There is a fine balance between caring too much and caring just enough. I sometimes land in the former camp. I think at least a few of us (Agents) probably complement each other in this area where one agent can play one side, while one of us plays the other. It’s a yin/yang mechanism, and […]
Archive | Weekly Survival
Weekly or bi-monthly stories and tips for surviving your work week. We like to find the humor in our irony, and hope you do, too.
Hiding Behind Your Title
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 […]
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 […]
Drawing a Line in the Sand
At what point are you crossing the line between professional roles? Between taking care of you vs your co-worker or boss? I think I cross the line over and over again. I continue on with the best intentions, never mind the backlash, fatigue or general suffering. If you’ve followed the course of my exit plan, […]
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 […]
Have Baggage, Will Travel
Leaving is a process. I suppose it comes with about as much baggage as my collection of suitcases. First, there is the “leaving behind” of things. Client work. Unfinished proposals. Deals not yet closed. Unresolved feelings that, frankly, won’t be fixed any time soon. And then there are the people. They are family, really. It’s […]
Female Critics
As professionals, do you ever notice how women can be either our best friends or our biggest critics? I ran into a friend today at the doctor’s office. She was telling me about her conversation with a top-level female executive of a large product company. My friend is the current speech writer for several corporate […]
Leaving the familiar
I was sitting across from potentially four new co-workers during my third interview, and was suddenly struck by the thought that this could be my new work family. Amazing to think, I’ve been cheating on my current company by dating the new company. AND I would potentially embrace these unknown entities who would, over time, […]
What Do You Do When a Key Employee Wants to Leave
What do you do when someone in a key position in your company tells you they’re dissatisfied and thinking about leaving? (Maybe even asks for your help?) Do you do everything to hold onto your people, especially in a close-knit environment, or do you support the idea of employees moving on, knowing that your company […]
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 […]
