Aug 12, 2022
Guest Host: Stan Markotich, former News
Director at CJIV Radio
Guest: K.P. Wee, Author and Podcast Host
SUMMARY: When looking for a job, remember that it’s
about a lot more than the title or description of responsibilities.
On this episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast, Guest Host Stan Markotich
is prompting all kinds of reflections on the role our workplace
cultures play, not only in our ability to succeed but also in
defining our quality of life. Will you be going into a space that
is safe, supportive and (ideally) fun? Or will it be lonely, toxic
and ego-driven? Based on his personal experience in the realm of
teaching, K.P. Wee shares red flags that are worth paying attention
to, including whether your interview process (professional and
courteous?) and the atmosphere (collegial and positive?). He and
Stan have all kinds of practical tips and thoughts to bear in mind
for jobseekers who are new to the market and eager to avoid some of
the rookie mistakes so many of us frequently make! You’ll hear
about frontlines experiences of inappropriate break room behaviors,
competitive (and unhelpful) colleagues as well as a big
misunderstanding early on in his career that left K.P. panicked –
followed by a sigh of relief and a laugh! Whatever line of work we
choose to pursue, there are certain inevitable forks in the road
that most all of us will encounter. Our outcomes are ultimately a
lot likelier to be favorable if we’re armed with the humor, clarity
and framework for problem-solving that this lively discussion
provides! Stay tuned for future chats in which Stan and K.P. will
take up important topics such as how to cope with discrimination
and manage through incompetent leadership.
Click here if you would like to hear previous episodes of
the K.P. Wee Podcast or here if you’d like to know more about the many books
he has authored.
If you’re a fan of this
podcast’s intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter
@chongroger and Instagram @chongroger
KEY TOPICS:
- About K.P.’s teaching perspective and the value
in commiserating/sharing notes with others interested in the topic
of workplace experience.
- K.P. explains why athletic coaching has never
felt like the right fit for him, despite the fact that he has a
depth of knowledge on the topic.
- Sports psychology is a great avenue for sharing
expertise but further advanced studies would be necessary to master
skills such as analytics or scouting techniques.
- Why wins, losses and championships are big –
but not the defining element when it comes to cultivating team
cultures and legendary achievement in the big picture.
- About red flags when it comes to workplace
cultures:
-
- Does the interviewer exhibit professionalism
(preparation, timeliness, courtesy)?
- Does the environment foster inappropriate or
demeaning comments/interactions?
- Are anger and raised voices part of the way
people interact?
- Are racist, sexist or otherwise derogatory
“jokes” commonly accepted?
- Workplaces can vary tremendously based on the
vibe – as K.P. and Stan have both noted in different circumstances.
One school’s insensitive jokes can be taken as camaraderie while
another’s limited socializing might simply be a function of
scheduling.
- Reflecting on differing teaching cultures: Stan
appreciates that there are times he needs to be mono-focused on his
students, but he also finds it helpful to work in a collegial
atmosphere where he feels free to bounce questions
like:
-
- Are student changing in any
ways?
- Do they respond to different kinds of lessons
in different ways?
- What strategies might there be for reaching a
student who is failing?
- Different types of workplace environments
produce (and require) differing dynamics – ranging from running
jokes to studious silence.
- K.P. summarizes the overall ethic he most
values in a healthy workplace culture: It supports learning,
development and mutual growth. He also shares examples of what it
looks like to experience the opposite of this kind of positive
approach!
- The best teachers are willing to evolve and
adapt. They’re also inclined to share notes, teaching techniques
and encouragement through whatever challenges.
- Stan Offers Sports as Metaphor: Teaching is not
like a competitive individual athletic pursuit, but rather a forum
for coaching and mentoring. It’s not about being on the court or
field scoring points. You are enabling team members to reach the
top of their game.
- Back to the Future: Stan shares a colorful
anecdote about how a substitute teaching experience reaffirmed that
know-it-all teachers aren’t necessarily the most
effective!
- You’ve accepted a new job whose workplace
environment is not what you expected. Perhaps it’s toxic or
alienating or sloppy. What to do now? K.P. offers
advice:
-
- Talk to someone in authority. Perhaps they are
out of the loop or not conversational with the staff
dynamic.
- If you find that management principles simply
don’t align with your own, it may mean that remaining on the job
will require tolerance and adjustment because making cultural
change (or changing people) is extremely unlikely.
- If it’s an environment in which finding any joy
is impossible, it may be imperative that you reconsider the job and
go elsewhere.
- Stan echoes K.P.’s advice: If you find yourself
in an unhappy work situation, discuss it with someone in charge,
monitor for the possibility of change, then decide whether an
accommodation is tenable or it’s time to move on.
- The episode wraps up with a memorable story of
K.P.’s very first teaching job – which he mistakenly thought he got
under sketchy circumstances. Hilarity ensues!
- Stan closes the loop with a reflection that
builds on K.P.’s point: The best workplace environments are open,
communicative and collaborative.
- Two areas for future exploration:
Discrimination (as separate from the hiring process) and what it’s
like to work for chronically incompetent owners or
managers.
KEY QUOTES:
- “If you
realize that somebody else can do a better job than you can, then
focus on what you’re more passionate and have more knowledge
about.” (K.P.)
- “It takes a lot
to get to the top. There can only be one champion and, of course,
injuries happen, contract disputes happen. You don’t know what’s
going on behind the scenes.” (K.P.)
- “If someone is
willing to brag about something that is negative or toxic in one
workplace, I’m pretty sure the odds would be high that they’d be
bragging about similar things in other workplaces.”
(Stan)
- “I do like the
idea of having a dynamic and exchanging ideas and that can lead to
having fun with your colleagues as well, but there are times when
the lesson plan calls for needing assignments and needing to really
focus on my students and not be distracted by conversation. So
ideally I like a balance.” (Stan)
- “I’m not a
robot. I’m a person, a human being. I always want to learn new
things. If you feel like it’s time to stop learning I think you’re
basically retiring or waiting for death.” (K.P.)
- “Some teachers
believe that as teachers we compete in the way that individual
athletes compete against each other and I don’t see any value in
making that connection to sports.” (Stan)
- “It’s teamwork
amongst the teachers to be on the same page, getting students to do
their best; to get the most out of students.” (K.P.)
- “You cannot
change people if they are unwilling, so if it’s a big enough
problem and you’re uncomfortable, you have to make a decision … If
it’s not something that drives you or makes you happy, then you
might want to consider looking elsewhere.” (K.P.)
About Guest Stan Markotich: Born and raised in Vancouver, Stan completed
his undergraduate work at Simon Fraser University in 1985. From
there, he went on to receive a master’s degree from the University
of Victoria. In 1987, he moved to Indiana University, earning his
doctoral degree in history under the supervision of Dr. Barbara
Jelavich. Upon graduation, Markotich accepted an appointment with
Radio Free Europe, serving as Serbian analyst and remaining in
Europe for roughly a decade. He is the main author
of White Paper of
the Independent Media Commission: Media and Democratisation in
Bosnia and Hercegovina (2000). Markotich is currently revising a
memoir that deals with his years in the Balkans. Now based in
Greater Vancouver, he teaches classes at a private school, lectures
for Brock House Society, and offers courses on the Balkans through
SFU Continuing Education.
Stan @LinkedIn
About K.P. Wee: K.P. is the author of multiple books and a
regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In
addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing
sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent
a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a
private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball
club’s media relations department.
You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee
here.
Follow K.P. Wee: K.P. @Twitter
Additional episodes of the K.P.
Wee Podcast are available here.