If you had a magic wand what career or workplace challenges would you have disappear?

jessicademarte·Oct 05, 2023

Posted in:Favors

Hi everyone,

I have had so many lessons learned in my career as an engineer and I'd love to hear what career or workplace challenges people would have disappear with a magic wand? My magic wand would be to remove the "status quo" thinking and replace it with more innovative thinking. What's yours?

teresaman·Oct 06, 2023

All the biases in the workplace! But if I were to be specific: biases towards "people like me" which perpetuate problems like lack of ethnic, gender, and thought diversity.

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

Yes! Yes! More inclusion and more diversity 🙌🙌🙌 Thanks for sharing!

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

I’m curious, what is something you would like to see to feel more included?

teresaman·Oct 07, 2023

I mean this wholeheartedly and not just because we're on Elpha: women

jessicademarte·Oct 07, 2023

I agree!

Iynna·Oct 06, 2023

Office politics and incompetent managers/people. Let’s reinstate true meritocracy!

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

Couldn’t agree more! Thanks for sharing! 🙏

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

I’m curious, what would you love to see from your manager to make your experience awesome? It’s helpful for me when expectations are clear and I get the development support I need to keep growing. Oh also hearing that they appreciate me ❤️What is it for you?

Iynna·Oct 06, 2023

I think we got an amazing additional comment below from an anon member but I think they said it right: someone who has people skills! Like I don't want JUST a manager but I want a leader! Someone who can inspire me, someone who can vouch for me, and who I can learn from - I take great pleasure serving these types of people and hope to be the same for someone else!

Bailey19·Oct 06, 2023

I would expand on this with a recognition that competence as a manager should be determined by people management skills alone, I've had managers who were promoted into management roles because of their successes as an IC, but they sucked as managers. Being smart/good at your job does not mean you will make a good people manager, and there's nothing wrong with climbing the ranks as an IC!

Iynna·Oct 06, 2023

Ah yes so true and totally agree with you! So many managers who are terrible managers because they do not have the people skills necessary! Being a manager is hard AF and adds a whole new layer of complexity to the role so it's not for everyone for sure! For the benefit of the business and org, excellent IC who have the desire to stay IC, should be supported in those aspirations!

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

Thank is so true and insightful. Developing the people skills is so important for being an effective manager including vulnerability!

Bailey19·Oct 06, 2023

Tolerating toxic behavior because the person is a high performer. I don't care how smart you are, if you're difficult to work with and act like an ass hole, you should be shown the door!

jessicademarte·Oct 06, 2023

Absolutely 👍 💯 thanks for sharing!!

AnnaLindbergCedar·Oct 10, 2023

Working on it! WorkshopsForRealLife.com facilitates Burnout Prevention Hack-A-Thons and self-care events in the workplace to foster connection and meaning on the job :) .

Lolah·Oct 10, 2023

Increasing ownership while decreasing hierarchy.

jessicademarte·Oct 10, 2023

Do you mean give people more autonomy?

Lolah·Oct 11, 2023

Yes. By way of actual ownership.

jessicademarte·Oct 11, 2023

Totally makes sense. I see leaders be afraid to give up ownership for sure and agree. Companies need to give space for people to take on more responsibility, make mistakes, and give grace and support to help them learn and grow. I wish I had that in my career

ATrotman·Oct 11, 2023

Not listing the exact salary or range in the postings. A REALISTIC range so there's no secret what you're getting into. No one wants to be overworked and underpaid for the org to remain competitive when they're really not

jessicademarte·Oct 12, 2023

That is totally reasonable, thanks for sharing!

sarahclarke·Oct 13, 2023

The workplace challenge of people not reacting. And I don't even mean about the big stuff... I have done so many presentations (about processes, new systems, our new training plan...) where people ask no questions at all and I'm looking at a room full of expressionless faces. Like, if you understood everything a head-nod would be nice and if you didn't, please ask!

jessicademarte·Oct 13, 2023

I totally get what you mean. It’s like everyone is numbing out