On Careers
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What Reality-Based Management Looks Like
Continue reading… 2 CommentsI don't buy into any trendy management theory, but I have my own, which I'm starting to think of as "reality-based management."
Reality-based management means that you commit to seeing and dealing with reality, as opposed to living in some hazier alternative. Period. That's it. The rest stems naturally from there.
For example:
Reality-based management means that when employees come to you with frustrations or complaints, you hear them out with an open mind, even if the complaints are about you. It does not mean getting defensive, angry, or shutting them out. In fact, to the contrary, it means thanking them for coming to you--and really meaning it.
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In a Job Interview, Put Your Interviewer at Ease
Continue reading… 1 CommentYou are worried about the job interview. You have gone through a rehearsal with a savvy friend, reviewed your answers to the most likely questions, and picked out the right clothing.
You have done all of these things, in part, to put yourself at ease. You know that the less you have to worry about ("Did I shine my shoes?"), the better your performance will be.
There is, however, at least one other person you should seek to relax: the interviewer.
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How a Question Can Change Your World
Continue reading… 1 CommentWant a surefire way to make your world more interesting, stimulating, and energizing? I can sum it up in one little word...
Curiosity.
Next time you're around small children, watch how they engage the world around them. It's inspiring. It really is. There's a discovery around every corner, and everything is wondrous and new.
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How a Telecommuting Tax Cut Would Fit Obama and McCain
Continue reading… 3 CommentsI didn't watch the Democratic National Convention. I'm not watching the Republican National Convention, either. It's part of my plan to keep myself from dying of boredom. But someone from one of those conventions should listen to me and make the following suggestion part of their platform:
Tax cuts for companies that encourage telecommuting.
Oh, I know, we've got bigger fish to fry and more negative campaign ads to create before anyone would do this, but why not? It's the perfect issue for either party.
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A Foolproof Way to Cure Job Boredom
Continue reading… 3 CommentsSummer's over. (Sigh.)
Are you back at work? And are you bored silly?
If so, you're not alone. According to a Gallup Poll cited in the Washington Post, 55 percent of all U.S. employees are not "engaged" at work.
Boredom can lead to fatigue, overeating, chronic pain, and, often, job loss. But fear not! There's a foolproof cure:
Learn something new.
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Copy Football Coaches for Work Success
Continue reading… 1 CommentIt's September, and football season is now officially underway. The first high school and college games were played over the weekend, and it's about time.
I want to talk about coaches today. You can insert your own memory of your favorite sport and coach, beginning now.
Here are seven things that coaches do that each one of us can do in our own jobs:
1. Put people in positions where they can be successful. Good coaches don't put small kids in the line—they know better.
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6 Reasons You Failed the Phone Interview
Continue reading… 9 CommentsLast week, I wrote about reasons your résumé might end up in my trash. This week, let's assume you've made it past the initial résumé screening and now are at the phone interview stage. Here are some ways to quickly fail the phone interview:
1. Not displaying a grasp of what the job is all about. I'm amazed by how often I ask a candidate to tell me what she knows so far about the job and receive an answer that's significantly off-base. If a job description is posted online, read it—and read it with clear eyes. I've noticed when candidates get this wrong, they tend to add more glamour to the job than really exists. For instance, if I'm hiring for a high-drudgery data entry job, I'll always get a candidate or two who tell me that they think the job involves research and lots of contact with the public. This is bad for two reasons: (1) It shows that they haven't paid attention to the detailed job description I posted, and (2) It makes me think they won't be satisfied with the reality of what the job actually entails.
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Help! My Project Is in Quicksand
Continue reading… 0 CommentsWhat happens when a project drags on and on and on? I'm not talking days, weeks, or even months. I mean years.
That's what has unfolded at my current gig, where a major project that I am ultimately responsible for is constantly put up on the shelf. Oh, there's plenty of talk about it. Just no action.
Stalled. Stagnated. Stopped. These 'S' words suddenly sound uglier than the 'F' bomb.
