Reframing a Tattler’s Tale
Have you ever had to work with a tattletale? The parallels between childhood tattling and workplace tale-bearing came to mind while I was visiting a friend whose child kept appealing for adult intervention in her... Continue reading
Giving Thanks: As Easy as Pie
Thanksgiving 2012 How should we celebrate Thanksgiving this year when so many people are still battling the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy? When some won’t be back in their own homes in time for the holiday... Continue reading
How to Handle Workplace Tantrums and Meltdowns
A manager in a creative industry wrote in to ask how she can deal with a colleague who regularly throws hissy fits, all of which follow a similar pattern. The Hisser has a periodic and... Continue readingThere’s Sandy in My Oyster!
The idea that “the world is your oyster” is originally from Shakespeare. It suggests that the world is the equivalent of a closed shell, and that it is ours to enjoy and profit from, in... Continue reading
How Can You Get Your Manager to Let You Help?
I heard from a middle manager who struggles with his senior manager’s unclear delegation and occasional absence of direction. The senior manager constantly shifts assignments, switching up what’s urgent today and what’s important tomorrow with... Continue reading
Expectations Can Be Blinding
Here’s a small example of how we prevent ourselves from recognizing reality when our expectations get in the way: Last week I was scheduled to fly to Las Vegas for the Marketing EDGE board meeting... Continue reading
Should You Fib for a Better Service Impression?
Sometimes service people say things that an astute customer knows are false. They act as if embroidering the truth enhances their self-image or their organization’s, while making the customer feel better and more cared for.... Continue reading
How a Lack of Feedback Can Undermine Job Security
A seasoned executive was venting to me about her dissatisfaction with the work of a longtime employee. Over time, the employee seems to have succumbed to a combination of habitual carelessness and general lack of... Continue reading