I met with a friend over coffee and brought her by Company X to meet a few co-workers. Out of courtesy, she asked two of my colleagues what they each did at our company. Marci answered by saying, “I do day to day widget management”, describing what she was actually doing without giving out her […]
Tag Archives | Truth
Culture of Reward
Do you want to change your career, but you aren’t really sure what to do next? Or maybe you have been presented with a Force Majeure (well, not really an act of God. Maybe an act of Wall Street?) and you have no choice, but you are still uncertain as to what you feel capable […]
The Exit Speech (to my boss)
One thing I’ve learned about myself. I have to decide my message, and stay on message. If I get sloppy and deviate, I pay for it later. My head and heart take over, and suddenly I’m blurting out things I can’t believe keep flowing from my mouth like water. And then… oops. What was I […]
Holding up the Mirror
Are you good when receiving constructive criticism, or do you get really really really angry? Or hurt? Or both, and it depends on the timing or delivery? I grew up in a fairly blunt environment. I didn’t learn to self-edit before blurting out what was top of mind. And, in my reckless youth, I was […]
Covert Answers: Having “The Talk” with an Underperforming Colleague
Covert Leadership Agents respond to readers’ questions in the Covert Answers feature. Submit your question here. Dear Agents: I have a friend/colleague who isn’t pulling her weight on the team. Other people have noticed too, and I think she’s in danger of losing her job. I know she’s capable! How can I tell her this in […]
When in Doubt, Hit Delete
My neighbor is testimony to life after bad bosses. He recently left his sales job to work for a new technology company, and he was telling me a story that sounded so similar to many I’ve experienced at Company X. Whereas now he can simply ask for time or state that he needs a few […]
Thank you Sheryl Sandberg!
Is it just me? Or is it sort of ridiculous (in a sad, telling, sort of way) that when the COO of a well-know technology company says she goes home everyday at 5:30 it is BIG NEWS?! I’m talking, of course, about Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s video on Makers and subsequent articles on CNN and […]
Greg Smith’s Not-So-Unplugged Letter
Greg Smith quit his job very publicly yesterday by writing an op-ed in the New York Times, titled Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs. In the article, he describes the current culture as “toxic” and shares his views about how the firm went from being a great place to work to a place he could […]
The Web of Lies
It can be hard to leave your job. Even when you are leaving for all the right reasons. I was in a situation once where I loved my colleagues, my clients and my job, but not my long-term prospects. I needed to get out. But I felt a little guilty leaving everyone behind. I cared about […]
Just Say No
Remember the First Lady Nancy Reagan and her campaign to combat drugs? Just say no? Well, I had another epiphany this evening. I was checking out this blog article from HBR about the importance of appreciation. And, if you’ve read my Power of 3 blog, you’ll understand that I’ve generally had a bad day. So […]
