“A change agent,” write the authors of Who Took My Pen … Again?, “has the courage to see things that are and know they could be better, and to see things that aren’t, and work, dream, plan, and learn about them, in order to bring them into reality.”
Most Americans judge their co-workers by how clean or dirty they keep their desks, says a survey by Adecco. It’s likely that you’re not the one suffering from disorganized habits, but your co-workers or boss may need help wrangling their desks into shape. Here are tips on streamlining a mess:
Question: Several years ago, I filed a discrimination charge against my boss. After the issue was resolved by the EEOC, she and I were able to repair our relationship. However, she recently retired, and now I have a new manager. From day one, my new boss has treated me like a troublemaker, so I assume he was told about my discrimination complaint. Because I felt he was targeting me, I complained to the EEOC again. However, this time they didn’t do anything. The mistreatment continues, and so does my battle. What can I do to have peace in this job? Sick of the Fight
I want to right align part of a line. For example, in a résumé the company name might be flush with the left margin, but the dates of employment should be flush with the right. How do I do that?
Your personal brand is ultimately about maintaining a consistent, professional presence online—on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and blogs—and in the real world.
Seeing red? Keep that color to a minimum in your work space. Researcher Andrew Elliot found that people don’t work as well when they see red. Too reminiscent of a teacher’s red pencil, perhaps?
Question: I keep getting calls from my former employer about how to do my old job. For 24 years, I was the “go-to girl” who held that company together. When the business was sold several months ago, I was let go along with many others.
Now I feel that I am being used. If they can’t figure out how to do my work, then they never should have fired me. However, I may need a recommendation from this employer during my job search, so I’m not sure how to handle this. Should I continue to answer their questions?
Little things about your workday may irk you. But what’s really getting under your skin? Researchers Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer conducted a comprehensive study of 238 employees who kept track of how their days went. When you feel miserable on the job, confer with this list the researchers compiled.
Suggestions to thwart salespeople who don’t give up came fast and furious from seasoned admins. Both Lynn and Charisse stick to a strategy of countering aggressive questions with a few of their own. B.B. goes with the “friendly but stern” angle—after all, “they can’t come through the phone and make you get your boss on […]