March 12, 2026
In today’s newsletter, Staff Senate President Stacey Miller provides her latest report. Plus, the upcoming events from the South Carolina Botanical Garden, this month’s Clemson Champion, Ombuds report and more!
March 11, 2026
At a training session recently, a participant asked me what she should do when she is in a difficult conversation, and her face communicates something before anything comes out of her mouth. She admitted that this has gotten her into trouble personally and professionally, even when she is trying to be wise and measured in her responses. Before she can acknowledge what she has heard someone say, ask thoughtful open-ended questions, and use the concern formula to express concerns, her face gives her away!
This is not an uncommon phenomenon, and it is not a dealbreaker in having productive conflict resolution conversations. Our bodies react to situations instantaneously, while our brains and language centers take a minute to catch up. This may come out on your face, your body language, or your tone. You might make a quick, snide comment before you can catch yourself. You might find yourself raising your voice to someone before you remember making the decision to yell. Some people turn red when they are upset or frustrated, even if they have not said a word. If this happens to you, there are ways to prevent damage from occurring.
The first step is to know about these reactions and explore why they might be happening. If your body is reacting before you say a word, the odds are someone has said something to you about it. Awareness of your reactions is key, but it also helps to reflect on why they might be occurring in the first place. When you know how you react, you can make those around you aware as well. In both personal and professional relationships, you can call out your tendency to react physiologically and let the other person know that your face’s reaction is not always indicative of what you are thinking or feeling. In other words, warn the people in your life that this will happen in times of conflict or tense conversations, and request that they withhold judgment until you have a minute to think and say what you actually want to say. I know that my husband retreats into silence if our discussions become tense. After I say something, I might have to wait 10 to 30 minutes for his response. When we were first together, I thought he was refusing to talk to me. Now I know that I will need to wait for his response. Relationships involve negotiating how you are going to interact and resolve conflict. Being able to share with someone that you know this about yourself, and here’s the best way for you both to handle it can help prevent difficult conversations from escalating.
Of course, it is not possible to tell everyone you interact with about your instinctive physiological reactions. So if it happens with someone who does not know you well, a great response is to acknowledge it. Saying something like, “It seems like you are reacting to the expression on my face, but I don’t want you to take that to represent how I am thinking and feeling. I know that my face reacts before I’m ready, and I might need a minute before I can respond to you.” Calling it out makes it clear that you are not trying to hide the reaction, but you are also requesting some time to state what your actual reaction is.
Finally, whether you are able to preempt these responses, or you are scrambling to respond to them after they emerge, you can work on them. You can work to control your face, tone, or body language, so they don’t give away what you are really thinking. My husband has lowered his response time the longer we have been married, so I’m not waiting quite as long for his responses to my questions. We can evolve and get better. Our faces, bodies, and tone might betray us, but the betrayal is not detrimental. It can even lead to knowing ourselves and each other better.
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
Navigating Intergenerational Workplaces
April 10, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up here:
Registration link
February 12, 2026
In today’s newsletter, Staff Senate President Stacey Miller provides her latest report. Plus, the Staff Senate Golf Tournament is back for another round, the latest Ombuds Report, First Aid/CPR classes from Campus Recreation and more!
January 6, 2026
We all know the traditional picture of a leader: someone with a corner office, a fancy title, and the final say, but the most dynamic and successful teams aren’t led by just one person at the top. They thrive because leadership is distributed at all levels of the organization. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell states, “Leadership is a choice you make, not a place you sit” (Maxwell, 2006).
No matter where you sit within your organization, you have the ability to influence those around you. Here at Clemson, where innovation and collaboration are a significant part of the strategic plan, mastering the art of leading your peers is essential. This is how we amplify our impact, solve tough problems, and build a workplace where everyone feels empowered to contribute.
So, how do we do this? It comes down to three fundamental strategies:
1. Build Trust and Empathy
Trust is what holds teams together, especially when you’re leading your peers and teammates without formal authority. Empathetic trust is built through your efforts to be a genuine, consistent and reliable teammate—someone who is honest with others and creates psychological safety for others to be honest too.
Imagine a co-worker needs help with a difficult report. Be a teammate who doesn’t just offer advice but instead devotes their time, being willing to step in to assist if needed. Ask them: What can you take off their plate? What can you do to help? Is there something you can take on, so they can focus on this project? Offering assistance isn’t just about being helpful; it creates trust and acknowledges the human element of office interactions.
When your peers know you’re reliable, dependable, selfless, and trustworthy, they will begin to look to you as a leader. [TB1] When an informal leader shows they care and are willing to step in to help others, they elevate the entire team. When others feel like you care, they’re more likely to consider your ideas, which opens the door for you to guide and influence.
2. Find the Best Solutions
Since good ideas are the building block of innovation within an organization, it is important to invest time and energy generating and fostering ideas. It is also natural to fight for your own ideas because of this investment, but a peer leader is more focused on the success of their team than their own personal agenda. Maxwell urges us to remember that “we aren’t perfect and maybe we don’t have the best ideas, but we should cherish and protect the creative people on our teams and their ideas, even if that means your idea gets refined, or even replaced, by someone else’s” (Maxwell, 2006).
Now imagine that you spent the last month brainstorming, developing and preparing a proposal presentation for an important stakeholder. Two weeks before this meeting, you and a colleague separately present your ideas to the rest of the team. After hearing your colleague’s proposal, you can see how some of their ideas are better than your own. As a peer leader, you decide to collaborate with your colleague to develop the best proposal, sharing the praise and credit, instead of pushing forward with your own and taking the praise for yourself.
The mindset where you actively solicit, value, and integrate input from your peers fosters an environment of psychological safety and shared ownership. When your peers feel their voices are heard and their contributions genuinely valued, they become more invested in the outcome and more willing to follow where the collective best interest leads. It’s a mindset where we can build something better together than we can on our own.
3. Create a Shared Destination
Even without a formal title, you have the ability to provide direction by helping your team visualize the shared destination. Leading your peers is often about providing the context and rationale that connect your daily tasks to the broader organizational mission, such as Clemson Elevate. When a team understands the bigger picture behind their daily work, they move with greater purpose and alignment. As Doug Thorpe describes, “Leading your peers is about becoming a reliable source of insight, solutions, and clarity allowing others to understand the bigger picture, positioning yourself as the beacon who connects daily work to the ultimate organizational mission” (Thorpe, 2025).
Imagine you have a co-worker who is frustrated with your department’s new tracking system and is struggling to see the value in moving away from the old system. As a peer leader, you don’t just focus on the technical execution; instead, you help your co-worker see the purpose behind the change. You take the time to explain how the change supports the strategic plan of the University and how their specific role is vital to that success. By serving as a beacon of clarity, you help your colleagues find meaning in the mission. When everyone can see the ultimate destination, they are more motivated and more likely to respect the informal guidance that helps the team reach its goals.
Unleashing Our Collective Potential
Peer leadership isn’t just a theory; it’s something you can put into practice today. By focusing on trust, finding the best solutions, and creating a shared destination, we unlock a dynamic that elevates ourselves, our departments, and Clemson University to new heights.
Sources
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Michael Scott
Phone: 864-656-6353
Email: mesctt@clemson.edu Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
Save the date for upcoming trainings offered by the Ombuds Office:
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
January 21, 2026, from 9:00 to 12:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/cf15179e/enroll
Emotional Intelligence at Work
February 2, 2026, from 9:00 to 12:00
In-person at University Facilities Center, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/1be18cf1/enroll
Teamwork that Works
February 26, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/f60659b8/enroll
Combating Burnout and Cultivating Resilience
March 6, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/86042925/enroll
Navigating Intergenerational Workplaces
April 10, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up here: https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/8c562aa0/enroll
December 10, 2025
It has been a long few weeks. There is a lot going on globally, nationally, locally, and across Clemson. Our departmentThe holidays are here! Many of us will spend some time with friends and family members from all over the world and potentially all over the political and social spectrum. If there is one thing I have observed during these politicized times, it is that I cannot always predict how someone will vote or what they will care about based on my previous interactions with them. During these holidays, I’m going to be around people who disagree with me—even about some of the big things.
How do we handle this? I’ve written before about staying in the room with difference and the AND stance, which can help us accept that we do not have to agree in order to be productive colleagues and loving family members. But as we go into some family time, let’s look at another strategy: Setting the parameters of a conversation.
In some families, politics and social issues are on the menu for the holidays. In others, they are not invited at all. Setting the boundary of no political talk is healthy and reasonable. But what if you want to dive into political conversations? What if you and your family members like to dissect the previous year’s political machinations and share opinions about what has happened? Or what if you want to have some of these conversations, just within reason?
Enter parameters. Parameters are the guardrails you put on the conversation. You might be willing to discuss your political views about a certain issue, but not who you voted for or what you think of certain leaders. Maybe you define the objectives of the conversation. Instead of trying to convince each other of your own political opinions, you agree that your objectives are to understand where each other has landed and why. Parameters can also address the time and place. Maybe you are willing to talk about these things, but only for an hour. Or only while cooking, not while sitting down for a holiday meal. Parameters are essentially boundaries that you put around a conversation that could become tense, adversarial, or emotional.
My big brother and I have some major disagreements about big things. He recently asked me to have a conversation with him. I told him I would only be comfortable with a conversation if our objective is to understand each other’s differing perspectives, not to try to convince each other of anything. He did not agree. He struggles with the fact that we disagree on this issue, and he wants to make a case again about why I should abandon my “side” and join his. I gently let him know I can’t wait to hang out with him for Christmas, but I’m not willing to talk to him about this issue until he relinquishes the desire to change my mind. (I doubt we will ever talk about this issue.)
Maybe you are like my brother in that story. You want to bring up politics, and you know if your loved one would listen, they would see the light and amend their ways. Maybe you are like me. You are willing to talk, but you have accepted that you will continue to disagree. Maybe you want to stay as far away from these conversations as I want to stay away from the holiday abomination my husband makes us purchase—eggnog!
No matter where you fall, decide what parameters you are comfortable with. Decide what you are willing to discuss and share, and what you want to protect or avoid. You cannot force someone to sign on to your parameters, but they cannot force you to talk about something outside of the parameters you are comfortable with. Setting parameters for a conversation is like going over the rules of a board game. If you can’t agree on the rules, then don’t play the game. The holidays can be hurried, overwhelming, financially demanding, and emotional. They also can be restful, fun, and recharging. Don’t let conversations you have not signed up for derail the good stuff.
Happy holidays from your friends in the Ombuds Office! We wish you relaxation and peace throughout this time. s it might not be possible for you.
Box #1:
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
Box #2:
Save the date for upcoming trainings offered by the Ombuds:
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
January 21, 2026, from 9:00 to 12:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/cf15179e/enroll
Emotional Intelligence at Work
February 2, 2026, from 9:00 to 12:00
In-person at University Facilities Center, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/1be18cf1/enroll
Teamwork that Works
February 26, 2026, from 12:00 to 1:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/f60659b8/enroll
Combating Burnout and Cultivating Resilience
March 6, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
Virtually only, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/86042925/enroll
Navigating Intergenerational Workplaces
April 10, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up here:
https://clemson.bridgeapp.com/learner/training/8c562aa0/enroll
October 8, 2025
It has been a long few weeks. There is a lot going on globally, nationally, locally, and across Clemson. Our departments are dealing with financial changes, increasing workloads, and new systems to learn. Our people are encountering more that threatens to divide us, and I fear some of it is. My phone recently suggested to me an article with a title like, “Civility is Dead.” I chose not to read it (partly because who has time to read right now?), but the title stuck with me because I wholeheartedly disagree.
The halls of a university are the place where disagreement is not only possible; it is encouraged. When students are taught critical thinking, the implication is that they make up their own minds about the bigger questions of the day; they don’t just accept what professors or other students or scholars of the past have concluded. And when their conclusions differ from other’s conclusions, that disagreement is not ignored or catastrophized. Disagreement is just another participant in the classroom and in the research lab, a fixture that is always allowed but not allowed to take over.
Civility, then, is being able to keep working together and collaborating even when disagreement is present and when the topic is difficult and personal. You can hate a colleague’s take on current events and still greet them in the morning, ask about their sick dog, and work with them to complete a project. Civility is saying, “I’m not going to relinquish my beliefs, and I’m not expecting you to relinquish yours. But I’m going to see you as human first.”
I was recently working with some undergraduate students as they processed recent events. In this group, they had different takes. They had different heroes and villains in the narratives they told. They disagreed about a lot. And they listened. They pointed out where they agreed with each other. They acknowledged that they did not know everything and while they felt strongly, they made space for each other to argue the other side. They were civil, respectful, sometimes kind. It was an emotional meeting, and it was a productive one.
So amidst all this division, how do we stay civil? It is not easy, but it is simple:
Civility is hard. Sometimes it might not be possible for you. But it is not dead. In fact, we are the ones who have to keep it alive.
Box #1:
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
Box #2:
Save the date for upcoming trainings offered by the Ombuds:
Cultivating Resilience
November 3, 2025, from 9-11 a.m.
Location: University Facilities Center
Emotional Intelligence at Work
November 14, 2025, from 9-11 a.m.
Location: Virtually only
September 9, 2025
At Clemson University, we’re all about innovation, teamwork, and making a real impact. Whether you’re in a big meeting or just grabbing a coffee, you’re constantly trying to get your point across and inspire others. But let’s be honest, a dry presentation of facts and figures doesn’t always cut it. So, what’s the secret sauce for making your ideas stick? Storytelling!
It might sound old-school, but telling a good story is a superpower in today’s world. It’s not just for campfires and bedtime; it’s a critical skill for any staff member looking to lead, influence, and connect with colleagues (Simmons, 2001).
Your Brain on Stories : It’s All in the Connection
Ever notice how you can zone out during a lecture but hang on every word of a great movie? That’s not just you—it’s your brain! As author Lisa Cron (2012) explains, our minds are naturally wired to crave narratives. When someone tells a story, their brain and your brain actually sync up in a process called neural coupling (Hasson et al., 2010). It’s like a mental high-five that makes you feel connected and helps you understand and remember the message.
Stories tap into the parts of our brain that handle emotions and memory. That’s why a story about a challenge a team overcame is way more memorable than a list of project milestones. It’s not just about what happened, but how it felt. That emotional connection is what truly makes a message stick.
Why Stories Make You a Better Leader (and Teammate)
Think about the best leaders you know. They don’t just give orders; they inspire. They build a culture where everyone feels like they’re part of a bigger mission. As Paul Smith (2005) notes in his work on business narratives, leaders use stories to articulate their vision and build rapport.
A good story can help you:
Your Guide to Becoming a Storytelling Pro
Ready to level up your influence? Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful story that will grab attention and get results (Dicks, 2018; Biesenbach, 2009):
Step 1: Know Your “Why”
Before you start, ask yourself: What’s the point of this story? What do I want people to do or feel after they hear it? Whether you want to get a project approved or motivate your team, your goal is your compass.
Step 2: Find Your Core Message
Boil your idea down to a single, memorable message. Is it about the power of collaboration? The importance of innovation? This is the theme of your story.
Step 3: Build the Adventure
Every great story has a beginning, a middle with a challenge, and an end where the hero overcomes it. Don’t be afraid to include a little conflict! The struggle is what makes the resolution so rewarding.
Step 4: Make Characters Relatable
Whether you’re the main character or a colleague is, make them relatable. Audiences need to connect with the characters to care about what happens.
Step 5: Sprinkle in Emotion
Use vivid details to make your story come alive. Instead of saying, “The project was difficult,” describe the late nights, the frustrating roadblocks, and the moment of breakthrough. Make people feel what you felt.
Step 6: Stick the Landing
End your story with a powerful resolution that ties back to your goal. Make it clear what the takeaway is and what you want them to do next.
Step 7: Practice!
Practice makes perfect. Rehearse your story out loud and pay attention to your tone, body language, and pacing. The more you tell it, the more natural it will feel.
So, the next time you have an idea to share, think like a storyteller. You’ll be amazed at how a simple narrative can transform your message and help you inspire real change at Clemson.
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Michael Scott
Phone: 864-656-6353
Email: mesctt@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
Save the date for upcoming training offered by the Ombuds:
Introduction to Meditation
September 19, 2025 from 9a.m.-12 p.m.
Virtual only, sign up via Tiger Training.
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
October 1, 2025, from 9:00 to 12:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up via Tiger Training.
Cultivating Resilience
November 3, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up via Tiger Training.
Emotional Intelligence at Work
November 14, 2025, from 9:00 to 11:00
Virtually only, sign up via Tiger Training.
August 11, 2025
Are you and your colleagues on the same page? Are you thinking about your work in the same way? Do you see your objectives and your challenges similarly? Being on the same page is what researchers call shared cognitions, which impact the way your team interacts, communicates, and accomplishes tasks.
People are different and come from different perspectives. This is what makes working in groups so enriching and at times—so difficult! But the idea of shared cognitions is more basic than the personality and style differences that might exist on your team. While different team members might approach a problem differently, shared cognitions are about how we are defining the problem and what we ultimately think our team is responsible for.
In the book Teams that Work, Tannenbaum & Salas (2021) identify 8 shared cognitions that are important for team effectiveness. They are listed in the table below.
| Questions To Ask | Type of Shared Cognitions |
| Where to? | Vision, purpose, goals |
| What’s important? | Priorities |
| Who should? | Roles and responsibilities |
| How to? | Tasks, norms, interdependencies, expectations |
| Why to? | Rationale and connection to larger organization |
| Who knows? | Expertise on the team |
| What if? | Contingencies and succession planning |
| What’s up? | Situational awareness, team cues |
Does your team know the answers to these questions? Would you all answer these the same way?
I once worked with a team that was experiencing some conflict. As we set out on a dialogue session, I realized that some of the team thought their biggest problem was how the team interacted internally, and some of the team thought their external partners were causing their problems. This difference in problem definition caused reactions, plans, and perspectives that that team members could not understand. Instead of just working on why each person behaved a certain way, we needed to go back to how everyone was thinking and get on the same page about that. What problems were happening internally, and how did the team plan to address those? What problems were happening externally, and how did the team plan to address those? Shared cognitions are the foundation upon which interdependence, collaboration, and team success rest.
Here are some strategies for assessing and converging the cognitions that exist on your team:
Is your team on the same page? How can you get there?
Box #1:
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
*Save the date for upcoming training offered by the Ombuds:*
Introduction to Mediation
September 19, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Virtually only; sign up here:
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
October 1, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here
Cultivating Resilience
November 3, 2025, from 9-11 a.m.
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here:
Emotional Intelligence at Work
November 14, 2025, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Virtual; sign up here
June 12, 2025
Good afternoon! In this month’s newsletter, Staff Senate extends a huge thank you to the participants and sponsors who helped Staff Senate Golf Tournament a great success. The Office of Human Resources is offering a session to learn about the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program. This month’s newsletter also highlights the various resources offered by Campus Recreation enhance overall well-being, Green Zone Training and more.
June 10, 2025
In February, I wrote about the Job-Demands-Resources (JDR) model of work stress. As a reminder, the JDR model says that our collective job demands create stress and strain, which can eventually lead to physical and mental health problems and negative outcomes for our organization. At the same time, our collective job resources inspire motivation, which can lead to positive organizational outcomes, such as productivity, profitability, and employee engagement (see model below).
Job demands could include a difficult co-worker, long work hours, or a tense relationship with your supervisor, while job resources could include a wellness program, adequate annual leave or a trusted relationship with your supervisor.
For some of these demands and resources, we have no control or way to change them. None of us can control Clemson’s state mandated annual leave policy no matter how much we might want to. I mentioned in February that job crafting is something in your control you can do to enhance your job resources.
On the other hand, there is something in your control you can do to make your job demands even more challenging: self-undermining. Self-undermining at work includes not showing up, coming to work late, and having a bad attitude. Let’s say you have a difficult relationship with your supervisor. Then you show up late and fail to turn in some assignments on time. As difficult as it is to have a supervisor who you feel doesn’t like or support you, it’s not going to get any better when you begin to slack off. Now in addition to the tough relationship, you are creating performance issues for yourself—an added job demand that makes your stress at work increase.
One of the reasons we begin these cycles of self-undermining behavior is because we feel stuck when our job demands increase. Instead of figuring out some solutions for the challenging relationship with your supervisor, you might find it simpler to become complacent. But simple now does not mean easier on you overall. Your self-undermining behavior will ultimately come back on you—not on the other person.
When I work with employees who feel that they are the recipient of an unfair evaluation or disciplinary action, I always separate their next steps into two categories. The first category is the performance one. If a supervisor is giving direct feedback on what you need to start or stop doing, it’s in your best interest to start or stop doing those things. If you ignore the specific feedback, your supervisor might decide to take further disciplinary action. A verbal reprimand that feels unfair can quickly become a suspension that impacts your pay and your reputation in the office.
The second category is the justice one. If you feel that an action is unjust or unfair, there are steps to take. For some situations, there are official appeals processes; for others, writing a rebuttal or making your voice heard in a meeting might be your only recourse. The key is that these two categories need to happen at the same time. If you ignore the performance concerns while you fight for justice, you are undermining yourself by creating a bigger mess to clean up. You can fight for justice while also ensuring that you are responding to a supervisor’s performance concerns.
In order to break the cycle of self-undermining, we need to identify what our job demands are, and brainstorm some ways to address, mitigate, or remove them. If you are struggling with a relationship at work, maybe you need some mediation or some help sharing your concerns with the other person. If you are struggling with motivation or getting your job done on time, maybe you need some help with time management and finding purpose in your work. If you are unable to advocate for a pay increase, maybe your supervisor will approve a more flexible weekly schedule. When our job demands rise, we can always combat the process by job crafting and working to increase our job resources in equal measure.
Things are hard right now at home, in the classroom, at work, and around the world. Don’t make things even harder on yourself by undermining your own success and stability.
Bakker, A.B. and Demerouti, E. (2007), “The Job Demands‐Resources model: state of the art”, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 309-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
Box #1:
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it.
Tessa Byer
Phone: 864-656-5353
Email: tbyer@clemson.edu
Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
*Save the date for upcoming training offered by the Ombuds:*
Introduction to Mediation
September 19, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Virtually only; sign up here:
Don’t Tough It Out: Difficult Situations at Work
October 1, 2025, from 9 a.m. – noon
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here
Cultivating Resilience
November 3, 2025, from 9-11 a.m.
Location: University Facilities Center; sign up here:
Emotional Intelligence at Work
November 14, 2025, from 9 – 11 a.m.
Virtual; sign up here
