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You're living my garden dreams! I've been growing strawberries on the balcony and I can't wait to have house with a garden where I can set up a more productive vegetable patch.

And being able to relate to someone you admire is priceless. Theresa is awesome😮

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So good Jen! Thanks for this

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I have had far too many terrible managers over the years, but the ones that were good, made us want to run through walls for them.

Bad: not recognizing/respecting task autonomy. A lot of managers feel like they need to be lording over workers. Most just want to be left alone in peace to do their job. For my job specifically, it's sort of like being a firefighter; if I look like I'm not doing anything that's a tell that the operation is running smoothly. it's because the heavy lifting is already done. A lot of managers could never wrap their head around that, even when they knew better.

Good: Do what you say, and say what you mean. Before a Polar Vortex a few years ago (and OMG, why do I live somewhere that these are a thing?!), a manager came around and asked us what he thought we would need. He also convinced the airport to let us park in the garage for the duration of the cold snap (it's right across from the terminal).

Then he showed up in the middle of it, and made sure everything he said he'd deliver actually happened. Seems like a small deal, right? I cannot tell you how many times those promises have just been empty talk. Leadership 101: Words matter. Actions matter.

P.S. That garlic looks gooood!

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It's sad to me that one bad manager can ruin a functioning team or work experience -- my terrible experiences have all happened when our team got a new leader. It's a privilege to be able to switch teams or get a new job or otherwise escape bad managers, but not everyone can do that. Especially if a bad manager is blocking your opportunity in some way.

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I've had to deal some real pieces of work over the years. Lot of good talent transferred out (or was sent packing) 'cause of that.

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I constantly, and probably to my own detriment, repeat the phrase: "Can they eat you?" [as a worst case scenario]. Rather than ask if I can live with it, I ask: is it as bad as being eaten? And if the answer is no, I do the thing.

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Wow, that is a high pain tolerance! You can accept a lot of shit happening before the eating sets in! As your friend, might I suggest lowering the bar a little? LOL

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