Hello and welcome to Working It! Have you ever pondered about the Roman empire? 🏺It’s become quite the popular trend on TikTok, with numerous videos featuring women asking men about it. The typical response? “Not very often. Maybe twice a week.” This always leaves the women astounded and disbelieving. I find this trend absolutely fascinating. The thought of the Romans rarely crosses my mind 🏛️. It’s truly remarkable how little we know about what goes on inside someone else’s head. This could serve as an intriguing example of the “diversity of thought” for your next workplace inclusion presentation (you’re welcome). Share your thoughts on Julius Caesar or anything else that’s on your mind: [email protected]
Now, let’s delve into why team coaching is a more effective approach compared to focusing solely on individuals. In Office Therapy, we provide guidance to a new employee who is facing difficulties due to a jaded colleague.
Eternally with us: Frankie Howerd as Lurcio — plus some underdressed guests — in ‘Up Pompeii’ © Mary Evans/Studiocanal films/Alamy
When it comes to coaching leaders, the idea of coaching the entire team, rather than just one individual, makes a lot of sense 🤝. Although still a niche concept, most people tend to opt for individual coaching. However, if employers want to bring out the best in every senior person in their organization and foster harmonious collaboration among departments, it may be beneficial to invest in team coaching. According to Duncan Lewin, an executive coach who focuses on team performance improvement, “Team coaching is still in its early stages. While some great work and thinking are being done, it is about 15-20 years behind executive coaching.” Duncan introduced me to what I like to call the “no I in team” coaching concept, and it completely blew my mind 🤯. Duncan, who transitioned from being an accountant and finance director to an executive coach, has extensively researched the dysfunctions within financial services teams. (If you’re part of an FS team plagued by “competition, distrust, greed, narcissism,” I recommend reading his full report on LinkedIn. TL;DR: It’s not your fault, it’s the system.) In the past, Duncan had organized team-building activities like “team awaydays,” but found them to be quite superficial. They would have a great day, but nothing really changed in the long run. I’m sure we’ve all experienced this phenomenon at some point — the initial excitement fades away, and only the memories of the bar conversations remain 💃🕺. It takes significant time and collective effort to shift perspectives and create lasting change.
During his research, Duncan was surprised by the intense internal competition between different teams within organizations: “This is an aspect [of work culture] that organizations need to improve. How they manage the gaps between teams. Even the smartest and most well-intentioned individuals engage in competition.” By taking a step back and reflecting, team members can recognize the importance of cooperation over competition 🏇🏻. So, what does Duncan advise team leaders to do in order to initiate immediate change? “Create some space… [teams] should dedicate time to reflect. How does it feel to be part of this team? Provide intentional reflective time for the team as a whole. People often say ‘we’re too busy for that,’ resulting in a breakdown of communication, duplicated work, and things getting lost.” Well, guilty as charged. Ultimately, the combined efforts of a team should generate results far superior to those of individual contributors. Duncan refers to this as “alchemy,” and when it happens, it truly feels magical. Do you have any ideas on how to make teams work better — perhaps even magically? Let us know: [email protected]
Now, let’s move on to this week’s episode of the Working It podcast — and I have a special request for you 👇🏽. We spend a significant amount of time communicating at work, whether through email, in-person conversations, or virtual meetings. However, we often neglect to focus on how effectively we convey our messages for maximum impact 📣. That’s where Ros Atkins comes in. As the BBC analysis editor and presenter of those fantastic explainer videos that flood our social media feeds, he has distilled his knowledge of clear communication into his new book, “The Art of Explanation.” In this week’s episode of the Working It podcast, Ros joins me to discuss his book. And don’t worry, it’s a concise episode that will only take up 13 minutes of your time.
*I’m teaming up with my wonderful colleague Jonathan Black, author of the ‘Dear Jonathan’ careers advice column, to answer all your workplace and career dilemmas, big or small, on the podcast. You can still email me for Office Therapy, but now you also have the option to send in voice notes using this link. Click through, record your question, and send it. We might even feature your audio on the show — and don’t worry, you can remain anonymous if you’d like🕵🏻♀️.
Office Therapy
The problem: I recently joined a team that is working on growing a new line of business within an established company. Most of my colleagues are great, but one “old hand” has been cold and overreacted dramatically during a disagreement over a business decision. Despite being at the same level of seniority, there is a significant age gap between us. Should I confront them, inform my manager, or simply ignore the situation?
Isabel’s advice: We’ve all experienced moments in our careers when we enter a new role with excitement, only to face cynicism from more experienced individuals who seem determined to put us down. It’s important to remember — not just in this scenario, but in life overall — that this person is bringing their own baggage to the table. It’s about them, not you. Unless your colleague views work solely as a means to an end and doesn’t value their own career (which I doubt), they will likely be resentful of your arrival. It’s a harsh reminder that their own career hasn’t flourished 🥀. My suggestion would be to take the “ignore” approach, unless their hostility escalates. If you have another colleague you can talk to who may have experienced something similar, it would be beneficial to seek their advice. Be extremely polite to the rude colleague. Do not engage with their mean-spirited emails or snarky comments during meetings. Stay on the high ground morally. This will not only make you look good, but it will also undoubtedly annoy them 😏.
If you have a question, problem, or dilemma for Office Therapy, or if you believe you have better advice for our readers, send it to me: [email protected] or via a voice note. We will keep everything anonymous. Your boss, colleagues, or subordinates will never find out.
Here are five top stories from the world of work:
1. Why do people stay in bad jobs? Many individuals in the lower end of the UK labor market are reluctant to leave their jobs due to fears of losing benefits and entitlements, and the uncertainty of finding a better job. Sarah O’Connor delves into this issue.
2. How has the consulting industry been affected by shrinking budgets, Covid, and AI? This fascinating exploration provides insight into the pressures faced by a previously lucrative industry. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, Silin Chen, and Anjli Raval analyzed responses from over 300 FT readers to give us a deep-dive into the world of consulting.
3. Sex, lies, and the idealization of CEO behavior. After Bernard Looney’s departure from BP, where he failed to fully disclose his past relationships with staff, Brooke Masters examines the question of how much personal life information boards need to know about CEOs.
4. “When I say I’m deaf, people panic.” In honor of deaf awareness month, HTSI magazine interviews creatives and athletes with hearing loss. The article includes beautiful photography by Lily Bertrand-Webb, who herself has a cochlear implant.
5. Be cautious when the B-team is in charge. Pilita Clark explores the dangers organizations face when their deputies run the show for extended periods of time, as summer comes to an end.
And lastly…
Investigative stories covering allegations of sexual abuse within institutions often follow a distressing pattern: brave victims who come forward only to be met with silence and dismissal, all in the interest of protecting the reputation of the institution and the powerful individuals accused of wrongdoing. “Protecting a Predator” follows this disheartening course. This meticulously researched joint story by ProPublica and The Information uncovers the events that unfolded at Columbia University, where obstetrician Dr. Robert Hadden sexually abused hundreds of individuals, likely with the knowledge of the university administration…
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