If you’re looking for ways to be more productive, here are several tips from a Fast Company article titled, “The Art of Doing Everything.” Don’t waste time on unnecessary decisions, like what to eat for breakfast or lunch.  Eat the same thing everyday.  Also, for men and women, consider simplifying your work wardrobe.  For example, […]

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The late, great Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  The answer to whether it matters whether you make your employees feel good, is YES.  Even Forbes.com agrees.  In their article “11 Simple Ways […]

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Is there someone in your workplace who you feel is exactly your opposite?  Perhaps, a bit of a thorn in your side?  You don’t understand her thought process or agree with how he operates.  He’s annoying.  She’s difficult to deal with. News flash:  this person may be just the thorn in your side you need.  […]

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You’ve probably heard the news about an interim report issued by Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin on the systemic problems in the Veteran’s Affairs agency.   The report intensified scrutiny and resulted in expansion of the number of VA facilities to be reviewed.  If you’re a leader, consider allowing this situation to stimulate a deeper, broader […]

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When New York Times Editor Jill Abramson was fired, she was in the process of working with a career consultant who was helping her address some of the “management style” problems that reportedly did her in. Understanding how you’re perceived by others at work is invaluable knowledge that can be put to use to enhance your […]

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Remember when your mother told you to sit up straight?  She knew what she was talking about.  Research has validated her good advice. Adoree Durayappah’s article in Psychology Today points out that when a person adopts the upright posture Mom always encouraged, they act in ways that represent power.  And interestingly, as the article points […]

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Do you apologize for everything?  For mistakes others make?  For expressing an opinion that might be unpopular?  For walking into a room?  Do you take the blame for things that have nothing to do with you?  Or when something is clearly someone else’s fault? If you over-apologize, you’re not alone.  For women, it’s very common […]

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Are you busy – perhaps so busy those looking in would say you’re over-functioning?  To nearly any request that comes your way, do you say, “Yes?”  Do you take care of others to the point they regularly look to you to do what they really could do themselves?  Overwhelmed and stressed, at the end of your […]

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Do you ever feel like you’re not really competent, but everyone else is?  Do you sometimes feel like you’re acting as if you belong, but you don’t.  Figure that it won’t be long until you’re found out?  When others praise your work or compliment you, do you doubt their sincerity or feel like the recognition […]

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Do you have the same mindset as Earvin “Magic” Johnson?  He says, “I am a businessman. This is what I do each and every day. I love it. I love coming to work. I never have a bad day.” Do you feel the same way?  Do you love your work?  Daily, do you get up […]

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Dear Teressa, My boss is an excellent manager and a very inspirational leader.  However, I have a colleague, who I think is a good person, but who seems to very much resent this boss. This colleague is also very good friends with my boss’s boss. The colleague is now making life very difficult and taking […]

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Experts say the reason people throw temper tantrums into adulthood is because they work.  This frightening behavior gets the tantrum thrower exactly what they want – even if it is at the cost of co-workers or workplace civility.    The first step to taking the sting out of another’s workplace tantrum – whether it’s your […]

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Hi Teressa, I am a 50-year-old senior manager for a Big 4 accounting firm.  After almost 10 years with my current employer, I recently learned that my position with the company is being eliminated and I now find myself back in the market trying to find a new job and competing with folks that are […]

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The holiday office party offers a unique opportunity for employees to bond with each other and people higher up in the company in ways they can’t during the work day.   It can be more than an opportunity to “let your hair down.”  Company parties are a great time to make an impression that can impact […]

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Beyond the usual office party advice, like not embarrassing yourself by drinking too much, dressing too provocatively or hooking up with a co-worker, here’s an updated list of things to consider for the 2013 office party season. 1) Avoid embarrassing or unprofessional poses.  Yes…that’s an old one that conjures up images of butts on Xerox […]

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Dear Teressa, Any advice on how I can get more people to speak up in my meetings?  ~John V.   John, I’m glad to hear that you’re a leader who wants more voices in the conversation – more people engaged and contributing. Here are several strategies that have worked for a number of my clients.  […]

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I’m a manager in a large company with 15 direct reports.  Sometimes, I have trouble figuring out how to handle certain performance problems.  How do I figure out what to do?    ~D.G. Dear D.G., Here are a few “how to” pointers for your consideration.  As you weigh various options, remember to make use of […]

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Are you more tenured with many more years of experience than the person to whom you report? Is your manager the same age or younger than your children? These days, it’s not all that unusual for older people to report to those who are much younger. According to a 2012 CareerBuilder survey, “One third (34 […]

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While interviewing a group of people for a client’s 360 Feedback process, one of the raters told me she has a rule with her team. They have to make at least one mistake a week and tell her about it. She is also bound by the same rule. She has to make at least one […]

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