Does your boss know what you really think of them? Do your co-workers understand the steps you are taking to blow up their careers? Does the HR department comprehend how far along you are in your job search? Is the office manager aware that the person stealing employee lunches from the break room fridge is … Read more
What’s the one thing keeping you from being the free-spending, high-living, totally obnoxious rich person you were meant to be? Simple! You don’t have any money. Well, you do have some money, but even if you were to cash in your “English Patient” action figures, it’s still not enough to put you in the 1 … Read more
You know who you are. When you stand up to speak in a meeting, people listen. When you say jump, people jump. You’re magnetic. You’ve got energy. Panache. Power. In a word, you’re charismatic. Or you will be, after you finish reading this column. Consider, if you will, my sad story. No one ever paid … Read more
Personally, I blame Benjamin Franklin. It was old Ben who told us, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” The fact that it can also make a man exhausted, cranky and deeply depressed did not stop Franklin from promulgating his catchy, but highly prejudicial, axiom. Which is why … Read more
Join me, friend, in a toast to the good old days. You know — those wonderful days of yore when management could expect workers to put in their 20 years, collect their gold watch and then promptly die. Today, people are living longer and working longer. Instead of having to deal with a troublemaker like … Read more
Be honest — are you over stimulated? I know you’re excited to read this week’s column, but that doesn’t explain the rapid heart rate, the gushing hormones, the pinballing pupils. No, it’s your floor plan that’s the culprit. It’s just too darn open. In the words of Alan Henry, author of “Simple Desk Improvements That … Read more
You may not be the most productive worker in your company or the best paid, but no one can say you aren’t the weirdest. Alas, there are forces in the work force that are out to attack your weirdness. They want everyone to be “normal.” You can imagine how boring that would be. In a … Read more
These days, it’s difficult to find heroes. Outside of thee and me, of course. That’s why a recent Jena McGregor article in The Washington Post is a must-read for those who are looking for inspiration, as well as income, from their jobs. “Why We Love Stories About Workers Who Sleep On The Job” is the … Read more
If there is one company I don’t expect to provide workplace advice, it is L.L. Bean. The famed Freeport, Maine, provider of outdoor gear and garb has great credibility when it comes to selecting the right snowsuit for a trip up Mt. Everest or picking the right canoe for your trip down Niagara Falls, but … Read more
Good news! You’ve been promoted to supervisor. Bad news! You’ve been promoted to supervisor. As a supervisor, you are expected to do many new things. Like work. Let’s face it. Not everyone in your department can have the same sick grandmother with the same chronic case of exploding head syndrome — a classic excuse that … Read more