Watch Out for the Emptiness of Empowerment
Long, long ago, maybe back in the ’80s, “empowerment” was the hot new thing in workplaces. The word itself had a regenerative, creative, motivating sound. It held the possibility that, instead of laboring under bureaucratic... Continue reading
“That’s The Way (I Like It)”: When Customers Sing the Wrong Song
Perhaps we’ve trained customers to believe that they’re always right or “king” so thoroughly that some of them feel “special” enough to violate institutional norms with impunity. Some of the behavior I witnessed during a... Continue reading
When Appearances Can Really Make a Difference
Is this little hotel room presentation cute, or what? A couple of weeks ago my colleague Katie and I went to an all-day meeting in Virginia Beach, VA where we stayed at a Hilton Garden... Continue reading
What To Do If Your Boss Brainstorms for All the Wrong Reasons
One of the kinds of leaders who can drive employees crazy is the “Brainstormy” Boss, who creates a work environment that’s as changeable as the weather. It’s Raining Ideas! When brainstorming is used appropriately -- as... Continue reading
This is What to Do When Your Boss is Unrealistic
What can you do if it's clear that your boss thinks your job is a lot easier to do than it really is? You can think of her as the “Have You Gotten Any Better... Continue reading
This Is Why Fundraising Calls Are So Annoying!
It’s normal to be annoyed when you’re solicited at home by an organization you don’t know or don’t care about. But being mishandled by an organization you support is irritating too! A fundraising call I... Continue reading
This Is What to Do with an Employee Who Cries
Here’s an example of how to use emotional data to help individuals work more effectively. A frontline manager in a service company was known to have an emotional hair trigger. When Charisse didn’t care for... Continue reading
How to Help Colleagues Regulate Out-of-Control Emotions
No matter how important it is to take everyone’s feelings into account, it’s still not reasonable to expect tears, shouts, or clenched jaws in the workplace every day. Excessive or poorly directed emotions get in... Continue reading