The BEST Thing I Learned in Grad School

Grad school was no picnic for me. Not only was I required to conduct research and write a 63-page thesis (not including the appendices and references), I had to pass a 4+ hour comprehensive exam that required citing sources. It was A LOT of work AND totally WORTH IT!  Years later I still find myself

LEARNING FROM GIRAFFES: Shhhh …. (Part 5 of 5)

Giraffes aren’t very vocal creatures.  In fact, giraffes are often silent, and when they do vocalize, it’s quite quiet, like humming or snoring. I’m not suggesting you take up snoring at work (but humming could be okay).  What I AM suggesting is that there are benefits to being a little more silent and more selective

BECOME A BETTER COWORKER: Don’t Be Annoying (Part 3 of 4)

Let’s call her Lucy.  She walked around work like she was everyone’s best friend. She took every opportunity to publicly let others know how exceptional she was at her job. She presented herself as the most creative, most productive, most energetic person in the office. She answered her phone, “It’s a great day in [insert

The Story and Style of an Amiable

DON'T STOP AT THE VIDEO ... KEEP READING FOR TIPS. Meet Jeff. Jeff is liked by his coworkers and is a really friendly guy. He’s the type of person who stops by his coworker’s cubicles, on his way to the breakroom, just to ask if they’d like a cup of coffee. The team really depends

Don’t be a conversation jerk!

5 Tips to exit a conversation without being a jerk. Okay, so you’re in a conversation and it’s time to exit.  The conversation has lived its life, you have work to get back to, there is someone else you’d like to talk to, etc. Regardless of the situation, how can you exit without coming off

How to Receive Feedback Like a Pro

Feedback, when not glowing, can be a tough pill to swallow. Unless ... you know how to receive it like a pro. Today I finished up a training series on presentations and PowerPoint for a client. It was a BIG day for them. After 20 hours of classroom learning and application, the tables turned and

Customer Service: Assurance

Customer service requires meeting customer expectations.  It's really that simple.  The research of Valarie A. Zeithaml, A. Parasuraman, and Leonard L. Berry in the 1980s found customers measure their expectations of service with the actual service provided to them.  If you meet or exceed their expectations, they feel you are interested in them and they will be

Conflict and Approval: Getting Along

Conflict and Approval: who needs it?  The answer to that question is ... a lot of people!  Some people, when feeling threatened, are going to try to get along at almost any cost because they really want to feel your approval.  They are wonderful people who really prefer it when things are peaceful in the

7 Reasons Disengaged Employees Cost You $$

How many dollars do companies waste on disengaged employees?  *One employee cost Goldman Sachs an estimated $2 billion+.  Shocking?  How can it not be!  People Metrics offers a more realistic look at the cost of employee disengagement - $2,246 per employee.  Yikes!  Why are disengaged employees so expensive? Productivity falls: Working at full capacity isn’t