How to avoid the pitfalls of the “Blame Game”
An excellent article in The New York Times addresses the perils of the Blame Game in the workplace. Mistakes and failures happen in any working environment, and finger-pointing or scapegoating is a pretty common occurrence. People tend to copy blaming as a behavior and it can snowball into a culture of blame, creating a very […]
Read MoreHow to Master “Matrix Boss Madness”
Matrix management – where supervisors with related skills are pooled for a more productive project outcome – can actually create a lot of chaos for you if not orchestrated well. As we emerge from fuzzy job descriptions where responsibilities haphazardly crossed over each other during the recession – to a gradual recovery – some supervisors […]
Read MoreTurn Yourself into an Office Diplomat
I always emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills. As I mention in my book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, the ability to understand your fellow co-worker and maintain open communication is the basis for humanizing the workplace. I recently addressed this issue in my article for BusinessWeek.com where I discuss “office diplomacy.” We’ve all observed […]
Read MoreJob Interview: A Card Game?
Often a job interview is like playing poker. Both sides are like careful players, deciding how much to reveal, how much to conceal, or when to call for all cards on the table. If the job seeker doesn’t play his hand right he may loose the opportunity, no matter how well he’s qualified. If the […]
Read MoreLanding a Survival Job
Today many people are forced to look for jobs below their qualifications. In the current tough economic climate even “settling for less” often presents a challenge and needs to be done right. What advice would you give to candidates seeking “survival jobs” – or use yourself in a tough situation? Megan Malugani, a contributing writer […]
Read MoreHoliday Season Separation Anxiety
With the holiday season upon us, most folks are planning to take some time off work. But the economy doesn’t take breaks, and many managers may feel reluctant to relinquish control of their team, even when it’s their well-deserved vacation. Fear is a big driver, and when bosses – like kids – don’t have control, […]
Read MoreCoping With Difficult Bosses
A recent article on Monster+HotJobs.com titled Coping With 5 Boss Personality Types discusses five major boss types that aren’t easy to deal with (hence the need to cope). For each boss trait, the author cites advice from a number of experts, including myself. In my book Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant I give a bit […]
Read MoreMSN Careerbuilder: How to Call in a Favor at Work
MSN Careerbuilder recently ran an article by Danny Goldin, titled How to Call in a Favor at Work. It deals with those situations when the daily grind becomes a bit too much. The article recognizes that although we may be reluctant to ask other people for help, each of us may have to do it […]
Read MorePut Leadership Training on the Front Burner
The recession forced corporations to cut down on training, especially leadership programs, creating a deficiency that will sooner or later show up in their performance. Leadership training is highly important for success – both long-term and immediate. There can be no justification for postponing it indefinitely, not even in these tough economic times. Even a […]
Read MoreDoes Your Boss Trust You?
Workplace issues are never out of the public discussion. Here are some recent media highlights: CBS News talks on “How to Handle Toxic Bosses“; BusinessWeek discusses “maltweetment” – people using social networking to get back at their higher-ups and co-workers; Time analyzes a New York state bill that targets workplace bullying; and AOL DimeCrunch highlights […]
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