Recently someone posted an email exchange between a professor and student, including the original email exchange and comments. The story draws strong opinions from many people and warns of cultural minefields that exist everywhere. Read the full story here. To summarize, the student (who isn’t named) is choosing which of three courses to take for […]
Workplace Politics
Video: Career Strategy Tip: There’s a new boss in town
In all those western b-movies, the gunslinger rides into town on a white horse, ready to take charge, fight off anyone who threatens him, and let’s everyone know he’s there. In the world of workplace politics, often you’ll feel this way when you get a new boss – or even worse, when your boss gets […]
Employee gifts to managers
During the holiday season, gift-giving can be a political minefield. Who gets gifts? Who should NOT get gifts? Q. I am a manager with eight direct reports. I received a couple of Christmas gifts this last season and don’t know how to handle the situation. Should I give them back? What can I say? A. […]
Workplace Politics: Reeling from Rumor
It was 2006. I had moved to Seattle a year ago and I was excited to be in a city with a WNBA basketball team. But one day I joined other fans heading into the gym for a noontime game. We began to hear the whispers: “Storm and Sonics are moving to Oklahoma.” Some listened […]
Career Advice: “Are you about to be fired?”
Nearly everyone who has ever worked for an organization has experienced that sinking feeling, “My job is about to be over. They’re going to fire me.” Even if you hate your job, most people would rather leave on their own terms. But let’s take a realistic look at what’s going on here. Maybe there’s some […]
Career Advice: Coping with the Toxic Workplace
Today I would like to recommend excellent book by Peter Frost, a distinguished professor and consultant based in Vancouver, BC: Toxic Emotions at Work. Frost begins with his own moment of awakening. Diagnosed with cancer after a stressful administrative job, he began to wonder if workplaces could really make people sick. Frost interviewed dozens of […]