From the category archives:

Difficult Situations

How important is it to set social boundaries with employees?

by Lynn Dessert

Question: I visited your website and have a question for you. Is it appropriate for a married male doctor who is the employer of a much younger, single female doctor, to engage in non-work related athletic activities with her and have cell phone/text contact on weekends, nights, etc.?
My husband is a partner in a successful practice, and they hired a [...]

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How to have a difficult conversation with someone

by Lynn Dessert

“So you are saying even being direct was not getting through to this assistant. I think asking them what they think, and if they heard what the problem is can make sure the other person heard this issue” is a follow-up comment by the reader who prompted this blog post.
In this particular blog post, the [...]

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Finesse can get in the way of effective communication

by Lynn Dessert

“I am usually very honest and tell it like it is at work. Honesty is the best policy. However, you have to have a certain finesse when letting someone know they need to improve on their skills”, was a recent comment received by email on Why Being Real is so Difficult.
The point she is making [...]

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Diversion Tactics: A Good Strategy at Work?

by Lynn Dessert

How often do you create a diversion when you are at work? It may be more often than you think. The art of diverting a question or decision can be a useful tactic, if done well.
Sometimes the diversion is permanent; other times, it buys you time to think through your strategy more carefully. Robert Greene, [...]

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H1N1 Flu Vaccines: System or Leadership Breakdown?

by Lynn Dessert

The H1N1 Flu (first known as Swine Flu) is causing lots of ill will, no pun intended. The distribution issues of the vaccine are akin to leaders trying to manage their employees. Here’s why.
Cries of unfair treatment are abound. This morning, I heard about how Goldman Sachs is receiving similar allocations of vaccines as doctors. [...]

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Job Candidates Control More Than They Think

by Lynn Dessert

Have you ever left an interview or meeting with a company and wondered why you felt a bit uneasy or had a sour taste in your mouth? It is time to pay attention to what your gut is telling you and figure out how to turn it around.
Why Passive Candidates Require Special Handing by Brad [...]

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Breaking Up is Hard to Do!

by Sue Schnorr

A common networking question is “How do you END a conversation?”
Many people have difficulty with this. Whether you want to cling to a person for the safety of having someone at your side at a crowded event, or if you’re the type that has ‘just one more story’ you feel you must share … ending [...]

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Nine Ways to Deal Effectively with Human Resources

by Lynn Dessert

You are facing a major problem at work. It might be a conflict with your boss or a co-worker. You may have witnessed something unethical or you may have a wimpy boss and cannot figure out what to do about it. Whom do you turn to?
On a recent message board, the question is whether someone [...]

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Boss Blocks Promotion? Now what..

by Lynn Dessert

Question: I recently was up for a promotion to another department. I was told by Human Resources that someone else was selected for the position.
A couple of days later, I overheard someone in our department saying that I was not allowed to take the other position because my boss blocked my promotion. I thought I [...]

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Wardrobe Malfunction: What do I do now?

by Lynn Dessert

Sometimes the Elephant at Work is your wardrobe malfunction – it can happen to both men and women. Chances are everyone has probably experienced it. It can be more stressful when it happens at pivotal times – you are heading to an important meeting or going on an interview. There are some things you [...]

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Does Your Boss Avoid You?

by Lynn Dessert

Jim “Worthless” is an Engineering manager at a large company. That is not his real last name; it is what his employees call him behind his back.
Jim is known for making commitments and then handing them off to his people to complete with very little direction. If you were to talk to his employees they [...]

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Sexual Harassment: Are you Tony?

by Carol McManus

Sexual harassment policies should be taken more seriously. Our companies’ futures could depend on it.
Sexual harassment is something we really don’t think too much about anymore – except when someone makes an untoward remark or inappropriate joke.  Even though every allegation of harassment is supposed to be taken seriously, perhaps because the policy has been [...]

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Baby Boomer Job Seeker: Is an MBA necessary to compete?

by Lynn Dessert
question mark

Question: Shortly after I volunteered out during Company X restructuring, 9/11 hit and the world stopped (similar to today’s economy). I couldn’t find any openings at my level or even a step down. It took a few years to get what I have now — but I’m severely under utilized. I keep looking for better [...]

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