“Can we talk?” Judy didn’t wait for my reply. “Let’s go in here.” My hand, which was reaching for my bag in preparation to leave work for the day, froze in mid-air. I almost made it out, I thought to myself with a laugh. I followed Judy to a small meeting room and plopped down […]
How to Handle Public Criticism at Work
I crept downstairs to my TV-room, and left the lights off. I sat on my couch and folded my legs underneath me, and reached for the remote. Thank goodness Mom and Dad are too tired from their Thanksgiving travels to stay up with me and watch this, I thought. This is going to be harrowing […]
Why College Didn’t Prepare Me for My Career
Everyone knew that it was going to rain on our graduation ceremony, but not one of the graduates brought an umbrella. In our defense, we’d been rained on a lot since our freshman year, and we had long been immune to soggy jeans and cold fingers and toes. Plus, the rain made our rivers ripe […]
Signs That You Are Depressed at Work
This is going to be so embarrassing, I thought, and braced myself as I walked toward my doctor’s reception desk. I imagined the expression I’d get from the nurse at the desk once I opened my mouth — a mixture of disbelief and annoyance. But I had to know the answer to a question that […]
3 Quirky Tactics for Choosing a Career Path
“A helicopter pilot? That’s what it says?” The high school career counselor stifled her smile. “Yep, that’s what it says.” I looked down at the paper in my hand. I expected the test results to be silly, but not ridiculous. A helicopter pilot? I couldn’t even (and had little desire to) drive a stick. Moments […]
An Introvert’s Guide to a Successful Working Style
“That’s him,” I said, and motioned with my chin towards the approaching wave of newly-arrived travelers flowing through the airport’s exit-checkpoint. “You sure?” The news photographer picked up his bulky camera and hefted it to his shoulder. The handsome, twenty-something lead singer looked a little different than the picture on his band’s website, but I […]
Should You Work to Impress or to Collaborate? — An Interview with Matt LeMay
Matt LeMay, business consultant, coach, and author, has an interesting way of gauging a company’s underlying culture. He asks a team leader if they would like some coffee. He finds their reaction telling. Do they offer to accompany Matt on his coffee-run? Do they offer to pay? Do they dub Matt as the coffee guy […]
How to Improve Your Work Ethic and Feel Fulfilled in Your Career
Tom Cruise and Don Johnson wanted a picture with me. They each motioned for me to step forward, and butterflies battered the inside of my stomach. Earlier in the evening, I assumed that the crowd around them would not disperse before the night’s end, barring my chance for a photo. That was okay — I […]
The Simple Key to Improving Your Status at Work
I have a problem with status, by which I mean someone’s social or professional standing or rank. But my problem is not what you think — I’m not offended by the pursuit of status. People should strive for and receive acknowledgement for their accomplishments. I have a problem when someone mistakenly pairs their status at […]
How You Can Change Attitudes to Mental Health at Work – An Interview with Jonathan Phelan
Have you ever seen a picture of a tardigrade? It looks like an alien. But tardigrades, also known as water bears, are earth-dwellers — and the toughest animals on our planet. Tardigrades can withstand extreme heat and cold, dehydration and starvation, and intense pressures. Incredibly, even a trip into space is no problem for them. […]