There are a few basic truths that reveal themselves in almost every story of sudden-onset caregiving. The first is that love remains intact
Falling into caregiving is a particularly apt descriptor for anyone whose spouse has suffered a stroke or received a cancer diagnosis. The day of a loved one’s serious head injury is the marker for a family life before and after caregiving. A catastrophic event or diagnosis catapults a caregiver into another land – a territory…
Whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, out of work, no more paycheque
It's happening all the time: Workers get the proverbial boot. But whether laid off, terminated or fired, it all means the same thing. You've been de-jobbed, you're out of work, and there's no more paycheque. It means pounding the pavement and looking for a new job. It's natural to be overwhelmed with negative emotions –…
In a global business environment, negotiations are more important than ever because complex variables must be considered
Negotiations take place every day in our private and business lives. Skilful negotiation plays a large part in building a successful career – especially a power job with a global company. Getting a great job involves a series of negotiations. High-value candidates can negotiate virtually anything – salary, benefits, working hours, perks, advancement prospects and…
Our advice for evaluating whether a job offer is too good to be true
What do you do if offered a job that sounds too good to be true? A headhunter calls and says he has the job opportunity of a lifetime. Do you jump on it or back off and consider it carefully? Big mistakes are made when emotions take precedence over sound, objective reasoning. Masterful executive search…
There is no concrete set of skills necessary to be a boss
Mention the word "boss," and we immediately think this person has some special abilities or training. When bosses make bad decisions, we're horrified. But we're also amused and pleased at the same time because it demonstrates they're human after all. Whatever your job, there is a curriculum, agenda, rules or protocols that prepare you for…
Be mindful about practicing. Eliminate wasteful communication. Make the hours matter and become a better LEAN Communicator
In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell states that an individual needs to practice a complex task for about 10,000 hours before he or she becomes a world-class expert. He cites the Beatles, Mozart, Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill Joy, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and others. (Ability, luck, support from others and timing are also important for…
Many career-builders turn squeamish when it comes to asking for a raise through fear of rejection and how to broach the subject diplomatically
Many career-builders turn squeamish when it comes to asking for a raise. The reasons include fear of rejection and discomfort about broaching the subject diplomatically. Often, it's hard pinpointing the exact reason. Maybe it has something to do with negative attitudes toward money often being passed from one generation to another. As children, parents and…
If you expect to get ahead, you must understand and respect the power of organizational politics
If you expect to get ahead, you must understand and respect the power of organizational politics. There is no escaping it. Fiercely competitive industries are rife with politics. Refusing to play organizational politics can be career suicide. Politics – the business of high-stake schmoozing and winning people over – aren't for everyone. But the measure…
Don't underestimate the importance of having a plan in place for when the inevitable happens
Every day, we make financial and health-related decisions and often don’t give these decisions a second thought. But how – and by whom – would these decisions be made if we’re suddenly incapable of making them for ourselves? You can’t underestimate the importance of having a plan in place for when the inevitable happens. And it…
Understanding, analyzing and dealing intelligently with employee behaviours is a key to good leadership, increased productivity and higher profit
American actress Mae West is quoted as saying, "The best way to behave is to misbehave." That may have worked for Mae West, but it won't work on the job. Most companies want behaviour that inspires productivity, performance and, of course, profit. Behaviour can be broken into five categories: 1. Behaviour is observable. An employee…
It is best to think of every job as a steppingstone job to a great, but not perfect, job
Career pundits make a big deal about the perfect job. So millions of career builders make it their quest. And a fruitless quest it is. Here we are in the 19th year of the 21st century, and the mythical perfect job has mushroomed into something even more intangible and out of reach than ever before.…
Life is all about choices so if you're continually frustrated, you have chosen to remain that way
Have you ever been frustrated? Probably a time or two! Frustration isn't actually a problem for most people; it's what we don't do about it that's the problem. Frustration frequently leads to worry, anger, inaction, and stress. So who needs frustration? No one. While you probably can't avoid frustration, you can do something about it.…
Practical solutions for achieving a more harmonious workplace
Common Sense is NOT Common Practice, a nifty, little book by Rhonda Scharf, draws from her work in corporate Canada and the U.S. While it probably won't make the best seller list of "business books," it is an indispensable book leaders should read because it's about business on the day-to-day level in the office. Divided…
It's only a matter of time before your entire system breaks down
Conventional wisdom says that hard work yields it's own just rewards. It's hard to argue with success, fame, fortune. The big successes of the world aren't clock watchers. They've turned their back on the conventional 9 to 5 mentality, and work 12- to 14-hour days and put in Saturdays – even Sundays – when they…
The way you leave a position says a lot about you as a person and can determine the success you will have in your next role
In life or a career, the simple fact remains: we all have to go sometime. But the way you leave a position says a lot about you as a person and can determine the success you will have in your next role. We spend a lot of time thinking about the best way to start…
Falling into caregiving is a particularly apt descriptor for anyone whose spouse has suffered a stroke or received a cancer diagnosis. The day of a loved one’s serious head injury is the marker for a family life before and after caregiving. A catastrophic event or diagnosis catapults a caregiver into another land – a territory…
