Cubicle Confidential

Tim McClure & Chris DeSantis

Weekly Advice for the Working Stiff: Having problems with people at work? Does your boss suck? Do your co-workers drive you crazy? Tim McClure and Chris DeSantis are here to help. Each week Tim and Chris take on your most outrageous workplace questions and concerns. Their advice is sometimes spot-on, sometimes salty, and sometimes funny. (Funny, as in “haha” not as in “I’m funny how? I mean funny like I’m a clown? I amuse you? I make you laugh?”) They’re good guys, not Goodfellas.

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Episodes

To Promote or Not To Promote?
Dec 13 2023
To Promote or Not To Promote?
This week we hear from a listener trying to figure out how to select a candidate for a promotion, one seeking to climb the corporate ladder, and another one who realized their new role isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice surrounding giving promotions and getting promoted!King Solomon’s Redux in Virginia has two perfectly suited candidates for a promotion but only one slot. They’re both outstanding at managing their respective retail stores and this promotion will elevate one to regional manager. Beyond filling the regional manager slot with a qualified candidate, they’re also tasked with adding more diversity to the management cadre. How can they keep both of these fantastic performers while only promoting one? Do This Not That in Texas works for a retail chain and excels in product placement when stocking shelves.  They’ve increased sales by 10-15% on certain products based solely on where they put them. Unfortunately, their manager never gives them the credit they deserve. Being at the bottom rung of the ladder, how can they get the attention of senior management and supercharge their career?Charles Doesn’t Want To Be In Charge in Spokane just got promoted and discovered they HATE managing other people. They’re tired of dealing with their scheduling needs, questions, and sucking up. This clearly isn’t the job for them, but the pay is significantly better. They’d much prefer to just do their old job. Is there any way they can make this work or should they just look for a new job that pays the same without the added responsibilities?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: at info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: at @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
Holidaze
Dec 6 2023
Holidaze
Do office holiday parties get you in the festive spirit or turn you into the Grinch?Our listeners are navigating some ho, ho, horribly awkward holiday situations at work.Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to handle this season with a little extra joy and cheer!Shit Canned at Christmas in Atlanta got laid off from his job and his fiancé—who works at the same company—wants him to attend the annual holiday party with her as if nothing happened. How can he get through this event and answer the question “how’s it going” when things aren’t going well.Santa’s Secret Is Safe in Stanford in participating in the company’s annual Secret Santa. Unfortunately, they drew the name of their boss’ boss. The spending cap is set at $20 for a gift and the present is supposed to be funny. They work for a health sciences lab which is an industry that doesn’t lend itself to people with great senses of humor. Is there a way they can make a favorable and fun impression?In The Spotlight, Again, in Fremont got a little bit out of control at their annual Christmas outing last year. They were overserved and ended up as the talk of the office for months. Eventually, the chatter died down but now everyone is making jokes at their expense again. They even received a visit from a person in HR who reminded them what is considered appropriate at office functions. Should they attend the party again this year and if so, how do they overcome last year’s shame?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us at: info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us at @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
Home of the Brave
Nov 29 2023
Home of the Brave
When was the last time you did something brave in your job or career?This week, we hear from listeners trying to find their voice in meetings, harness extra energy for a retreat, and confront an executive about bogus expense receipts…Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on how to channel courage in the workplace!A Sleuth on The Loose in Chicago just started his first real job out of college in a firm where everyone but him has a business degree from a fancy Ivy League school. In meetings, he feels intimidated by the business school crowd—who take up all the air space and seem to do nothing but state the obvious. How can he share what he knows without freezing up and being talked over?Sharing Is Scaring in Buffalo has to attend a weekend firm retreat in Florida. The retreat is part team-building and part learning. She doesn’t mind the learning part, but she loathes the idea of team building for an entire weekend. There will be networking sessions between offices, levels, and affinity groups. As an introvert, she finds the thought of all this overwhelming. How can she survive all these days and nights without losing her energy (and her mind)?Pocketing Change in Philadelphia works in accounting for a consulting firm. They handle invoicing and reimbursing employees for expenses. Recently, they noticed that a senior employee’s expense reimbursement requests consistently lack the necessary receipts for things like cabs, meals, etc. This person does this way more often and in greater quantities than anyone else in the office. Word among the staff is that he may run this firm one day. Is this issue even worth bringing forward?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: at info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: at @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
Awkward!
Nov 22 2023
Awkward!
What work situations make you cringe?Some of our listeners find themselves stuck in awkward situations and need support to figure out what to do!Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice about job changes, connection requests, and honest feedback. Worried About a Gaffe with The Government works for the government with a good job that boasts a great salary and benefits. Unfortunately, their job is being phased out. They interviewed for a highly prestigious position, but this organization expects them to accept the job without providing salary information. Should they take a chance and accept the offer hoping for the best or should they voice their concerns?Avoiding The Awkward in Arkansas has a “friend” who is launching a new business and has asked our listener for her help in securing new business through introductions to our listener’s client base. The problem is that our listener doesn’t want to help. After multiple unsettling personal and professional interactions, they don’t want to have their name associated with this person and certainly don’t want to waste their clients’ time with someone they don’t respect. How can they gracefully decline this request?Is Honesty the Best Policy in Hanover has their annual review coming up, and in addition to sharing a narrative on their accomplishments and challenges, their boss wants them to give him feedback on his management style. The problem is that he’s not a very good manager and they suspect he’s not very open to feedback based on their history with him.  How honest should they be with their feedback and what’s the best way to deliver it to him?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
It's Time to Go...
Nov 14 2023
It's Time to Go...
Decisions, decisions!This week, our listeners are trying to decide if they (or others) should stay in their jobs or move on to greener pastures… Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on retirement, switching jobs, and making other big career choices (for yourself and others!)A Few Cards Shy of A Full Deck in Denver has spent 45 years at the same company--working their way up from the mailroom to the C-suite. They now find themselves at a crossroads – either retire or continue to work as a contract employee. They don’t need the money, so they could easily retire but they can’t picture themselves sitting around. If they stay, they’d report to a former direct report who isn’t the sharpest tack in the box. Can they tell the powers that be that this project manager shouldn’t be managing at all?A Curtain Call in California works in HR and has the unwelcome task of talking to senior partners about retiring. They don’t have a formal retirement age, so some partners stay way past their expiration date. Their contributions have been declining and they cause angst in the other partners. How do they go about having this difficult conversation?Painted Into a Corner in Houston’s father started their paint business nearly 53 years ago and it has grown into a seven-store chain. Now, it’s being run by second and third-generation family members but their father still comes in every day. If he doesn’t like what’s going on in a store, he’ll grab the employees and make them do things the way he thinks they should be done. Our listener is supposed to confront his Dad about this, but it’s still his business. Is there any way they can get Dad to see things differently?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: at info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
The Fame Game
Nov 8 2023
The Fame Game
Do you strive for fame and fortune?Some of our listeners do, too and others have already achieved it.In this week’s show, Mary and Chris address the wins and woes of being famous!Too Big for His Breeches in Boise runs a management training company. Their business is booming. To meet client demand, they farm out much of the work to subcontractors, and one of their most popular contractors is using his reputation to demand more money than the other subcontractors. How can they keep him in the fold without ruffling any feathers with the rest of the contractors?The Big Bang Theory in Trenton had an employee perform an amazing act at one of their production facilities recently. She caught an error that literally prevented the plant from exploding. However, she’s not the best worker otherwise – so bad, that she’s actually on a Performance Improvement Plan. After this big save, she thinks she’s untouchable. How can they convince her or management she needs to be moved on or moved out?What Wood You Do in Minnesota has a side hustle that’s growing in popularity so much so that they might have a shot at being an influencer. They take their knowledge from their full-time job and relay it to their side hustle. They’re worried because the company they work for doesn’t allow part-time jobs and they’re very private in how they operate. What should they do if, and/or when their company finds out?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!
Trust Me
Oct 18 2023
Trust Me
Do you know the number one aspect of creating high-performance organizations?If you said trust, you nailed it!This week, we hear from listeners who want to earn trust or learn to trust. Tune in to hear Mary and Chris’ advice on creating a culture of trust in the workplace.Catering To My Needs in Portland is the first to admit they’re a micromanager. Paying attention to details has gotten them to where they are now. Their recent promotion means they’ll do more managing and less “doing”. Quite frankly, they don’t trust the people reporting to them to produce the same quality work that they did. How can they learn to let go and still maintain control from on high?Fool Me Once in Fremont works in accounts payable and is tired of getting thrown under the bus by a senior manager in another department. Out of the blue, that same senior manager wants our listener to co-lead a corporate-level process improvement initiative to streamline invoicing. It’s an opportunity to be seen by the higher-ups but knowing this manager’s history, they fear they could end up just being the fall guy. Can they say yes and if so, how do they avoid the bus?Faking It in Phoenix has been asked to go to college campuses to do recruiting. They have been paired with someone they find arrogant, loud, and inappropriate. The problem is that the other guy acts all charming around potential recruits, but when they’re not in front of recruits, he’s a total jerk. They’re supposed to look like teammates, but our listener has a hard time pretending to like this guy. Any advice on how to get past his obnoxiousness?We’re here to help you succeed! Send us your workplace dilemmas or career questions. Email us: at info@cubicleconfidential.com or tweet us: @cubicleconfide1. All names will be changed to protect the guilty and innocent...Thanks for listening! Connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter!