Over the course of your life, how much career advice have you given? Received? Acted on? How much of it was right on the mark? How much of it well, full of it? Too frequently well-meaning individuals, in an effort to share their experience and inspire others, offer...
Career Matters
Career Development Takes a ‘Do It Yourself’ Turn
The following excerpt is from my article with Beverly Kaye, "A Leader’s ‘Crashless’ Course: Helping Employees Drive Career Development," that appears in Training Industry Quarterly. The do-it-yourself trend has taken hold across industries and within organizations...
Managers, Mentors, and a Lot More
Chip Bell and Marshall Goldsmith have just introduced another gem into the leadership development world. Managers as Mentors: Building Partnerships for Learning is now available everywhere books are sold. It’s a rich resource, filled with wisdom, perspective, and...
Give ‘Em Enough Rope….
I like to start each day with an early morning yoga class. And, if I get there early enough, I stretch out my spine by hanging upside down from ropes that are anchored to the wall. A friend recently walked into the studio, announcing, “There’s Julie. Give her...
Want to Kill Young Workers’ Motivation and Drive? Utter These 4 Words
Commencement season is in full bloom. And many organizations are looking forward to an influx of freshly-minted graduates within their ranks. Potential and excitement fill the air. The opportunity to develop, inspire, engage, and grow these new workplace entrants is...
Where’s Your Bubble?
For years I’ve wanted to take a ceramics class. I remember the satisfying feel of clay in my hands as a kid. And while I’m no Demi Moore, I could envision losing myself in art at a potter’s wheel. So my daughter and I headed out last weekend for an afternoon...
Unpacking Learning
In a recent SmartBrief blog post, Memo to the CEO: 5 Myths that are Killing Your Talent Development , my friends Jeannie Coyle and Wendy Axelrod provide insightful observations and analysis about talent development that is important to all leaders today. I found my...
The One Question to Stop Asking Kids… and Ourselves
Think back to when you were a kid in the presence of adults. I’ll bet I can predict the question you were asked more than any other. What do you want to be when you grow up? From a very early age, I remember the adults around me regularly making this inquiry. For a...
Building the Bench
Just as many organizations begin to feel that they’re stabilizing after a long period of economic uncertainty, they may find themselves facing a new and unexpected challenge: deficient management bench strength. According to the American Management Association’s study...
Closing the Door… on Closure
Poll ten highly successful people and you’ll likely find that nine have a very high need for closure. You know that you’re among them if you: Feel most comfortable when a meeting ends with a good recap and solid next steps. Get an unusual sense of satisfaction out of...
