Own Your Power

Many people don’t fully understand power. Others think power would be great to have, but never actually work toward it. Still others decide they don’t want the responsibilities that go with power, or they feel that power is simply unattainable. Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, has said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” Too often, this statement relates to women in the workplace. How can women achieve ... Read more

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What’s Your Higher Purpose? Do You Still Have One?

Think back a few years ago to the moment when you decided what your career path or life work would be. Perhaps it was the day you declared your college major or when you were offered your first job. Is what you are doing now what you expected to be doing two or five or ten or more years later? Did you set out with a purpose—with a higher purpose? Has that changed? You may now work for a nonprofit (a for-purpose) organization, and, on a daily basis, be involved in helping to meet their ... Read more

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Bosses and Bad Behavior

No matter what your political affiliation, you probably are similar to many other Americans when we hear the President criticize and disparage members of his staff. It’s one thing to be displeased with someone’s performance, it’s another to publicly humiliate them. The same is true in the classroom, in team sports, and in the workplace. Sometimes, teachers, coaches, and bosses use their public criticism as an excuse to bring about peer pressure or to bolster team effort, ... Read more

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Thoughts Have Power

Recently I found a copy of “The Magic of Believing” by Claude Bristol. It was written in 1991, but I had never read it before. One phrase, in particular, stood out: thoughts have power. We know we can talk ourselves into (or out of) doing something. We can use our thoughts (and our self-talk) to bolster our confidence or undermine our efforts. While most of us can’t actually project our thought power and manipulate others (or a ouija board) simply with our minds, we can ... Read more

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Character as Well as Capability

Recently, an employment consultant was discussing a new trend in job interviewing. She noted that in this age of cookie-cutter, online resumes and responses, employers are looking for a way to differentiate one capable candidate from another. The answer may be character. How can character be defined and determined? How can you, as a candidate for a job prepare for this new interview thread? Several questions may provide some guidance: • Tell me about an autobiography you have read? What ... Read more

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Disappointment and How to Deal With It

Do any of these situations sound familiar? •You get turned down at your first choice graduate school. •You find your partner is still texting his ex. •You fail a required licensure exam. •You are passed over for promotion. •Your sibling swears she no longer drinks then gets stopped for a DUI. •You bet money you couldn’t afford on the office pool, and your team loses. What happened in these situations? Could your disappointment have been predicted or even prevented? What can you do to ... Read more

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Are you a Conflict Avoider, Enabler, or Intervener?

Each of us responds to conflict in our own way. Many people are uncomfortable with conflict. They try hard to avoid it, sometimes even denying that it exists. Others see conflict as a necessary part of everyday life, especially work life, and they become fairly adept at defusing it or negotiating compromises. Others are excellent manipulators, and they attempt to resolve the conflict by manipulating others or the situation, sometimes in an underhanded way. Still others use the power of ... Read more

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Every Pitch Has a Purpose

Recently I was watching a high school baseball game. One young pitcher was quite talented, and several people were talking about how well he used and sequenced different types of pitches (for those of you who don’t follow baseball — curved balls, change-up, fast balls, etc.). One man made the statement, “Every pitch has a purpose.” That made me think about the various types of pitches and how important they can be in our professional careers. We have all heard ... Read more

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Is Integrity Dead?

We witness more and more national events that lack integrity, that include cheating, untruths, and cover-ups. Even concepts like “fake news” and “alternative facts” have crept into our daily lexicon. We have experts denying the importance of climate change. We turn a blind eye toward starving children in Africa and other countries. We revise standards downward as opportune. What we see in the media makes us wonder if anything is real anymore. We see manufacturing ... Read more

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It Was Your Idea. Why Is He Getting the Credit?

I recently saw a cartoon about a woman sitting at a conference table with a group of men. The caption said, “When will Lisa’s suggestion be heard?” The answer was, “When Jeff repeats it.” Does that happen in your workplace? Do you ever hear yourself saying (usually quietly), Didn’t I just say that?” Would it make any difference if your boss were a woman (or vice versa)? What can you do to be more of a force at a meeting? What would it take to be ... Read more

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