Many people think that working from home is “the dream.” You can wear whatever you want (ah, sweet freedom from the tyranny of neckties, pantyhose, and high heels!), no one is stopping by your office every five minutes to ask you questions or otherwise interrupt your work flow, and you can listen headphone-free to—and sing […]
Making Meetings More Effective (and Inclusive) for Everyone
I just hate meetings. – J.K. Rowling The business world has a love–hate relationship with meetings: can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. On the one hand, meetings are indispensable tools. E-mail, IM, Slack channels, phone calls—these and other messaging media are great ways to communicate in the office or with clients, and for […]
Make 2020 the Year You Speak Up!
To be passive is to let others decide for you. To be aggressive is to decide for others. To be assertive is to decide for yourself. And to trust that there is enough, that you are enough. —Edith Eva Eger If you want to succeed in the business world, you must know how to ask […]
The End-of-the-Year Gift to Yourself: Forgiveness
Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom. —Hannah Arendt Are you ready for the end of 2019? If you’re like most people, you’re probably working your way through your to-do lists and hoping to get everything done by the end of the year. (If you’re in that boat, last month’s post about staying productive, […]
How to Stay Productive—and Sane—During the Last Month of the Year
We all have times when we feel like we’re underwater—like we can’t catch up with all of our work responsibilities. That feeling can be especially strong in late autumn, when it’s magnified by “gotta get this done before the end of the year” pressure. Fortunately, there are plenty of great strategies that can help you […]
Workforce 2030: Upskilling Your Workforce for the Next Dacade
Today’s business leaders face the challenge of creating the future workplace. —Chess Media Group No matter how great its product or service is, a company can succeed only if it has good people. It may have solid funding and an innovative business plan, but without top-notch employees to produce, promote, and support its products, a […]
Book Club Highlights: Conversations on 5 Generations in the Office
Workplace demographics have been undergoing dramatic change during the past several years and with the arrival of Gen Z, more and more organizations are looking for guidance on how to navigate those shifts. I wrote Clash of the Generations: Managing a New Workplace Reality in the hope that it would be a useful tool for […]
Workforce 2030: Are You Ready?
I think there is an enormous sea change happening in the global workforce. —Dan Gilroy, American filmmaker The long-heralded workforce of 2020 has arrived, which means that leaders now need to focus on preparing for workforce 2030 and what employment landscapes will look like in another decade. No one has a crystal ball that makes […]
How to Build and Promote Your Personal Brand
Products are made in a factory, but brands are created in the mind. —Walter Landor; designer and pioneer of branding & consumer research techniques Through its brand, a company communicates who it is, what it stands for, the values it embraces, and how it expresses those values. One important goal of corporate branding is […]
How to Find a Mentor and Nurture the Relationship for the Long Haul
Show me a successful individual and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life. I don’t care what you do for a living—if you do it well I’m sure there was someone cheering you on or showing the way. A mentor. — Denzel Washington Last month I wrote […]
Building Your Management Skills—Even Without Help from Your Company
The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. —Ray Kroc, Grinding It Out When I first started managing employees (in the early 90s), my two top responsibilities were identifying potential roadblocks that would affect the schedule and providing financial oversight so we met budgetary restrictions. My project management skills […]
Look Out, World! Generation Z Is Here!
Every generation brings something new to the workplace. —Kathryn Minshew Born in 1997, the youngest members of Generation Z have recently begun entering the workforce. Although we don’t know yet exactly how big that generation will be (demographers haven’t yet established its endpoint), odds are good that it will wind up being a pretty […]
Motivating Employees: Look Beyond Money
When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute. —Simon Sinek When you’re a manager, no matter what size your department is and how far removed you are from the CEO’s office, part of your job is to define the mission and goals of your […]
Need more time for strategic thinking? Learn effective delegation!
Chinese philosopher Xun Kuang, 3rd century BCE: Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I learn. Effective delegation can be one of the most difficult skills for managers to learn. On the typical promotion path, an individual contributor does such a great job that he or she is […]
My New Year’s Wish for YOU: Make Mistakes!
Happy New Year, everyone! Borrowing the words of the author Neil Gaiman, I offer you this very sincere and most heartfelt wish for 2019: I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Now before you get annoyed at me, think about what that means. It’s great to strive to do your best, […]
Leading with Gratitude: No Longer just a Hippy-Dippy Theory
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up with more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. —Oprah Winfrey One might argue that of course Oprah feels grateful, because she has everything and is now the wealthiest […]
Val’s Holiday Survival Guide
The holidays stress people out so much. I suggest you keep it simple and try to have as much fun as you can. —Giada De Laurentiis Good advice Giada…. Regardless of which holidays you celebrate at this time of year (or if you celebrate none in particular), it’s hard not to get swept up in […]
Network Your Way to Your Next Opportunity
These days it seems that every book, blog, or lecture that has anything to do with business mentions the importance of networking. And for good reason: a good network can help people get better (and more interesting) projects, opportunities, and even promotions.
Managing Conflict in the Office – Part 2 (8 Steps to Resolve Conflict)
Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. ~ Ronald Reagan You come into work feeling rested and ready to hit it hard when lo and behold, you encounter one of every manager’s worst nightmares: infighting in your department. Or perhaps one of your employees is having […]
Managing Conflict in the Office – Part 1
Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are. —Stephen Moyer When two or more people spend time together, they’re bound to come into conflict, and when happens, conflict resolution is in order. But even though conflict is a universal inevitability in the workplace, many managers don’t know […]
