Career Advice

Congratulations!  After years of hard work you have received a well-deserved promotion.  But before you even receive that first paycheck and realize that your life is not about to undergo any major economic changes, something happens.  Your boss is looking at you differently - and it’s not in a good way.  Welcome to the Post-Promotion Punishment (patent pending), one of those foolish and undocumented workplace rites of passage. Getting through this period can be difficult, and we'll talk about how to weather the storm in a bit, but first, let's look at why this phenomenon occurs.NO CONTROL.  It is possible that your boss did not want to promote you and was forced into it.  Perhaps it was upper-management’s call, or maybe you forced the issue. Whatever the case, you will now be punished for hard work - ironical, ain’t it!POWER PLAY.  Bosses feel they need to “teach” you that there are no free rides in life.  Of course … [Read more...] about The Post-Promotion Punishment

Sometimes it’s not what you say that matters. It’s how you say it. When you are feeling the need for a little pep talk to inspire your corporate team, having a handy treasure trove of team building quotes by proven motivators can mean the difference between your words being heard as, “blah, blah, blah,” or landing like little golden nuggets of wisdom in the appreciative ears of your listeners. Quote Dead People, Poets, Politicians and Players  You are not a poet—you manage a business. You’re great at fixing problems and telling folks what to do. But if you want to inspire them, your best bet is to use someone else’s words—someone touched by the heavens, linguistically speaking. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a pocketful of time-tested quotes that are guaranteed to inspire even your most narcissistic worker to become a team player. With just a few of these well-placed (albeit borrowed) phrases, you can help your management team … [Read more...] about Team Building Quotes to Inspire and Motivate

Whether you’ve been asked to explore a new revenue stream by your boss, or you’re looking to go it alone after spotting a gap in the market, it can be a difficult task trying to determine how much potential lies on the other side of the fence. You could just close your eyes and charge head first into it, hoping that the grass is green and there are not too many other grazers about, but business history is riddled with cases of people doing this and losing everything.  If you need to get an indication of how hot the water is before you jump in, here is some advice that you may find useful.Ask people in the industry.It sounds pretty obvious, but you would be amazed how many people neglect to talk to those already doing the job. Perhaps they are afraid to come across as unknowledgeable, or don’t want to alert others to their arrival in the market? Whatever motive they have for not seeking advice, it will never outweigh the benefits of putting yourself out there and … [Read more...] about 3 Safe Ways To Research a New Market

We played a blind softball team and we lost.  No, it's not some horrible politically incorrect joke, it's the truth.  The nine guys who could barely see a thing beat us, fair and square, in a five-inning game. For those of you who have not had the good fortune of getting your butt kicked by the visually impaired, it's nothing short of an eye-opening experience. Before I tell you why these guys are awesome, and what career advice we can learn from them, I should tell you that the ball beeps.  Literally.  That's how the visually impaired tap into their sense of hearing to embarrass you in front of your friends and coworkers. Beep Ball, as it's affectionately known as, has been around for more than four decades.  The ball and the bases (there are only two, and they are cushioned pylons) all emit sound.  To level the playing field, since all participants have varying levels of sight, all the players are blindfolded. These "beep ball" players are awesome.  And even though we … [Read more...] about Career Lessons From Blind Baseball Players

Got stress on the job?  Who doesn't! In a tough economy, many bosses are expecting more work for less pay. Workers are being expected to do more with fewer resources.  High levels of unemployment cause “employed” folks to have high levels of anxiety.  High stress levels can lead to illness. Illness can lead to time off work.  Time off work can lead to unemployment. YIKES!It's  a  “catch 22” that no worker wants to be caught up in. But it's a common dynamic in today's workplace, regardless as to one's industry or occupation.To help to manage workplace stress better, and learn more about this little word that has huge impact, we have joining us today Dr. Serena Wadhwa of TriQual Living Center.   Q. Dr. Wadhwa, are there gender differences in the way men and women deal with stress? Who's better?A. Yes, some research indicates that women tend to deal with stress by looking for support, while men may look to problem-solve. … [Read more...] about Q&A With a Work Burnout and Stress Expert

This is a guest post by Ronn Torossian, president and CEO of 5WPR, one of the 20 largest independent PR firms in the U.S.Businesses are accustomed to regular employee horror stories, yet CEOs worldwide must be terrified by the recent response to JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater’s choice of how and when to resign. Many have come to his defense, stating, “It’s hard working daily with people” and “you easily get agitated by constant traveling and servicing annoyed passengers,” but did anyone ask if he still cashed his paychecks?Launching a foul-mouthed tirade on the plane's PA system, deploying the emergency chute, grabbing a beer, then jumping out onto the JFK Airport runway and shouting, "That's it, I've had it,” are the stuff movies are made of. One must wonder how many workplaces can survive if employees are made heroes for this sort of behavior. What sort of trouble are businesses in if we define workplace bravery by Slater's … [Read more...] about Job Lessons Learned From Steven Slater: How to Avoid Emergency Slides

The death of paper was announced prematurely; love 'em or hate 'em, business cards are here to stay. Business card mistakes are abound. In your quest to create an unusual business card or a green business card, be sure not to overlook these five business card tips. LOOK DIFFERENT.  Basic marketing commands that your product stands out of a crowd, but at the same time, appeals to a broad audience.  That's perhaps your greatest challenge when designing a business card to promote yourself.  This advice is not unique; recent cards have undergone a color and size transformation.  In fact, if you want to stick out, ironically, you might want to consider sporting an old school, standard-size, plain white business card! DON'T JUST SAY WHAT YOU DO.  Your business card should clearly state what it is you do.  (Andrew Rosen, Pro Blogger)  But that's not enough.  When someone is thumbing through a stack of business cards 10 months from now, there needs to be a tagline that supports what you … [Read more...] about 5 Business Card Tips

Hardly a week passes without news of a natural or man-made disaster somewhere in the United States or around the world. Floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, ice storms… the list goes on. One thing is certain. If you get through a single year without so much as a power outage, you've had a great year.In my area of suburban Connecticut we've had three weather-related power outages so far this year, and it's only July. The worst outage, during a windstorm in March, knocked out power for five days for some homeowners. That's not just an inconvenience. That's a serious, sometimes dangerous, situation.While many people keep emergency preparedness kits at home, they often overlook the workplace. That doesn't really make sense. Your chances of getting caught in an emergency at work are significant. Yet few of us who work outside the home have made any preparations for the unthinkable. It's as if we think the office manager has got all that stuff covered. And that's not smart.Here’s the … [Read more...] about An Emergency Preparedness Kit for the Workplace

Knowledge is power.  And what better place to acquire “mental muscle” than the pages of some popular titles.  Besides expanding your knowledge base, books are a great way to relax and unwind. A great form of escapism, they allow us to get lost in different settings and scenes, and embrace endless possibilities.In fact, I'm known to spend hours enjoying selections from my personal library while sipping on a good cup of flavored herbal tea, or while letting Calgon, “take me away.”Whatever your reading ritual, here are some books worth a look for today's worker bees, regardless of industry or occupation. 365 Ways to Simplify Your Work Life---Odette PollarChock full of practical tips and words of wisdom, this little pocket book packs a lot of punch!It's concise and clever. Topics range from time management, to stress management, to decision making techniques, to computer tips, to K.I.S.S. Principles. It's a must read.Success After 40---Allan Zullo with … [Read more...] about 4 Great "Old School" Reads for Work Inspiration and Information

Is this you on your day off?     * I pick up dry cleaning. * I get an oil change. * I go to the grocery store. * I clean my house. We all need to do errands, household chores, and maintenance on our days off. But I think you’ll find if that’s all you’re doing on your day off, you’ll be dragging into work on Monday. Don’t leave yourself off that list. Sometimes doing something just for you will shift that focus off of your work life, help you refocus and recharge. Here are some ways to recharge your batteries on your day off... 1. Put down those electronic devices. Don’t glare at me, just do it. One of my previous posts, “How to Disconnect During Downtime” addressed how important it is to get your brain out of “connectivity” mode. Pick up a magazine, book or do a crossword puzzle. 2. Cook something. Even if most things in your kitchen scare you, you can still make a phenomenal grilled cheese sandwich. Butter, bread, cheese, skillet…Cooking can be a form of … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Recharge on Your Day Off