So the contract says works 5, 8-hour days but in reality, you work 7, 12-hour ones! What do you do? Continue working that’s what!

I, like many of you have scores of friends who often complain about the overtime reality. Instead of joining them, here are simple ways you can make the most of this unwritten performance term.

• Facebook and tweet! Open those social media tabs either on your phone or PC (if the company allows access to social sites) and keep in touch with the outside world! The pro: time moves pretty fast when you’re socializing virtually. The con: the probability of getting any meaningful work done is quite low.
• Idle chat! There is always that one person in the office who likes to talk more than the rest. That is the one who will help you breeze through those hours. Engage them in a mutually benefiting conversation and make a friend while at it. The pro: they may end up being great allies. The con: they may be the ‘me’ type and drag on and on about stuff only they care about!

  
  

• Work! Yes, work. Use those hours to actually get some work done! The pro: you will gain favour with the supervisor. The con: you will be freeing up your schedule (for more work!)

Personally I apply all the above as I work through the day. How about you? Which one of these do you agree with? Do share them with us!

The dissection of a corporate bug:

1. A corporate bug’s asset: Qualifications. These are acquired in instituitions of higher learning. A high school certificate is meaningless to a corporate bug and a masters degree most valuable!
2. A corporate bug’s weakness: Appreciation/Acknowledgement. This may come in extrinsic and or intrinsic forms. “Here is a KShs XXX,XXX cheque as a thank you for all the hard work you’ve put in this month!” or “No. Don’t call me Sir/Madam, call me by my first name!” or both these forms of appreciation/acknowledgement can make a corporate bug go berserk with joy (inside of course!)
3. A corporate bug’s strength: Special Skill. No corporate bug worth the title is void of special skill either in letter writing, public speaking, negotiation, quick thinking, self control under pressure e.t.c. Corporate bugs have something unique that they bring to the table. This is what sets them apart from all other CBs.

I must admit mine is quick thinking! I cannot honestly count the number of times this noggin of mine has rescued me!

So do you agree with the big 3? What’s your special skill?

Welcome to the Corporate bug series.

The series is meant to better understand the new business species and what can help it strive in the dynamic business habitat.

A corporate bug is an individual currently tied up in all matters corporate and earning a salary while at it.

Don’t bother checking the dictionaries. The word is created by me to describe the group I am now a part of . What I haven’t yet figured out (and I am hoping you can help me) is whether a start-up owner is a corporate bug as well.

Corporate bugs are also not in executive roles that are involved in actual strategy formulation. The are more so the strategy implementers.

Welcome!