My high school history teacher, Mr Wright, was more physically fit than I thought. He lithely stepped onto the diving board, walked to the tip, and peered into the water. He acted as though he wanted to make sure the water in the pool was still there, while we, the student body, cheered and jeered. […]
The Best and Worst Advice I Ever Heard About Work
I waved and smiled over my shoulder as a co-worker walked past me and out the door. It was late in the day — closing time. I squished the phone between my shoulder and ear, and looked through the papers on my desk. “So I have to stay late to get it all done and—” […]
What If Your Morals Clash with Your Work?
The phone rang for the tenth time, and I was grateful that I wasn’t in the newsroom alone. Steve, in his wrinkly t-shirt and baggy pants, picked up the phone. “News-desk.” He waited, listening. I wondered how he could hear the caller over the din of the police and fire radio-scanners lined up along the […]
Can a Bad Boss Give You a Heart Attack?
Stan was a bad boss, and he was my dad’s boss. I knew there was something off about Stan, though I was only four or five years old when I met him. Stan was tall, thick-bodied and balding — normal-looking, for an adult. But when Stan smiled he had a shark’s grin, and he glided […]
Your Hidden Barriers to Better Communication at Work May Surprise You
“You didn’t add yourself to my calendar.” I looked over my shoulder at my co-worker, Brenda, who stood at the edge of my desk. Her voice was louder than necessary, and my desk-mate, seated just over the low wall between our desks, shifted in her chair. I turned my chair in Brenda’s direction. “No, I—” […]
The Job Interview Blunders That Taught Me Valuable Lessons
I dressed in my suit. I wore my best shoes — uncomfortable, but stylish. The interview was for a sales and marketing position, no prior experience necessary. I arrived early and sat in my car for a moment and gathered my thoughts. Months had passed since my college graduation, and I hadn’t been able to […]
Top Reasons Why Getting Fired is Easier Than You Think
I had turned the phone-ringer down, way down, because it was annoying when the phone rang. Whatever the reason for a call to my department (event-planning for the hotel), it couldn’t be that important, could it? I didn’t get away with that hands-off approach for long, however. Soon, I was asked if my phone was […]
3 Effective Tactics for Dealing with Your Type-A Boss
I didn’t want to walk to the dark end of the hospital’s hallway. “You have to cover that exit.” My boss, Diana, the director of education for the hospital, pointed with her acrylic-tipped finger. I looked from where we stood in a bright corridor, and counted the hallway doors – sixteen; eight on either side. […]
What We Can Gain from Awkwardness at Work
The football field was a mass of excited high school grads, teary-eyed parents, and bored younger siblings. My fellow graduates and I had just tossed our caps in the air and relished the sight of their chaotic arcs against the blue sky. I jogged over to where my cap landed, picked it up, and dusted […]
Why Do People Steal? The Real Reason Your Co-Worker is Stealing Stationery
“My baby!” the woman screamed, as my boss Ivan and the thief smacked against the floor not far from her baby’s stroller. Ivan hefted the thief to his feet, while Amy, my other co-worker, and I picked up the stolen blue jeans. Aside from the woman’s exclamation and a few stares from nearby shoppers, we […]