“What’s your biggest weakness?” You’ve probably heard that it’s no longer considered a wise move to respond to this common interview question by saying, “Well, I’m a bit of a perfectionist”. Being organized and self-disciplined—once considered a desirable quality—has become somewhat of an insult, even a warning sign to employers. But while it’s true tha...

One month into my new job, I’m incredibly excited thinking about the positive inroads I’ll be able to make for my organization. To say that I’m energized, and ready-to-go is an understatement. At the same time – as a Type-A personality and recovering workaholic – I’m also doing my level best to calm the racehorse wanting to burst full-speed out the gate – knowing that my desire to &...

Here is a quotation that I share in my training programs on generational diversity: “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.” In what era do you think this was written? This week’s Economist? A political speech from the 1960s? The Roaring Twenties? The late eighteenth century? In fact, these words are attributed to the poet Hesiod, all the...

Even if you love your job, an occasional bad day is par for the course. Everyone has those days where no matter how many happiness hacks or positive mantras you try, you just can’t shake a glass-half-empty attitude. A bad mood can ruin your productivity, putting the kibosh on your motivation and draining you of your creative energy. The secret to recovering from a bad day is learning how to move forward despite it....

As part of my continuing experience as the “new girl” after my recent career change, I am grateful to have an opportunity to look at my work environment through a fresh lens. I’m in an open concept workspace, which is brand new for me. I will admit that the spacious cubicle, even with an automated standing desk feature, at first threw me for a loop. I have always had an office with a door that closed....

My speaking engagements frequently take me to college campuses, where I have the opportunity to connect with professors and administrators about the hot topics on their campuses. For the past few years, I’ve been struck by the number of times leaders at a wide variety of colleges and universities have talked to me about the overwhelming mental health needs of today’s Generation Z students. Recent statistics...

If there’s ever been a time with such a politically and socially polarized mood among Americans, it wasn’t in my lifetime, and I wouldn’t want to go back there. It’s gotten to the point where people are “de-Friending” their closest relatives, friends, and co-workers on social media, and friendly clubs and book groups are setting ground rules about what things can’t be talked about o...

But if you want to do anything important in the world, you’ll inevitably get negative feedback or criticism. When I asked my client Jessica how her relationship with her manager was going since we last spoke, there was a long pause. “Jessica, what happened?” I asked. “She ripped apart a presentation I put together. She said I needed to start over from scratch because it totally missed the mark....

No matter the type of company, there are certain fundamental things you need to get right in the workplace to ensure success: 1) Show up. As writer Regina Brett once said, “Most of life is showing up.” You can argue with the how much of life is showing up, but you can’t argue with the saying’s corollary: “Failure to show up is 100 percent guaranteed to be bad for your career.” It&rsquo...

You’re stressed beyond measure at work – toiling away on the umpteenth iteration of a new campaign; racing the clock to get a grant proposal in; or working overtime to iron out a distribution snafu – then a colleague sets aside their own project to pitch in on yours, or a friend, who’s been through something similar, picks up the phone to share advice…and everything changes for the better. A k...