If you're unhappy and know it, shut up

Phony cheer beats grumpy at work, a motivational speaker says.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published January 29, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Unhappy workers write Connie Podesta to ask for help. They say they can't pretend to be upbeat at work when they feel so miserable. They say they don't want to be phony. What should they do?

Fake it, says Podesta.

"I'd take phony over grumpy any day," she said.

Podesta, a motivational speaker and comedian, was speaking to more than 300 Pasco business and political leaders at Monday's kick-off luncheon for the 15th annual Business Development Week.

This was the second straight year that Podesta was the keynote speaker. The West Pasco Chamber of Commerce, which puts together the week of workshops and mixers, said it brought her back by popular demand.

Podesta returned with her no-nonsense advice on such issues as dealing with change in the workplace "Deal with it, you big babies," she said she tells people and with a personality profile test (based on what geometric shape people see themselves as) that garnered audience participation.

Most of all, she said, she wanted participants to understand the importance of being proud of both the professional and personal choices they make.

If you aren't proud of either one, she said, you're unhappy, which means you're not physically well either.

Headaches. Neck pain. Digestion problems.

"Our body is going to figure it out," she said.

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.

Fast facts:

To attend

Events continue at 9 a.m. today with programs and workshops at Pasco-Hernando Community College's Ridge Road campus. For information, visit the chamber's Web site at www.westpasco.com.

[Last modified January 28, 2008, 23:17:21]