Nobody enjoys being critiqued, corrected, or criticized. It’s hard to hear that we’re not good enough, or that we’re not okay just the way we are. It’s hard even when we’ve asked for the feedback... Continue reading
Sometimes, instead of pushing for a yes, it’s better to get the message that there’s no way, no how, no hope, no need, no budget, no possibility, not now, probably not ever, we just don’t... Continue reading
My family was incredibly lucky on 9/11. Some of us were periodic users of the Chambers Street subway station -- but not that day. A dear friend worked right near the Pentagon -- he was... Continue reading
Last week I took a couple of people out to lunch at a local restaurant where I’ve been before for both business and social lunches: The food is reasonably good, the service is reasonably responsive,... Continue reading
I have a four-year-old friend: a rather strong-willed, loving, and declarative little girl. The summer camp she attends is also quite declarative -- about what constitutes correct behavior, and how the children should handle any... Continue reading
Recognizing a Bully As a manager, you might not know that you have a bully reporting to you. Depending on a bully’s style, you may never observe an inappropriate interaction yourself. In these difficult times,... Continue reading
Can a work group resolve a bully problem without the intervention or support of senior management? Several readers raised this question with the concern that it can be inconvenient, impractical, or downright useless to try... Continue reading
Because I’ve been writing about bullying for the last few weeks, I’ve been noticing behavior which, although it may not seem so bad at first, can rise to the level of bullying if it’s repeated,... Continue reading
Have you ever been bullied at work? You might be surprised at the wide variety of bullying styles, from raging and being overt about their use of power to demure and definitely under the radar.... Continue reading
Workplace bullies may not realize that other people think of them that way. They tend to think they’re just trying to get business results that they deem reasonable, important, or necessary. Their sense of “getting... Continue reading
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