Three Examples of Cooperative Dystopia in the “Alien” Universe
Analyzing and sharing what popular culture can teach us about career development, leadership, and the cooperative enterprise model is something we do really well on this website. My contention is that the Alien universe is probably a cooperative dystopia from…
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…
Five Professional Lessons from the Mission: Impossible Movies
Action mega-star and semi-controversial human being, Tom Cruise, has done it again! Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation has hit theatres and is receiving critical acclaim and all of our money, too. Kurt and I love action movies and we also…
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…
Career Advice from Your Favourite Holiday Characters
The holiday seasons are upon us and we’re awash in the magic of Christmas, Hanukah, Love Actually, my parents’ Awesome Semi-Pagan beliefs, and, of course, Festivus. As we share stories of holiday joy with friends and family, it’s important to…
Four Ways that Tough Feedback Makes Work Better
Our team has written quite a bit about feedback – both how to give it and how to ask for it and act on it. But in our day to day work, we are often confronted with input and criticism…
Three Problem Solving Traits of Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is struggling to make money in movie theatres around the world because it’s fine, not awesome. The film follows Harrison Ford’s iconic, world-saving, colonially/neo-colonially-problematic, whip-slinging, problem solving character and his estranged goddaughter, Helena…
Five Ways to be a Better Career Influencer
Last week I joined my fellow CERIC board members in a planning session that focused on the future of our charity, which is purposed with advancing career development in Canada. We fund and publish research, share learning and build community…
Three Professional Lessons from Barber Shops
I go to Uptown Barbers in Vancouver’s (Mt. Pleasant ‘hood to get my hair cut every six weeks or so. Marco and Ben – the two barbers who I most often visit – deliver haircuts as good as the banter…
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s Career Advice is Dangerous
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is dangerous. He blows up relationships like he blows up planes. My theory is that his career advice is dangerous, too (not unlike another action hero I’ve written about before). Here is some evidence from the original…