It seems such a simple question, yet it still confuses managers, employees, consultants, and journalists. We all know that leaders are necessary. After all, someone must be accountable for driving results. But what happens all too often in companies is that there is a distinct gap between managers and leaders. Some managers are good leaders, but the reality is that most managers lack the training and awareness necessary to...

Many factors that sap workplace productivity are beyond the control of individual employees. For example, you can’t control whether or not you work in an open office environment, or whether your manager schedules excessive meetings. But there are plenty of productivity eliminating moves that you CAN control. Some of these are obvious, but some are rather stealthy. Do you recognize any of these? Reply all. When you...

Everything in life is about communication and messaging. How are you going to present your new idea? How are you going to position your background so that it is relatable to the role for which you’re interviewing? How will you articulate your differing perspective to a potential client? We all want the communication “magic bullet.” That’s why there are so many different classes and books out there on...

There are countless articles out there that vilify the pervasiveness of technology in our lives. Modern technologies, it seems, has succeeded in eroding the barrier between work and personal life. Contemporary workers are always “on,” attached by wireless umbilical cords to their various devices. You can respond to your boss’s email via your car’s voice recognition software. Need an immediate answer...

In my job as a career coach and advisor, I have had the opportunity to speak with literally thousands of people from all over the world, with different experiences and backgrounds, who have different end goals. Some clients come to me to rework a résumé or build out a social media plan. Others seek counsel on creating and managing a strong personal brand. Still, others contact me because they are looking to ma...

Google the words “team, build, work,” and you will get an infinite number of results for pages filled with inspirational, motivational quotes, and uplifting stories of how to build an effective team. You also know the reality of many of the teams on which we work–one person takes the lead, one person’s ideas are rejected, another member contributes minimally, and the rest go along for the ride. We ar...

You know that I’m all about content, and all about using content as a way to define, promote, and grow your personal brand. But do you think of things like the presentations you give, that thirty-second elevator pitch, or your answer to that often-asked interview question, “So, tell me about yourself” as “content”? Probably not. But you should. Everything you say, every Tweet, every interact...

I frequently field questions from new moms who are struggling with the realities of returning to work. They usually go something like this: My daughter just turned three, and I just had my second child. In reviewing our family’s finances, it seems futile for me to return to work when my entire take home pay will be gobbled up in daycare expenses. I’m seriously considering quitting to stay home with the kids w...

Clearly, 2017 was a year of change in the job market. The improving economy and market record highs have made for low levels of unemployment. Just a few short years ago, employers held all the cards, but that has changed. In a tight labor market, candidates wield power that they didn’t have until recently. The job market is projected to continue its current trajectory into the New Year. Here are some trends that we ca...

Are you sending out multiple resumes yet getting no response? Are you applying to positions for which you meet the qualifications, but you’re still not getting requests for interviews? It could be that your resume has gone stale. Just as you’re not looking for a job today using the same techniques and tactics that you used ten or even five years ago, your resume shouldn’t be a throwback to the 1990s either...