According to a recent poll, Americans are unsatisfied with their work and their lives. People of all ages, and across income levels, are unhappy with their supervisors and not engaged with what they do. What, if anything, can you do about this dismal state of affairs?
Your desk isn’t the only thing that needs occasional decluttering. Our lives could use some decluttering, too, says Gail Blanke, author of Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life. Blanke calls the extra physical and emotional debris “life plaque.”
If you have the gift of gab, it can limit your opportunities to move ahead. Communications pro Barbara Pachter offers these tips to rein in loquaciousness:
Aiming high and going after a big goal, like the ant who aimed to move a rubber tree plant (in the pop song “High Hopes”), actually makes you happier, new research shows.
Is it a problem when your boss takes credit for your ideas? Peter Handal, CEO of Dale Carnegie Training, says “no.” Making your boss look smart to higher-ups, says Handal, and having your boss depend on you for good suggestions—“is certainly not going to do you any harm.”
Janie used to wear a ponytail to work, along with scant makeup, khakis, sweaters and loafers. Then a “Power of Image” workshop changed how she presented herself. Now, when she shares her ideas with senior managers, they listen and buy in to what she’s saying.
You probably didn’t know that in 1937, a horse fell on musical genius Cole Porter, crushing his legs. Through 35 operations and chronic pain, he retained a keen sense of humor and found inspiration everywhere.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. This old management adage explains why most bosses want administrative professionals to create measurable goals. But how do you measure results in a job that’s often about responding to others’ needs?
One admin wrote: “Our company just reorganized and changed our job titles from administrative assistant to ‘office assistant.’ None of the job functions changed. I feel demoted. Should we go to our manager and speak to him about our displeasure or just be quiet and not say a thing?”
Gauge your long-term prospects with your current organization by assessing its bottom line and culture. Here are the questions you’ll need to answer and the steps you’ll need to take, divided into four key parts:
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