Q. I need a new career! My friend recommended a coach but how do I know whether she’s a good choice for me? Or maybe I need a counselor instead?
A. Whew…great question! This one came from an acquaintance who wanted to work with me, but we had a conflict of interest. Here’s […]

Today’s Wall Street Journal carried an article that gives new meaning to the notion of “taking work home.”
Seems cubicle-dwellers introduce workplace jargon into domestic life.
You don’t like the electric bill? “Push back.” That means, “Argue.”
Need help? “Reach out.” That means, “Talk.”
One spouse accused her husband of interrogating their ten-year-old, using the litigator mode that made […]

Right around Labor Day I began attending classes at my local gym. We have some really good ones. “Maximum Sculpt” means weight lifting to music. “Nia” is a new form of dance-type exercise.
Just recently I began noticing the effects.
First I found myself thinking, “Class was easier than usual today.” “And today too.” “Oh…maybe it’s […]

With all the buzz about Law of Attraction, it’s easy to forget that we attract naturally when we behave a certain way.
For example: My young neighbor was grinning from ear to ear. After a few months of solitude, he now found himself overwhelmed with offers to go out. He’s dating a couple of great […]

Last week I was chatting with a colleague about the topic of changing bosses. During my own career, I’ve had the experience of getting hired by “Jane” only to arrive and find “Julie” in charge.
I wasn’t alone. In her wonderful (but sadly out of print) book, Thursdays Till 9, advertising superstar Jane Trahey described […]

Recently I volunteered to organize an ezine for one of my Seattle alumni groups. It’s not going to be a big deal (I don’t have time). But I’m the only group member who’s edited newsletters and I know how powerfully they can build loyalty and motivate membership.
Immediately I ran into the biggest challenge of editing […]

A NY Times columnist — someone I usually admire — responded to a query about a 63-year-old man, recently laid off from his high-level job. The man’s wife wrote something to the effect of, “He’s sending out resumes and collecting rejections.”
The columnist urged the man to “overcome age discrimination” by demonstrating that he’s active and […]

Q: “I’m really eager to move from my midwestern town to a major city on the East Coast. The problem is my elderly mother. She doesn’t want to move. I want to spend time with her but I really need to move or resign myself to fewer options later.”
A. This one’s tough. As noted in […]

Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times will reassure you or scare you, depending on your own belief system. More and more employers are bringing faith-based beliefs (the PC term for “religion”) into the workplace. So far, it seems, most are careful. They don’t want to risk giving the appearance of […]

Ready for a career change? Clients often call, eager to start, and then we discover some surprises. Whether the change is as small as taking on a new work assignment or as big as going back to school, here’s my own version of ready-set-go.
Ready: Block off time in your calendar for “career […]