Work, success and meaning at every stage of your career
“It was just a joke.” How many times have you witnessed mean and aggressive behavior explained away by that line? Actor Will Smith’s meltdown at the Academy Awards was inexcusable, but it ripped the cover off something we all know: humor, even when used by professionals, can become a weapon. The very things that make … Continue reading When Humor Becomes Weaponized
Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I’m focused on spooks, monsters, and things that go bump in the night today. Here are some monsters you might encounter in the workplace even after Halloween. (This is an update of a 2020 post, revenant.) A new scary workplace phenomenon for 2022: Quiet Quitters. I think of them … Continue reading Monsters in the Workplace
In a previous post, I wrote about micro expressions – tiny flickers of emotion that tell the truth even when someone would prefer not to. This post is about another small thing that can make a big difference in your relationships. If you haven’t heard the term microaggression before, it’s probably because most people don’t … Continue reading Small Things that Feel Big
I know you. In fact, I am you. I, too, have some habits I’d like to change. Some I want to stop and some I want to start. And when I don’t make the changes I know will make my life better, I blame me. BJ Fogg, PhD, founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford … Continue reading How to Change
If you’re struggling with time management, at home or for work, this post is for you, courtesy of organizer Julie Morgenstern, author of Time Management from the Inside Out. She starts her book by asking readers to decide why they want to manage time better before she gives advice on how to manage time better. … Continue reading What’s Keeping You from Getting Organized?
By some accounts, “workaholic” was the second widespread “addiction” to be identified in a public forum (Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 to deal with the first.) Pastor and psychologist Wayne Oates wrote an article on the subject in 1968, followed by his book Confessions of a Workaholic in 1971. Although National Workaholics Day is … Continue reading National Workaholics Day is July 5
Therese Huston based her book How Women Decide on a premise: “Is a woman’s experience issuing a tough call, a decision with serious stakes, any different from a man’s? I’ve found that when a man faces a hard decision, he only has to think about making a judgment, but when a woman faces a hard … Continue reading When a Women Decides
Speaking up in meetings can be nerve-wracking for many people. Even workers who are not normally shy feel panic at the thought of expressing ideas in front of the boss. One employee of a nonprofit says she can feel her throat close up if she’s called on to express an opinion. Another colleague says, “I’m … Continue reading 5 Ways to Make Your Point More Effectively
Disclaimer: Procrastination is fixable, but the reason you’re avoiding what you should be doing probably isn’t. If you’re dreading a task, chances are you’ll be able to find a reason to avoid it. But if you’re someone who by default puts some things off to the last minute, you can develop tools to help you … Continue reading Procrastination is Fixable
Conflict happens on the job. Even people who agree on what must be done can have strong disagreements about methods. When resources are scarce or performance pressure is high, you can easily have conflict that boils over. Mark Gerzon, a mediation expert and author of “Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities,” … Continue reading Hot and Cold Conflict in the Office
Your Work, Your Way 