Articles

Stylized status report with three bullet points

A Weekly Status Report: Just Do It!

July 18, 2019

To be successful you must be visible, and that means people in your orbits know what you’re working on. In particular, what does your boss think you’re working on? Control the message. Status reports are the way to do it.

Read More
Two Caucasian women arguing and distrusting each other

Conflict At The Office? A Simple Start to Fixing It.

July 16, 2019

Friction is a part of life. Without it, the world would fall apart. Without friction between physical objects, your car tires wouldn’t grip the road and your shoelaces would not stay tied. The world holds together because we have learned to harness friction when we need it and minimize it when we don’t.

Friction exists in human relationships as well. Unfortunately, instead of harness it, we tend to ignore it.

Read More
2x2 grid of pastel colors

Build The Team: Alignment vs. Results

July 13, 2019

What do you do if you have someone on your team who produces great results but isn’t exactly a “team-player?” Do you have a prima donna or a lone-wolf on your team? Is there one team member who produces great results but comes up short on the category of “works and plays well with others?”

Teams are complicated organisms, propelled by the energy and interpersonal dynamics of the members.

Read More
Blank name tag

What do you do?

July 12, 2019

Imagine a scenario where you are meeting for someone for the first time. If you live in America, there is a good chance that the conversational exchange will go something like this:

An opening volley of small talk …

A bit more small talk …

Something about the weather …

And then someone will inevitably say … (wait for it …)

“So, what do you do?”

How do you answer the question, “What do you do?”

Read More
A road diverging in a foggy woods.

Beware the Sirens

July 10, 2019

Discipline is choosing between what you want now … and what you want most.

We are on cruise control most of the time in our lives, unconsciously choosing what we want in the moment, not even realizing we could make a deeper choice. This article uses the mythical Sirens to help us get clear on what we want most in life. Strap yourself to the mast of your ship if you must, but develop the discipline to choose in every moment what you want most over the endless stream of temptations that you think you want now.

Read More
The question "What is Culture?" written in chalk on a blackboard.

What is Culture Anyway?

July 8, 2019

When it comes to building great organizations, just about everyone would agree: culture is important. Culture is the heart and soul of an organization. When we hire people, we hire for “fit” into our culture. There are even companies who have Chief Culture Officers. And, of course, there’s the ever-popular trope that Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch.

But what is culture anyway? If it’s so doggone important, how do we know what we’re looking for? And how, perchance, might we shape and build the culture that we want?

Read More
An introverted man on the left and an extraverted man on the right

Where Do You Think? A Key Difference Between Introverts & Extroverts

July 5, 2019

There are many contrasting and complimentary differences between introverts and extraverts: where we get our energy, what stimulates us, how we feel about small or big groups, to name but a few. The contrasts are rich and numerous. However, as a long-time Myers-Briggs practitioner, I find that the most defining characteristics of the introvert / extravert spectrum is where people think.

In general, extraverts tend to think externally; they need to verbalize their thoughts to think. Thoughts are actually formed as they are verbalized. They speak to think.

Read More
Sonar rings radiating out in the upper right quadrant

A Quick Guide to Informational Interviews

July 3, 2019

How do you decide what direction to head next in your career? Would you like to be more visible inside your company? How do you increase your chances of getting a job offer inside of a company that interests you?

Over the course of my speaking and client engagements I find myself frequently recommending informational interviews as a tactic to learn, as well as gain exposure for your career. Informational interviews are a great way to explore opportunities, discover mentors, and get information about a field of work from someone who has firsthand knowledge.

Read More
Page-A-Day wall calendar with the words "Networking Event" circled in red

Networking at Events

July 1, 2019

In the spring of 2017 I was invited to be a guest blogger on the AICPA website. The AICPA — the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants — was gearing up for its annual convention later that spring. I offered six great tips on networking, especially at large events. The ideas were as timely then as they are today. .

I used to be afraid of networking. As an avowed introvert with a moderate case of shyness, too often I would pass up opportunities to meet and connect with people. Much later in life I would discover that networking was an acquired skill and was well within my reach…

Read the entire article at the AICPA Insights Blog 

Read More

Three Reasons You Should Keep Your LinkedIn Profile Up To Date

June 29, 2019

While LinkedIn has become the database of record for our careers, it is so much more than that. It is the one place on the Internet where we make our professional declaration of who we are and what we do. As such, it is extremely useful in building and maintaining a rich network of professional relationships. A current and complete profile makes it easy for friends and network connections to remember where you’ve been and what you’re working on.

In Helpful: A Guide to Life, Careers, and the Art of Networking, I write about eight reasons to keep your profile up to date. Here are three of them.

Read More