Cubicle Confidential

Career mobility might not be as straightforward as you think… …because not everyone actually wants to move up the corporate ladder (shocking, we know!) This week, we hear from a listener wanting to move up, one looking to step down, and one ready to move across. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to take control of your career – no matter where you want to take it! All That Sparkles Is...

Are you a creature of habit? Maybe you wake up at the same time each morning, eat the same meal for lunch, or are wed to particular processes or protocols. This week we hear from a few listeners stuck in their ways and one who wants to change them. My Way Or The Highway in Wyoming is trying to teach a new employee how to properly take inventory and it’s falling on deaf ears. They explain it, show...

“There aren’t enough hours in the day!” Do you feel like you have too much to do and too little time? You’re not alone. This week we hear from listeners who feel like time isn’t on their side. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ best time management tips! Paula The Procrastinator works in professional services and needs help to overcome her procrastinator ways. She just finished the first year of her...

What really gets under your skin? Is it when employees make the same mistakes over and over again? Or maybe it’s ungrateful staff…or just plain jerks in the workplace? This week we hear from listeners who are feeling annoyed and need to rant about it! Fed Up in Chicago is a partner at a big bad law firm and is being framed as the villain because he’s asking his associates to stay late, come in ear...

Age is just a number! Well, until it isn’t. Our listeners are feeling some of the pains of getting older – and we don’t mean back aches. We’re talking about ageism at work. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice about how to deal with ageism in the workplace. Aging Angst in Manhattan recently saw Chris DeSantis speak where he asked the audience who were the Boomers in the room. They didn’t raise t...

So, you’ve been promoted to manager…congratulations! And, well, condolences. Managing a team can be a great resume builder and a rewarding way to develop talent, but it’s certainly no walk in the park. This week, we hear from listeners whose leadership positions are leaving them stuck between a rock and a hard place. In this special 100th episode , it’s Mary’s turn to face off against the machine...

How do you remain authentic while keeping it work-appropriate? This week, we’re hearing from listeners who want to bring their true selves to work while keeping their careers on track…and sometimes those two things don’t necessarily line up. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to keep it real and run a tight ship to get ahead and stay ahead. Time Matters in Tempe ’s boss is always late t...

Mary is shifting the power of this episode… And she’s making Chris answer three questions he’s never seen before with an added twist! Chris DeSantis is going up against ChatGPT in this Man vs. Machine duel. Who do you think will give better advice? The man or the machine?! Does Artificial Intelligence have the power to run us out of business? Tune in to hear Chris’ and ChatGPT’s answers to these q...

Have you ever made a sacrifice just to fit in? From slightly changing your appearance to completely ditching your morals, we’re hearing from listeners who feel like outsiders but desire to be in the In-crowd. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’s advice on when you should try to fit in or dare to be different and stand out! Yes, But in Minneapolis took a new corporate job in marketing for a home goods...

Well, that was awkward… This week, we hear from listeners who are experiencing some cringey situations in their workplaces. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’s suggestions about how to take the awk out of awkward. Cat’s Out of the Bag in Benton works with a cat lady…who brings her cats into the office. He doesn’t like cats, but the cats apparently like him. They end up under his desk, on his cubicle...

Plot twist! Mary is keeping Chris on his toes by giving him the title of the episode without sharing the questions with him in advance – leaving him no time to prepare. How annoying is that?! In this episode, listeners share their frustrations at work in the hopes that Mary and Chris can alleviate their annoyances. Fuhgeddaboudit is 68 years old, still works, and still sends handwritten thank-you...

Leading Less is More Like it in Lubbock (Part Two) has just been promoted to manager but they don’t actually want to lead or manage anyone. They’re now “leading” a team of seven people. Their philosophy has always been that the leader is less important than the doer and that the people should just do their job well without interference from a manager. How can they get their new team to think more...

Is there a difference between being a manager and a leader? We tend to use them synonymously, but they’re not the same! Managers tend to be in the work and leaders are more of the work. But great managers must be leaders and great leaders need to have management skills, too. In this episode, Mary and Chris help listeners learn how to beef up their managerial and leadership skills! El Hefe La Chica...

How do you feel when you hear the phrase “performance feedback? ” If that makes a chill run down your spine, you’re not alone. This week, we hear from listeners who are grieving over giving or receiving performance evaluations at work. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’s suggestions to take the pain out of feedback. Round and Round in Galveston just received their first 360 performance review. The fe...

We’re talking all about faux pas…and not the funny fashion kind (no socks and sandals here, folks, sorry!) Have you ever said something you wish you could take back the second it slips out of your mouth? Surely, most of us have at one point or another. In this episode, Mary and Chris help listeners who have stuck their foot in their mouth redeem themselves from some grave verbal blunders. WTF? Am...

Money, money, money must be funny in the rich man's world! One very eager listener, Confounded with Comp in Canada , is interested in maximizing their money at work. Tune in to learn how to: Negotiate a higher salary offer with a new employer… Ask for a salary range in an interview… Answer the dreaded, "What are your salary expectations for this role?" Ask for a higher salary in a c...

We all want to be in the know but when does having too much information become paralyzing? This week, we’re hearing from listeners who feel like ignorance would be bliss in their situations. Tune in to hear how Mary and Chris suggest they navigate being overloaded with information. Too Juicy to Keep Quiet in Queens works for a small marketing firm with about 15 employees. She loves her job and col...

Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone’s short fuse? Or maybe you’ve lost your temper at work and find yourself paying the price… In this episode, Mary and Chris help listeners deal with both their anger issues and the rage of others. Hiding From Mrs. Hyde in Seattle read Mary’s book and appreciated the section about toxic bosses because, well, they may or may not have one themselves....

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – oh my! For better or worse, social media plays a large role in the modern work world. Can what you post influence hiring decisions? Should you leverage social media as a marketing tool? In this episode, Mary and Chris answer questions about showing up on social media (and the positive and negative implications of it…) Having Second Thoughts in Secaucus just...

Work and romantic relationships – are they a perfect match, or should you stay away? In honor of Valentine’s Day, Mary and Chris dish out their best dating advice. Tune in to hear from listeners who are feeling the love (or lack of it!) in the air: Miffed in Murfreesboro is re-entering the workforce and is searching for a new job. She heard about an opening at the company where her husband works....

Have you ever been betrayed by a co-worker? Have you ever trusted someone at work and then discovered that they stabbed you in the back? If so, this episode is for you! Boomeranged in Bethlehem mentored and trained an employee who left the company for more money. The employee has now returned to the company and Boomeranged feels bitter, angry, and betrayed. Comeuppance Awaits in Texas has a tattle...

Believe it or not, not everybody loves being on stage (which is a sentiment that Chris and Mary do not share). Giving presentations can be very stressful for many people. In this episode, Mary and Chris help listeners sharpen their presentation skills and get over their stage fright. Petrified about the Panel in Pennsylvania has been invited to sit on a panel and is terrified! They’ve never spoken...

Conflict at work can be healthy—if done well. Exploring different viewpoints is essential to innovation, progress, and problem-solving. In this episode, Mary and Chris challenge each other to take completely opposite answers to listeners’ questions. It’s time to rumble. Tune in to decide whose answers are best to: Torn in Toronto has a colleague who is just plain rude, snarky, and snippy. They’re...

Culture—both organizational and national-- has a huge influence over how people behave and operate in organizations. In this episode, Mary and Chris answer questions related to navigating cultural differences.  Tune in to hear their answers to: Looking for a Little Dutch Comfort in Charlotte supervises an employee who is just too direct, too brusque, and well too off-putting. ABC-ing in LA is stru...

What’s the difference between being cheap, stingy, or frugal? And when is it a problem at work? How do you deal with In this week’s episode, Mary Abbajay and Chris De Santis hear from three listeners who are trying to navigate the financial failings of others. And as a special treat, they also field a question about an employee’s dirty bathroom habits. Yes, Mary and Chris are going to talk about p...