What ‘Chopped’ Can Teach Us About Feedback
Chopped is available for streaming on Disney+ Canada and I’m here for it. Even though most of us would rather eat a mystery basket of sweet breads, tarragon, cotton candy, and lima beans than give someone difficult feedback. Chopped, where…
What Tough Loves Teaches Us
We’ve all received tough love at some point in our lives. Whether we hear from spouses who have feedback about our facial hair, coaches who know we can do better, or managers who need to inspire teams to achieve their…
How to Get the Most out of Information Interviews
For over 25 years I’ve been helping students and young professionals advance their careers and realize their worklife potential. One of the best ways to build a career is to get the most out of information interviews. To date, I’ve…
Daredevil’s Intersectionality
Daredevil, whose real name is Matt Murdock, is a fictional superhero from the Marvel Universe (the Daredevil: Born Again season finale is streaming now and it was/is really good). Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with input…
Kids, Creativity and Careers
When I lived in Vancouver I volunteered at the Writers’ Exchange. One time, I co-created some superawesome – and super educational – literacy programming for kids from East Vancouver during their Winter Holiday Break. The program content was career-related –…
Three Metaphors for Modern Organizations
The workplace is like a factory: a hyper-efficient, soul-crushing assembly line where creativity is bolted down with automated machinery and lean processes. Workers create value as cogs in an industrious, uniform way. In some warehouses, they maximize productivity by peeing…
Why Conflict is a Good Thing
The Potential of Dialogue Meaningful dialogue is an elusive thing in our communities. Having a respectful conversation with someone about something on which we do not agree isn’t common. Yelling opinions overtop of someone else or building a newsfeed that…
The Definitive Pros and Cons of Keeping a CYA Folder
Keeping a Cover Your Ass (CYA) folder can be a career lifeline. This practice is designed to protect our reputation by keeping documents, emails, and other evidence that can be used to clarify misunderstandings and defend against unfounded accusations. The…
How to Write a Great Thank-You Note
Gratitude is an important thing to express and we say “thank you” in many different ways – we speak the words, we give gifts, we write emails and send cards. This article explains how to write a great thank you…
How Language Creates and Erodes Interdependence
I agree with Batman that our actions matter more than who we are underneath because actions reveal our true character. I also notice how much language influences who leaders are and what we stand for. I notice this the most…