Workplace Wisdom Archive

Hate Getting Feedback? Here Are Ways to Handle Your Resistance

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

What Your Customer Can’t (and Shouldn’t Have to) Do For You

It is not your customer’s job to… …make you feel good or comfortable or safe, …know the constraints you labor under, …understand what you wish they would say or do, …figure out your business model,... Continue reading

Piercing Questions about a Successful Manager

Daughter had been asking to have her ears pierced for as long as, well, for as long as she knew what it meant. So we went to the mall. To the accessories and jewelry store,... Continue reading

When “No” is Preferable to “Maybe”

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

Partnering for Problem-Solving

When you need someone to take action on a problem, isn’t your instinct to tell them exactly what to do so you have the best chance of getting the outcome you want? Three recent scenarios... Continue reading

Waiting for Things to Settle Down

This past weekend, I attended a meeting sponsored by the Omega Institute to hear Thich Nhat Hanh speak. He's the Vietnamese Buddhist monk who was nominated by Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace... Continue reading

Money Might Talk, but What Is It Saying?

Many employers are enamored of financial incentives for employees, and in fact, incentives or commissions can be extremely effective motivators because most people need more money all the time and certainly we think of money... Continue reading

A Mindful Message

I usually keep my work life and my religious life fairly discrete; I’m a big believer in the separation of church and state, and my religious beliefs and practices are really nobody’s business. But on... Continue reading

Travels, Travails, and Truths

As a frequent flier and someone who craves autonomy, I prefer an aisle seat. It’s the only way to preserve some slight distance between overly assertive or careless neighbors and me. It also lets me... Continue reading

Nearly Sleepless in Seattle

Here’s the scenario: It’s 11:15 at night in Seattle. Daughter and I are trying to check into a moderately-priced airport hotel for a layover on our way to Vancouver. The complication is that I am... Continue reading

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