or CITO among other important titles, is an individual responsible for the growth and development of the company. A CEO, for example, is put in place to organize the company’s leadership and to ensure that it is in compliance with all applicable laws and industry regulation. A CITO is the company’s chief information technology officer and shoulders the weight of responsibility for all computer systems and technology that support his or her company’s organizational goals.
Investors rely on many factors to help them make financial choices, says Douglas Battista. One of these is the CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX), which is often simply referred to as the “fear gauge.” But what is it and how does it guide an investor’s decisions?
Q: What is the CBOE Market Volatility Index?
Douglas Battista: The VIX is simply a number that investors look at to determine the possible ups and downs of the stock market. You can think of it as a roller coaster where you can only see half of the ride. By looking at what the track has done, you can make a guess as to how the rest of the coaster looks. Of course, it is more complex than than that, and involves lots of precise calculations but the index is a tool investors can use to prepare for either a bumpy or smooth ride so to speak.
Douglas Battista has traveled for work since he was in college. Over the years, the Jenny Craig executive has picked up a few ideas to make travel a little less like a chore. In this brief narrative, Battista outlines a few of his most trusted travel tricks.
Reduce germ exposure
Douglas Battista is keenly aware that air travel means coming into contact with all types of germs. He says one trick he uses to kill airborne germs before they enter his system is a simple swipe of bacitracin in the nostrils. Travel-sized hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes are also a staple in Battista’s anti-germ arsenal.
Modern conveniences like text messaging and email make it easier and faster to connect with co-workers, consultants, and remote employees. The unfortunate downside is that it is often more difficult to actually communicate what’s being said. Here, Douglas Battista answers questions about problem resolution in the workplace and explains when an email works and when it doesn’t.
Q: How can I communicate clearly to my co-workers when we’re trying to work through a problem?
Douglas Battista: In order to solve problems with another department, for example, you must first understand why a resolution is important in the first place. Take the time to sit down (in person) with the involved parties and get to know their perspectives on the issue. Ask them what their concerns are and really listen. A place of common ground is a considerably better place to begin, rather than facing off on opposing sides of an issue.
One of the most important principles of personal development is the idea that we have to take 100% responsibility for our lives. Responsibility is fairly simple, according to Douglas Battista. Follow a certain set of guidelines, in every action you do and you’ll be a very responsible person.- Responsibility means nothing if you don’t follow through on commitments.
– Never place the blame. Be courageous and take full accountability for the actions you have made, and never say that it is anyone else’s fault except your own.
– Don’t complain too much. Talking negatively about every interaction in your life won’t get you far, notes Douglas Battista. Sure, you can’t change the price of gas, but you’re certainly not the only one with this problem.
– Don’t use excuses. Similar to the above, in any situation there are always factors outside of our control. An irresponsible person insists these are the reasons a task failed, but what he or she is really doing is denying any responsibility. A responsible person admits the real reasons why he or she hasn’t accomplished something. Continue reading