Feeling Safe at Work

There are two kinds of safety leaders are responsible for in the workplace. Physical safety is one of them: making sure that employees’ health and wellbeing are important priorities (the pandemic changed what used to be a low priority in most settings to the primary issue in almost every industry.) Workers also want to know … Continue reading Feeling Safe at Work

Soft Language Works for Women

In an article for The New York Times, Adam Grant says the advice women get to eliminate “soft language” is bad advice. He writes, “If you’re a woman, you’ve probably gotten this advice from a mentor, a coach or a teacher. If you want to be heard, use more forceful language. If you want a … Continue reading Soft Language Works for Women

Do Clothes Make the Man?

“A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey,” Spanish proverb There’s a saying in almost every culture that reminds us that “clothes don’t make the man (or woman).” The aphorism cuts both ways; it warns us that dressing up doesn’t make you a better person. It also warns us that we shouldn’t judge people by … Continue reading Do Clothes Make the Man?

On Being Bored

I am a person who is almost never bored. I have an active mind and plenty of projects and plans to keep myself occupied. I’m also a voracious reader, so there’s always something new being planted in my brain. Nope – never bored. But now I’m thinking that might not be a good thing. Nicola … Continue reading On Being Bored

Time Management for the 21st Century

If there’s one aspect of quiet quitting that makes sense, it’s that the quitters are finally acknowledging that you can’t get it all done. Not in one day, not in a 40-hour workweek; maybe not in a lifetime. There will always be more to be done, and  the stress of that fact is what causes … Continue reading Time Management for the 21st Century

Candace Moody, Human Writer

My post “The Labor Illusion” talks about what AI can never do: show its work. It will always produce pretty good work instantly. I pride myself in producing excellent work pretty fast. I’m proud to be one of the first writers to be certified as Human by Authory, the site I use as my online … Continue reading Candace Moody, Human Writer

The Labor Illusion

Blogger Phil Agnew wrote a great post about Steve Jobs’s ability to persuade. He writes of Jobs: “His ability to convince billions of people to buy his products at premium prices was no coincidence.” One of the techniques Jobs used so effectively was “The Labor Illusion.” The labor illusion suggests that when people witness the effort and … Continue reading The Labor Illusion

Quantitative Intuition

Data drives almost every business decision in almost every modern business. Even creative industries like art and music rely on data to figure out what sells to whom for how much and how often. We have access to more data than ever; in fact, if you’ve got a big enough server farm, you can access … Continue reading Quantitative Intuition

Winning the Status Game

There are two things every human craves, according to science writer Will Storr, author of The Status Game. We want to get along and get ahead. In other words, we desire to be part of a group – a very basic human need – and we desire to be admired, to have status within the … Continue reading Winning the Status Game

It’s Time to Quit.

“Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Remember that from your high school football coach, or your piano teacher, your personal trainer, or your dad? (The original is attributed to the great Vince Lombardi.) What if they’re all wrong? (Sorry, Vince.) What if quitting is your fastest path to success? By now, everyone’s talking about … Continue reading It’s Time to Quit.