Workplace Attitudes Quotes

“When a woman excels at her job, both male and female coworkers will remark that she may be accomplishing a lot, but is “not well-liked by her peers.” She is probably also “too aggressive,” “not a team player,” “a bit political,” “can’t be trusted,” or “difficult.”
― Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

“Accepting employment in any organization requires the new employee to adjust their personality in order to meld in with the operable business environment and applicable social climate. An employee whom cannot parrot the ideas, standards, mores, and ethical mandates of their professional organization might endure a turbulently relationship that will expose their core ideology.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls

“Many men no longer want to be identified just by their jobs," said Bengt Westerberg, the country's former deputy prime minister.”
― Emily Matchar, Homeward Bound: Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity

“As you become aware of life, you will begin to see the root cause to all your actions and reactions. Then you will realize that you are not angry with the child because he made a mistake, but because you get pleasure out of being angry. The mistake was only a excuse.”
― Osho, Bliss: Living beyond happiness and misery

“[M]ost American workplaces operate in ways that make it almost impossible for anyone to speak truth to power or challenge the status quo and be able to thrive or advance in their career. 'If you dare to open your mouth, you basically ruin your career,' is one of the most common lines I hear from people when I ask them about what usually stops them from saying or doing what they see as the right thing to do.”
― Louis Yako

“[T]he dire need of millions of Americans to get a biweekly paycheck (and the need of having to shut one’s mouth to be paid) significantly contributes to destroying America’s potential for healthier and more inclusive workplaces, and indeed for a healthier society overall.”
― Louis Yako

“You’re the person who apologizes for apologizing. Your emails start with “Just wondering if maybe...” and end with “Sorry for bothering you!” Your drafts have drafts, and your backup plans have backup plans. Perfection and hesitation are your second and third names.”
― Tempest Jemison, How to Break Free from Imposter Syndrome: A Hilarious Journey from Self-Doubt to Self-Love: A Quick, No-BS Guide to Stop Overthinking, Overcome ... Your Life With Fun Exercises and Extra Giggle

“Ben is twenty-six, and this is his first job. He is small, weedy, and terribly, terribly serious about his work. His. Not anyone else’s. He despises everyone else’s. He has, however, produced our only literary fiction in the last two years that has sold over five thousand copies, so people listen to him. Which is a pity, since he doesn’t really have anything to say.”
― Judith Flanders, A Murder of Magpies

“This is my court and I control the balls on it.”
― Tracy Krimmer, Dating for Decades

“[honest and talented American employees] spend so much time in mediocre meetings listening to superficial ideas presented by the powerful few at every workplace. Their hearts and minds are constantly agonizing as they see the mediocrity of the powerful few being praised by circles of cheerleaders found in most workplaces. The cheerleaders are usually there for the paycheck, and they do a great job in making mediocrity be mistaken for creativity and innovation.”
― Louis Yako

“Many mistakenly think that remaining silent until finding another job is the safest and least costly approach, only to find out once at a new job, that the same old game starts all over again. The reason for this is simple: there is no escape. The issue is not about a specific company or corporation, even though it is true that some of them are much more oppressive and unbearable than others. The reason why changing employers never solves the problem is because the problem is systematic, structural, and indeed cultural. The fact that this reality of toxic workplaces has been tolerated for so long has turned it into a normalized and acceptable culture. It is very dangerous when anything becomes an accepted culture or norm. This point is crucial to ponder if we want to resist and change this unhealthy culture. The toxicity of many workplaces in America has been so normalized that people do not even question them anymore. Also, predictably, over time, things normalized become moralized. By moralized I mean that this toxicity is now considered as a moral way of earning one’s living, despite much evidence that it’s at once unhealthy and demoralizing. It is considered moral to work hard to earn your living, and it has become accepted that work is simply what it is and there is nothing you can do about it.”
― Louis Yako

“No phrases are more commonly used in American English (and culture) than, ‘it is what it is,’ and ‘do what you gotta do!’ The first phrase indicates the acceptance of or resignation to a situation that cannot be changed. The second phrase is a way to say that you need to do what you need to do to take care of your problems. Yet, it is also well known in American culture that, no matter what, you must always ‘play it safe!’ This is precisely the problem we are dealing with—the fact that most people are suffering but also are advised to play it safe. Yet, are we safe? If we consider the mental, intellectual, and cultural costs that come with ‘playing it safe’, is anyone ever safe?”
― Louis Yako

“In brief, anyone who has worked at one or two workplaces in America is familiar with that type of middle management or upper management individuals whose job is almost exclusively to create unnecessary tasks and procedures that turn the lives of employees under them into an absolute nightmare. What usually happens under such toxic circumstances? Nothing. A deafening silence from most employees. In fact, many employees not only remain silent out of fear of getting fired, they go as far as putting on fake smiles (or even loud laughter) to survive. Some walk around the office with the attitude of ‘I love my job!’ ‘I love my life!’ ‘I am living the dream!’ to please middle and upper management.”
― Louis Yako

“Knowing how to manage requires one to know how to start a movement rather than just to follow it. And one must take a firm position when necessary.”
― Mitta Xinindlu

“You can do whatever you want,
I am on baller alert!”
― Meshack Okeyo

“The thing I remember about my company management course was how to get the workplace productivity up. I have no recollection of being taught how to keep the workers happy.”
― Steven Magee

“Christmas was approaching and I asked my Ivy League employer if I could use the company funds to buy the team something for Christmas to boost their moral. They refused my request.”
― Steven Magee