Welcome to a Bonus Q&A with Dr. Payal Sharma! We answer real-life workplace conundrums – AKA office politics questions – that were submitted by listeners via Instagram.
Questions From Listeners:
From Julie –
As an employee, what can I do when my knowledge and background isn’t taken seriously? When leaders at the top don’t respect what I have to say even though I know my marketing channel inside out?
From May –
My direct boss is yes-ing everyone to death. Before I know it the team is under water with projects we have to do, most of which won’t move the needle. I tell her no and explain why we shouldn’t take on a certain project, but she agrees with her boss or even a different department head and I’m stuck! How do I deal with a boss who is afraid of everyone lateral and above her?
From Susan-
How do I deal with a new male Executive who is trying to establish himself as an authority figure, but uses gendered language and talks over his team causing feelings of unease within the group?
Don’t miss part 1 of my conversation with Payal on episode 22 – Conquer Office Politics.
Payal has a Ph.D. in organizational behavior from the University of Maryland, College Park; an M.A. in organizational management from The George Washington University; an M.A. in higher education from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and dual B.A.s in history and anthropology from the University of California, San Diego. Prior to joining UNLV, she was a visiting faculty member at the Wharton School and tenure-track faculty member at Rutgers Business School (Newark and New Brunswick). Her professional experience includes working for the U.S. Government Printing Office in strategic human capital and at Harvard Business School in external relations.
Things we cover in part 1, episode 22:
- Where you have agency and control at work
- How to manage up
- Importance of self-worth
- What employees expect from female VS male leaders
- How to prime yourself to feel powerful
- Managing a team when angry
- Payal’s life lesson from sky-diving – watch the video!
- Personalized power VS socialized power
- How to find work allies and why they’re so important
- Most successful types of employees who work for a difficult boss
Connect with Dr. Payal
- Follow @power_sharma on Instagram
- Learn more about Payal at her faculty website or email her here
Recommended Leadership Books
- Dare To Lead by Brené Brown
- Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Let’s connect! Follow @torchpodcast on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. Extra karma points if you share this episode and tag @torchpodcast.
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