In some small corner of our brain, many of us have mentally rehearsed the moment when we go into our boss’ office and dramatically announce, “I quit!” Maybe you picture a satisfying slam of the door (by you) or tearful begging (by them). Or, perhaps you’ve thought about simply walking out the door and never returning. (Unfortunately, ghosting is a real — and disturbing — new trend. This a...

“How long do I have to stay in a job I hate?” You wouldn’t believe how regularly I am asked that question. Most millennials will be glad to hear that the rules seem to have changed about this issue. It used to be that staying in a job one year was all but required for appearance’s sake, while two years was ideal. (And honestly, I’ll say that in most cases it still is. Employers in many indus...

As autumn sets in, my social media feed is becoming clogged with #FallLovers waxing eloquently about PSLs (pumpkin spice lattes for the uninitiated), chunky sweaters, boots, football, fires and, well…comfort. (And the Brangelina divorce, but we digress…) While finding your fall comfort zone at home is a definite “do,” staying in one at work is most definitely a “don’t.” When yo...

Are you beyond tired talking of about you-know-what? I am. The epic presidential election of 2016 may even be causing your blood pressure to rise: a recent poll from the American Psychological Association found that more than half of Americans say the 2016 election is a very or somewhat significant source of stress. The final countdown is finally on to November 8, and it is top of mind for everyone, no matter your party...

As you know if you’re a frequent reader, I often hear complaints that members of the millennial generation are entitled, lazy and narcissistic. The pervasive stereotype, often perpetuated by the media and late-night TV, is that young people today are all coddled trust fund kids with nothing better to do than whine while posting selfies to Instagram. While there are some millennials who conform to this stereotype, t...

No longer just for hipster start-ups, even prominent companies – think IBM, American Express and 3M — now abound with virtual workers. In fact, nearly one-quarter of American workers currently telecommute at least part of the time, according to Global Workplace Analytics. That means that whether you’re a new or seasoned manager, you probably manage someone remotely or will do so in the near future. W...

Faithful readers of my blog know that I am a big advocate of proactively building “Brand You” — that is, your personal brand — or as you may prefer to call it, your professional reputation. Simply put, your personal brand is how people see you, and that image can directly impact your career. Managers, mentors, clients and colleagues want to associate with people they view in a positive way. Whe...

What is your company’s mission? If you said it was to sell widgets or provide advice, you’re not going to be in the best position to attract millennial employees. That’s because many millennials are inspired to work when they know their company has a purpose beyond profits. In fact, more than half of college-educated millennials cite a “sense of purpose,” as part of the reason they chose to...

“Work isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s called ‘work’ for a reason!” Sound familiar? I’ve certainly heard comments like this from curmudgeonly colleagues over the years. I frequently hear people criticize millennials for wanting work to be “fun.” And the media likes to bombard us with millennial-bashing images of immature young people who expect a party every day, sch...

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity.” If you thought this quote came from a millennial start-up founder, you’d be wrong. None other than the Dalai Lama shared this belief on how transparency can yield success. But transparency can be a scary concept for managers. After all, Gen Xers like me started our work lives when information was traditionally revealed on a...