Professionalism
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Moms & Non-Moms Must Meet-up
April 24, 2006
One of the advantages of my work is that I zip in and out of airports regularly—or as I’m fond of saying, “Another day, another airport.” With TSA insisting that passengers arrive plenty early for their flights, I often find time to scan the magazine racks in search of an interesting read. If you’re not a subscriber already, grab the May issue of O, yes, Oprah Winfrey’s magazine, and flip to “The Mother of All Conflicts,” a fascinating read on the battles between mothers and non-mothers that regularly erupt in the workplace.
Author Lisa Belkin writes that too often, Moms feel torn by the competing demands of family and work. At the same time, non-Moms resent having to pick up the slack when Moms run out of the office early for pediatrician visits, teacher’s meetings, soccer games, etc. What’s worse, almost everyone is afraid to openly address the issue, which only makes matters worse. (Please see my earlier blogs about “fierce conversations.”)
Equally fascinating in the same magazine is a second article, “Flex and the Office,” by Suzy Welch, someone who left one job and took another specifically for the flex-time option it offered. Welch writes that once she became a “boss,” she experienced an employer’s perspective of the potential problems flex-time policies may yield.
Read this article. In fact, share it with anyone in your office who wants to take advantage of any flex-time option your organization offers. It may help clarify and confirm everyone’s expectations, and thereby diminish the likelihood of future emotional upheaval.
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