Does my boss like me?
Right now, if you’re sitting at your workspace and asking yourself “does my boss like me?” you might already suspect that you’re not your boss’ favourite. On the other hand, it is a common concern in the workplace, especially when you’re new on the job....
Insider threats and data breaches: they’re not always what you think …
There’s something you should know before you invest your entire IT and information security budget on technical solutions – if a smart thief wanted to steal your intellectual property and/or your client’s confidential information (e.g., credit, financial, and contact...
Nuanced career advice … why professionals need it the most
Have you ever been excited to see a job listing that you know you’re qualified for … and then after confidently clicking ‘submit’ you only seem to hear crickets instead of the phone ringing or the sound of an email pinging a promising notification? ...
Are you on track for 2017?
Are you meeting your 2017 objectives? View this email in your browser Are you on track for 2017? 2017 might be winding down, but there’s still time to turn over a new leaf in your professional life. Many of us get our cars tuned up as the seasons change. How many of...
How to stay relevant in the era of artificial intelligence
“No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris.” – Orville Wright, American inventor, and aviation pioneer. In some ways, we like to believe that there are limits to what the future holds. Automation, driverless or autonomous vehicles, and...
Sexual harassment on the job … how it touches everyone in the workplace (Part 2)
Regular readers of this weekly blog will have noticed that I don’t shy away from sensitive or complicated topics (e.g., bullying and burnout, domestic violence at work, coded language, and scapegoating). Last week, in part one of this blog series, I wrote about...
Sexual Harassment … how does it keep working in the workplace?
We want to assume that the places where we work are a safe space. We believe this because businesses usually carry a certain level of formality, respectability, and boundaries. That’s what younger people entering the workforce should expect as a given, and yet the...
Body language … 3 ways it might be working against you in the workplace
When President Trump had his initial meetings with foreign leaders around the world it became clear to me that not all handshakes are equal in intention. Normally, offering a hand is an attempt to be welcoming, or to solidify the closing of a deal, or at the very...
Hidden Consequences of Online Screening
Last week I discussed how ‘hitting the streets’ with a resume in hand is a distant memory for many of us. For more recent graduates, it is nothing short of a nostalgic legend told by their parents and/or older contacts (click here to read part one of this...
The “death of the salesman” … is it online job screening?
Once upon a time, in the land of finding meaningful employment, the average job applicant would write up a thoughtful cover letter and resume. Then, after making several copies they would take their professional portfolio and quite literally hit the streets dressed in...
To be or not to be … without a degree … that is the question
Finding work in an ‘academic’ world…to what degree do you need a degree? Recently I met a client who said to me, “I’m 31 years old and I’m now realizing that I may need to start pursuing a Master’s degree – not to distinguish myself as...Back to the school of … life
Like the seasons, the times are changing. View this email in your browser September … Already? We’re not those kids in the school hallways nervously looking for our classroom, nor are we trying to remember a locker combination. However, we are probably feeling...
The marks of domestic violence in the workplace (Part 2)
Last week’s blog post was inspired by a real story that was very disturbing to discuss since it relates to domestic violence. Someone I know asked me for advice about a delicate HR matter, one that required my complete discretion. He insisted that we meet in...Domestic violence doesn’t stay home … what you need to know about it in the workplace (Part 1)
The phrase domestic abuse often triggers images of a woman’s bruised, helpless stare. It’s a terrible characterization that you have probably seen on an awareness poster at a bus stop or in a commercial. It’s also shown in films and on television, like a fictional...
Recruiting the Right Employee Ambassadors
Recruitment of Existing Employees Sure, most organizations think carefully about their approach to recruiting and hiring employees. How many organizations consider how they will recruit employees as communication ambassadors during times of organizational change? As...
Bullying, Bias, and Burnout. Why these 3 ‘B’s Could be Derailing your Career
Often the word derailment is associated with an accident, a slip off the track that could not be foreseen or prevented. When it comes to career derailment many assume it’s just that, an unfortunate pitfall that sometimes comes with the risky territory of being a...
It’s Impolite to Discuss Politics at Work – But What About Values?
Many people are living in a state of provoked anxiety and sadness. Sometimes it’s been due to events such as the fallout from the niqab debate during the 2015 federal election in Canada. Going further from home, it has involved hate crimes following Brexit in the UK...
All that glitters is not gold … when others plagiarize your work
Anyone remember Melania Trump’s keynote speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention? It was where passages were in lockstep with portions of Michelle Obama’s inspiring address to the Democratic National Convention in 2008. I recall staring wide-eyed at Mrs....