Dear Madeleine, I am a supervisor and team leader in a technology company. We have several products on the market that are doing well. All my projects are in new products—a combination of market research and product testing; and all my teams are cross-functional—project management, software developers, marketing and customer support, and designers. The timelines…
Dear Madeleine, I was let go from my last job due to a massive reorganization. I didn’t like it, but my entire department was eliminated so I didn’t take it personally. I got a new job soon afterward and I like the job and the company a lot. I have been in my new position…
Dear Madeleine, I read your article called Terrified about Doing a Presentation at Work? and I am writing to see if I can get some help. I have spent 23 years in the IT industry and am still nervous about presenting. I have challenges remembering the right words during the presentation. I tend to rush and…
Do you have fun at work? Do you try to promote a laughter-filled workplace? These are questions I ask myself on a daily basis. And honestly, who doesn’t to work in a positive, fun, happy work environment? The results are clear: Less stress, more engagement, higher commitment. Plus, when you create a culture of fun,…
One of the greatest attributes of successful people and leaders is to understand their passions and strengths. Sometimes we get distracted or side-tracked by other things that are perceived as adding value but in reality they are time wasters and productivity drainers. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves of what our strengths are and…
“Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird Courage is a well-admired human trait; but when asked what courage is, what do you think of? Is it a soldier, fighting a battle far from home…
I was reading the obituary of the late and great Sir Christopher Lee this past week (The Times, Friday 12 June), who had a 70 year career on screen and made more than 300 films. One of his best known roles was Dracula, a role which he played 10 times. In doing so I was…
I had an interesting question asked in my master’s degree this week. How much responsibility should a company take in managing their employee’s careers? In an ever changing society, where people are now wanting careers and not just a job it’s important for managers to help their employees grow, but should they be the driver? Quast (2014) looks…
How often have you heard your friends or colleagues moaning about someone or about something that has happened, but they never actually say anything to that person? It happens all the time and it’s all because people don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or are scared of giving feedback. Giving feedback is tough, and something…
We’ve started doing this accountability group around the office and it seems to be working. Recently, the boss man had this idea that if we put up our goals for everyone to see and kept each other in check for a 30-day challenge, the added accountability would help us stay committed to reach our goal.…