Process Improvement Fundamentals Learning Lab, June 7, 2024 >>
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As we approach the new year, now is a perfect time for reflecting on the year that was—where you’ve been and where you want to go in the future. This is equally important for your professional life as it is for your personal life, which is why I always recommend doing an end-of-year career review....
Before I jump into the advice portion of this article, please allow me a moment to vent... I get anywhere from a couple dozen to a hundred or more emails a week from my blog readers. I love it and I read them all, I assure you. I do not, however, answer them all. If you’ve sent me a message and...
You’re a nice person, I know. And nice is good! That old saying that “nice guys finish last” is a myth. Niceness, by and large, is an asset to building relationships—both personal and professional. However, there is a point of diminishing returns, especially in the workplace. Being TOO nice is a...
Networking. The word alone strikes fear in the hearts of many. It’s so awkward and uncomfortable! It’s so inauthentic! It’s just so…so...exhausting. That’s why many professionals put it off. If you’re happily employed and your career is chugging right along, networking often gets put on the...
I’ve probably never mentioned this before (for obvious reasons)…but I’m a little accident-prone. I’m very good at breaking things, including the occasional body part. I’m awkward and clumsy and inelegant. If something can go wrong, it most likely will when I’m around…and I’ll probably be 100%...
We’ve all had that co-worker who just shares too much information (the kids call it “TMI”). You know what I’m talking about: That person who gives you the play-by-play of her divorce proceedings. The one who’s happy to share all the gory details of her recent bout with stomach flu. The one who...
As many of you know, I talk a lot about professional passion. I believe it IS possible to love your job and really feel a fire in your belly when you think about the contribution you’re making at work everyday. I’m always careful to note though that work passion is very different from passion...
We’ve all heard it a million times: “It’s not WHAT you know; it’s WHO you know.” While I don’t believe this entirely (to me, it’s both what you know and who you know), I definitely agree that having a strong professional network is a critically important part of creating career success....
I’ve heard from a lot of people lately who are all suffering with the same problem: An overly critical boss. There’s nothing worse than working for someone who only sees the negative. When you do great work, it’s ignored. But when you make a mistake or somehow fall short of expectations (even...
There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re being smothered, and micro-managers are really good at making you feel that way. They hover over you, constantly check in, offer instruction when none is needed, and expect you to do things their way and on their schedule. Micro-managers don’t allow...
You know that person who always has something to whine about? Super annoying, right? Working with a constant complainer can be a challenge for a variety of reasons. And if you’re not careful, the situation could go from an irritation to a serious career killer. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of bad...
They say work and life aren’t supposed to intermingle, but I’ve never believed that to be possible. No matter how hard you try, there will inevitably be a time when stress in your personal life distracts you from matters of work. Whether you’re dealing with a sick child or a dying pet or a...
