On Careers
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What Good Bosses Hate to See
Continue reading… 3 CommentsIf I walked into a room filled with good bosses and I asked them what they hate to encounter, this is what would be said:
“Surprises. Can’t stand them. I want to know what’s going on. The one thing that keeps me up nights is the fear that someone will suddenly reveal that what was once a small problem has grown into a monster and, by the way, we need to talk to a lawyer.”
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Does Thanksgiving Belong at Work?
Continue reading… 3 CommentsA job is a business arrangement. You give employers your work and, in exchange, they give you money. Simple.
So, in this season of giving thanks, do you think there's any room for gratitude in the labor-for-cash equation? Especially nowadays, when employers and employees alike are worrying about the next layoff or cutback, and everyone generally feels a little less than optimistic?
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11 Ideas for Obama's Jobs Summit
Continue reading… 1 CommentI hear some of the folks in Washington talking about creating jobs and I just cringe.
Obviously, out here in the private sector one does not “create” a job. We create businesses that solve problems. Some of those businesses require people to run them, service accounts, and build stuff. While there are businesses that don’t require many workers, that’s still OK, because the person who figured out how to do more with fewer employees goes out and buys a new flat screen TV, new garage doors, and upgrades the furnace.
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Why Performance Reviews Deserve a Better Rap
Continue reading… 2 CommentsPerformance evaluations often get a bad rap by people who see them as a bureaucratic waste of time.
And, yes, if you treat performance evaluations as a waste of time—each one an exercise you just have to get through so you can say it was done—that's exactly what they will be. But when done right, by good managers, performance evaluations can be meaningful and useful, both to the employee and the manager evaluating her.
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7 Moves for Effective Meetings
Continue reading… 0 CommentsManagement writer Lin Bothwell once said that it takes a darned good meeting to beat no meeting at all. Those of us who’ve sat through mind-numbing meetings would agree. When people stagger to the door and announce that “it’s time to get back to work,” they are revealing how they regard the time just spent.
Here are a few approaches that can make meetings more productive:
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5 Self-Made Barriers Between You and Your Dream Career
Continue reading… 2 CommentsAre any of the obstacles standing between you and your dreams self-inflicted? If so, you’re in good company. We all manage to get in our own way at times. Fortunately, sometimes all it takes to stop getting in our own way is to realize we’re doing it. With that in mind, here are five mistakes I see frequently blocking people’s path to passion:
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Hey, Employees: When You Resign, Be Kind
Continue reading… 0 CommentsLast week, I told you why bosses should be nice when employees resign. Now, I'm going to tell you why—even if your boss is the devil incarnate, Prada-clad or not—you should resign professionally.
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How to Deal With Adversity at Work
Continue reading… 4 CommentsIn a comment on my “How to Survive a Bad Boss” post, one reader asked, “But what if you are so nervous around your boss, and your fear of failure is amplified by her actions….what recommendations might be offered as far as coping skills?”
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Why 'Going Rogue' Is a Good Thing
Continue reading… 5 CommentsThe title of Sarah Palin's book reminds me of something I have known during my entrepreneurial career:
Every start-up needs a rogue.
Or a wild duck. Think of all those V-shaped gaggles of geese flying south right now. Now, picture one goose that is flying out of formation, making its own way against the headwind, no wind drafting, maybe not even knowing the built-in compass heading. Goodness knows that flying in formation is nature's way of protecting the flock.
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How Much Can You Change Your Manager?
Continue reading… 3 CommentsOne of the most common themes of questions I receive at Ask a Manager is: "How can I change my manager?" Or, how can I make her stop this annoying habit, or not be a jerk, or learn to manage her time better?
The answer is: Maybe you can't.
