252: Aligning With Your Organization, with Bonni Stachowiak

Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

Question from Chase

I’m wondering about coaching someone who has inherited a job that pushes them beyond their skill set. Specifically, someone who was focused solely on a job specifically training tellers. That function moved from HR to ops. HR retained the former teller trainer for a corporate trainer role. The employee’s wheelhouse is black and white training, ops and compliance focused. Now the employee’s focus is on more ambiguous training around developing staff on a variety of skill sets. It’s challenging for her. I struggle coaching her because her natural drive and skill is very ops focused. Any advice on some coaching on this topic would be much appreciated!

Question from Diana

I have an MSC in environment and sustainable development, and although I do some studies and recommendations on sustainable cities, the reality is that most developers don’t care about the environment, and sometimes I feel I am missing my ideals.

Other team members agree with me. Sometimes I feel uncomfortable, because of my beliefs and the developers expectations.

I know I can only know how much I can stand of this incongruity, but is it something usual in the workplace? Is it common that you find that you don’t agree with the position of the company you work with? Sometimes this position might only be recognized once you are working within the company.

• How To Get Buy-In For A New Initiative, with Christina Kull Martens (episode 96)

Audio Question from Charlie

• Analyzing Performance Problems by Robert Mager and Peter Pipe

Audio Question from Rasmus

• Teaching in Higher Ed

Audio Question from Joe

• The Lean Startup* by Eric Ries
• Originals* by Adam Grant
• How to Be a Non-Conformist, with Adam Grant (episode 238)

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