Nov 07, 2024
Ambiguity is part of life. However, when ambiguity infiltrates multiple areas of your life or when it lingers for a long period of time, it becomes harder to navigate. So, how can you navigate ambiguity?
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Aug 29, 2024
In a post-COVID world, we have come to rely on meetings, so much so, that many of us do not have time for comfort breaks, let alone catch our breath, or get some of our work done, which often now has to happen early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This leads to meeting overload. How can we avoid meeting overload? Here are five tips!
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Jul 25, 2024
What age is too old to hire? According to a recent survey, the answer is 58! For mature workers who still have lots of gas in the tank, much knowledge and wisdom to share, this is beyond frustrating. Ageism is putting up an almost impenetrable wall for mature workers seeking to change jobs or find news ones after being laid off.
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Jun 21, 2024
We have all been in a position where we are not sure what to do or how to respond to a specific situation. So, why not turn to AI? Sometimes our issues are not ones we can discuss with a co-worker—they must remain confidential, whether due to internal politics or the nature of the issue.
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Aug 30, 2023
It is exciting to get promoted to a leadership role with management responsibilities! However, most new managers are not trained or groomed for that role, some figure things out with many bumps and bruises (to the ego) along the way, while others never quite get the hang of it to become good, strong managers. Here are 7 tips for new managers!
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Jun 08, 2023
There are a whole host of reasons for the leadership gender gap. However, it begins with the first opportunity to move into a leadership position, “For every 100 men who are promoted from entry level to manager, only 87 women are promoted, and only 82 women of color are promoted.” This has become known as the “broken rung,” referring to that corporate ladder. This puts women behind from the very start, which then makes it really challenging to move ahead into more senior leadership positions.
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Feb 28, 2023
As we wind down Black History Month, I wanted to celebrate some incredible up and coming young Black leaders. We often focus on historical leaders, which mightily deserve our attention and recognition for their innovation, sacrifice, leadership, scientific contributions, pioneering endeavors, strength, and advocacy. We asked our graduate students to help us celebrate Black History Month by writing names of Black authors, leaders, politicians, inventors, heroes, athletes, etc. on our board. No surprise names such as Barak Obama, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, and Jackie Robinson appeared. There are also some lesser known (but noteworthy) names such as Terrance Hobbs (guitarist), Charlie Mitchell (NYC’s first Black Michelin Young Chef), and Esteban Hotesse (WWII hero). Some of these people are historical figures who are no longer with us, others are older, well-established folks who continue to have influence. I wanted to celebrate younger newer Black voices, leaders, innovators, and advocates – they are the future
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Feb 21, 2023
There have been many articles published on employee burnout and Zoom fatigue, but one important element folks don’t seem to be discussing is the lack of time available to get things done because there are just too many meetings. This has really sparked my interest. As I look at my own calendar with very few openings during the day, and as colleagues talk about not being able to get work done other than in the evening or over the weekend, it is clear - we need to do something about the excessive number of meetings. The statistics are a bit staggering: 83% of employees spend as much as a third of their week in meetings, 47% report these meetings are a waste of time, and 45% feel overwhelmed by the number of meetings they are asked to attend.
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Oct 03, 2022
When you get ready to apply for a new position, typically it begins with reviewing your resume or CV to ensure it is up-to-date. But to be truly ready for a job hunt that involves taking the next step up the ladder, you should begin at least a year in advance. Why? No one has every skill or required experience listed in a job description – nor should they. And as a reminder, women typically only apply for jobs where they have 100% or darn close to 100% of the requirements while men will apply holding far less. You should consider a position for which you have between 60% and 70% of the requirements, which may mean you have to build upon your skills and experience to be ready to apply for that next great position.
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Sep 07, 2022
While many employees are feeling a bit overwhelmed managing their position and responsibilities of other positions that have not been filled for either budget reasons or the inability to hire a qualified candidate, that is not the case for some. Over the past few months, I have heard more and more folks, especially those new to the workforce, comment about being bored or not having enough work to do. If you do not have enough work to fill your time, you have an amazing opportunity knocking on your door – don’t waste it.
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Aug 03, 2022
One can’t help but see post after post on LinkedIn about feeling the burn and I’m not talking Bernie Sanders. More and more employees, as well as students, are feeling burned out. And, in all honesty, why wouldn’t we all feel burned out. We have been tugged, pulled, and pushed for 30 months or over 900 days due to COVID. Then add in George Floyd, how could one not feel exhausted after watching the life literally be pushed out of him? And he was not the only one! There were the impeachment hearings, the election, hybrid work, which turned more into 24/7 work, and now there is Monkey Pox and if you get sick, some unspoken expectation has emerged that you just work from home. Finally, the heat - anyone who still denies our planet is heating up due to climate change, must be living 30 feet underground.
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Jun 27, 2022
While I typically do no write about “political” issues on this blog, like many women (not all – I acknowledge that fact), the recent SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe Vs. Wade, has left me reeling. Of course, this decision has a major impact on women’s health, but it also has a huge implication for women in the workplace. At stake are the ability choose and build a career, get promoted, be viewed and valued as a leader, etc. In addition, a woman’s right to privacy is also being eroded.
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Jun 10, 2022
I attended the Drexel graduation ceremonies over the past two days not as a faculty member or an Assistant Dean, but rather as a parent. I carefully listened to the words of encouragement and accomplishment, ones I have often delivered, and those words were wholeheartedly deserved. However, I also listened to graduates, deans, and guest speakers talk about this class, the class of 2022, and the resilience shown as this class entered college and graduate school with all the hopes and dreams of those before them. But life had other plans.
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May 19, 2022
Planning your career growth involves a strategic approach that pulls together networking, professional development, reflection, skill attainment, and a packaging of everything to present your best self. It also involves support from your current manager or supervisor.
A good manager will understand that while they hired you for a specific role, part of their job is to help facilitate your growth into other more senior roles. But they can’t, and shouldn’t, do that in a vacuum. As an employee, you are responsible for your career trajectory and need to play the biggest role in growing your skills and experience, so you can move up. A key way to do this is by asking your manager, in your 1:1 meetings, questions about how to enhance your skills and grow your experience, so you can achieve your goals.
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May 10, 2022
I’ve written quite a bit about what it takes to be a good leader, but I have not focused on what kind of manager is right for YOU. Over the years, I have worked with horrible managers – throwing paper clips or worse at folks, mediocre managers who do little to assist you in growing and developing in your career, and a few who have been supportive and encouraging and work to help me achieve my goals. For the latter, I have not taken the time to think about what aspects of their leadership I needed at the time or which elements proved the most helpful.
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Mar 14, 2022
With the Great Resignation is still underway, companies are losing talented workers, which not only costs money, but it also has a significant impact on institutional knowledge, organizational growth, sustainability, team morale, etc. We also know employees will be more likely to stay if they feel valued, supported, included, and encouraged, as well as knowing their manager is listening, transparent, and engaged. So, if companies want to retain their talented employees, it is incumbent upon all leaders – at all levels - to look at themselves and evaluate their leadership style and their engagement with their teams.
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Mar 07, 2022
The women I am choosing to highlight for International Women's Month might not be whom you would expect. This group of young women, of which there are some 14 million (based on census data and a little math). I see these young women entering the workforce, far more prepared than my generation was. I see these young women focused on the common good, work-life balance, personal values, but don’t think for a moment that they are not driven. These young women are doing amazing things.
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Feb 07, 2022
We’ve all experienced difficult people in our lives at one point or another – the feelings and emotions they can evoke with their condescension, aggression, or disrespect can feel overwhelming. But let’s face it, as much as we may want to, we can’t control their behavior, but we can control our reaction and the direction we take to resolve it.
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May 06, 2021
Mother’s Day is fast approaching and what better opportunity to send some extra love to moms everywhere. Mothers are a true force to be reckoned with. Life does not slow down for anyone once they have a baby, and there are a million things to juggle every minute of the day. Raising children is no easy pursuit but raising children while working seems almost impossible. Moms are no stranger to the impossible, though.
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Apr 16, 2021
Did you know that women are far more likely to volunteer for tasks that do not lead to a promotion or a raise? According to a small-scale study conducted at the University of Pittsburgh, 696 students participated in an exercise in which they were asked to volunteer. Researchers found that women raised their hands 48% more often than their male counterparts.
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Apr 01, 2021
When the pandemic interrupted our daily lives a little over a year ago, we had no idea how long the interruption would last or the lasting impact it would have. There are a number of silver linings, some of which I have discussed in prior posts, and there are – of course – challenges. But one thing that impressed me was the grace we extended to one another. Where is that grace now?
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Mar 23, 2021
This is Women’s History Month – it is definitely a time to celebrate the many achievements women have made, but the reality is that there is still so much more to do. As I have written recently, women have lost ground in the workplace due to COVID, women have made progress in deepening the cracks in the glass ceiling, yet we only hold 6.2% of the CEO positions in Fortune 500 companies. So, instead of writing about our achievements and our progress, I decided to offer advice to women, so we can close these gaps.
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Mar 05, 2021
On Wednesday (3/3/21), I moderated the Pennoni Honor’s College Panel Discussion entitled, “COVID-19 and the ‘She-Cession’.” It was an excellent discussion - one that needs to continue. So, my goal in writing this week's post is to follow up on my call to action in the panel, which is to for all of us: women, men, trans people, marginalized people, everyone to continue this dialogue. The cat is out of the bag regarding the status of women in the workplace and the changes that need to occur, and we have to ensure the status quo doesn't continue. We do this by pressing the issue forward with all around us – with each other, with colleagues, with friends and family, acquaintances, our local representatives and our national representatives.
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Feb 25, 2021
How many times did we hear during the 2016 Presidential election that Hilary Clinton was the first woman to run for President? And there is no doubt, regardless of one’s political affiliation, Clinton put some serious cracks in that glass ceiling, but she was not the first. That honor goes to Shirley Chisholm.
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Feb 15, 2021
Each of these entrepreneurs shows us that life interrupts and life is not fair, but they also show us that grit, resolve, agility, and creativity is crucial to an entrepreneurial spirit. Some of the older entrepreneurs shared in this post, may not have been celebrated in my history books, but I have no doubt the newer ones will become, if they have not already, household names associated with innovation, tenacity and the epitome of an entrepreneurial spirit. They are true models of inspiration, showing us what it takes to succeed.
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Feb 03, 2021
I have decided, since it is Black History Month, I will be dedicating this month’s blog posts solely to the contributions and achievements of Black people. And this week, I begin by celebrating Black women trailblazers!
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Jan 28, 2021
With the inauguration of Kamela Harris as the first woman Vice President last week and the confirmation of Janet Yellen as first woman to serve as the Treasury Secretary, that proverbial glass ceiling has more than cracked. It hasn’t shattered – yet – but as women, we are making great strides to take it down. With each woman taking aim at that glass ceiling, they pave the way for more women to follow.
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Dec 09, 2020
As a nation and as women, we cannot allow the pandemic to strip away the gains that have been made over the past twenty-five or more years. We have to fight for one another. We have to support one another. And we have to advocate for one another. Otherwise the losses incurred will have a long-lasting effect on us and on our daughters. There is no time better than today, right now, to reach out and support one of your fellow women colleagues.
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Dec 03, 2020
I have written about good leadership in the past. Over the years, I have had a couple good managers, a number of mediocre ones, and a few terrible ones. When I think about each of these boss buckets, there are common themes and elements. While there is much to be learned, from a leadership perspective, from the horrible bosses, today I want to focus on the good ones, the great ones. There are five key consistent attributes that each of these good managers employed.
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Oct 29, 2020
A few days ago, while listening to the news, one of the newscasters asked, “What do you miss most about the office?” In that moment, as if in a Harry Potter book, I apparated back to my Drexel office, but like the last time I was physically there, the office was empty. Eerily empty. Depressingly empty. Reminders of the time that has passed since we all congregated in the halls posted on the side of my computer or white board. Then the following day, Alba Berberena – the glue of Goodwin College - emailed us all and asked, “What do you miss most about the office?”
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Oct 08, 2020
According to the Wall Street Journal, less than 6% of CEOs are women. Sure, companies can check a box when they hire women in leadership roles, even though those roles are often “more female oriented” such as VP of Human Resources, but its time companies cultivate and foster female advancement. Jane Stevenson, vice chairwoman of the board and CEO at executive-recruitment at Korn Ferry said, “The women who do make it to CEO, they’re almost flukes because there’s not a consistent pipeline being built.”
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Oct 01, 2020
While you may have stopped talking about the “new normal,” there is no question most of the workforce who was suddenly catapulted into a home working environment, is wondering what work will look like post-pandemic. The answer is likely a hybrid model with employees working from home part of the time and in the office the rest of the time. Currently, employees are feeling burnout, having difficulty maintaining boundaries, and feeling a lack of community. These will all need to be addressed regardless of the number of days we return to the office.
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Sep 24, 2020
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman nominated and conformed to the United States Supreme Court died on Friday evening as the Jewish New Year began. Many found their way to the steps of the Supreme Court to honor the Notorious RBG and her legacy.
There are many lessons to be learned from RBG – her resilience, her dedication, her fortitude, and how she approached disagreements. There is one other lesson and that comes from the support and honor bestowed upon this larger than life woman by her colleagues on the Court.
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Aug 06, 2020
Okay folks, stop using the B-word – not that one, I’m referring to the word – BOSSY. According to the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) in their recent White Paper entitled, Bossy What’s Gender Got to do With It?, they provided some context for the negativity surrounding the word, “bossy.”
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Aug 11, 2020
Trust is crucial in all relationships, but I think sometimes we forget the importance in our working relationships, or we take it for granted. Like any other relationship, elements of trust may be given immediately, but full trust is earned over time. If you do not work to build that trust, you are actively eroding your relationships with your manager or your direct reports. Without trust growth will be hampered, success stalled, and both managers and direct reports will feel unappreciated and undervalued.
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Jul 01, 2020
Much has happened around us since we rang in 2020, leaving many of us feeling tired, worried, sad, frustrated, disgusted, and hopeful. This myriad of feelings and emotions do not disappear when we open our computers to start our workday. They do not disappear as we respond to emails or sit in Zoom meetings. They do not disappear as we read through reports to discern talking points. These feelings sit with us, hang over us, and dwell within us. We need to talk about them, so let's talk about it.
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Jun 17, 2020
For those of you who pre-COVID-19 worked in an office and have been working from your dining rooms, comfortable chair in the living room, home office, deck, or the kitchen counter, plans likely are underway to begin the process of returning to work. But what does that really mean? Who will return and when is still up in the air for most of us. And, the reality is, returning to work will look very different. So, what can we expect?
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May 13, 2020
Most of us have been working from home for at least eight weeks and most of us have adapted well, getting our work done via video conferences, chats, emails, and phone calls. However, one common thread I continually hear, “I’m have a hard time focusing.” It should not be a surprise, we are living in the most uncertain of times, nothing like we have ever experienced.
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Apr 28, 2020
Communication is one of the single most important elements to ensure workplace productivity, happiness, engagement, and creativity. When communication breaks down, the ultimate result is a loss on return on investment. Millions of dollars are lost every year due to communication problems. Communication can be difficult under the best of circumstances, and now that most of us are working remotely, it is even more critical to ensure our lines of communication are in place. Follow these six tips to help you and your team communicate effectively while working from home.
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Feb 28, 2020
There is no doubt the next couple of months, while the Coronavirus progression is being monitored, will be uncertain. The more you can do to keep your anxiety and your team’s anxiety at bay, the better off you will be in the event this virus spreads quickly and drastic measures are enacted.
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Feb 20, 2020
While I am not a psychologist, let’s be clear, dealing with the aftermath of a bully boss is a form of Post-traumatic stress disorder. Gordon points out that targets of bullies experience panic attacks, eating disorders, depression, and even thoughts of suicide, in addition to the lesser symptoms which can include sleeplessness, stomach issues, headaches, and general stress conditions.
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Feb 13, 2020
Bullying is hardly a new phenomenon, but did you know that bullying is fairly common in the workplace? According to The Workplace Bullying Institute, 19% of workers are bullied on an annual basis and 61% of those bullies are bosses. Given these statistics, I thought I would be important to examine this topic further.
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Nov 21, 2019
Nonprofits need volunteers throughout the year, not just during the four-to-six-weeks during the holidays. I support volunteerism whenever people can fit it into their schedules, but I encourage you to think about in January, March, and July, not just during this time of year. Nonprofits across Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and across this country make a difference for many who would otherwise might not have access to a library book, healthcare, legal advice, clothing, a bed, or food. And these nonprofits need people like you and me to help them achieve their mission.
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Nov 11, 2019
And I know there is no perfect way and each veteran may wish to be honored differently, and for some it may even mean not being honored. So, as opposed to honoring these women and men the way I think they should be honored, I decided to ask a few Veterans about Veteran's Day and how they would like to be honored.
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Nov 07, 2019
I am lucky to work in an environment where we all value supporting one another. In fact, collaboration is the first value on our list of core values for our college. We do it knowingly and unknowingly, in formal meetings, and in the hallway, and we are all the better for it, and as a result, our students are also better for it.
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Oct 30, 2019
It is likely you have encountered conflict at work at some point during your career. It is more likely you recently encountered conflict. In fact, according to CPP, Inc. - a management consulting arm under The Myers-Brigg Company – through their research, reports 85% of employees experience some kind of workplace conflict and 29% experience this conflict on a “constant” basis. They also report this amounts to 2.8 hours every week being lost to conflict or $359 billion in hours paid. In other words, conflict is highly disruptive.
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Oct 03, 2019
How many meetings do you attend in a given week? You might be surprised, or not, to learn the average person spends five hours and three minutes per week in meetings and another four hours and 15 minutes preparing for those meetings. This translates to 11 million meetings every day in the United States. Now, some of these meetings are likely useful and productive, but not all of them. In fact, $37 billion is wasted on unnecessary meetings every year. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX said, “Excessive meetings are the blight of big companies and almost always get worse over time.”
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Sep 25, 2019
Social skills are soft skills, which are also known as essential skills or human skills. They are important and necessary to make you the most effective co-worker, colleague, and leader possible. They are skills that can be learned and mastered, but it starts with you and your commitment to grow and develop over time.
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Sep 18, 2019
Charles Darwin’s words still very much ring true, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Adaptability is one of the top “human skills” otherwise known as soft or essential skills employers are seeking. Historically, little emphasis has been placed on these skills, but employers have realized that hard skills on their own are not enough. Employees need to be able to communicate, negotiate, interact with fellow colleagues, think critically and creatively, and they need to be able to adapt.
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Sep 12, 2019
Leadership roles are generally earned, which sometimes leaves young career professionals wondering how they can build leadership experience to earn such a role. It’s that old adage – if I’m required to have leadership experience for a leadership role, and I can’t get a leadership role without leadership experience, how do I get leadership experience? Well, there are six ways you can demonstrate leadership to earn a leadership role.
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Aug 21, 2019
Learn about the impact the Fellows had on the Drexel community and what they're up to today!
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Aug 15, 2019
I don’t know anyone who has been able to succeed in their career without making and developing strong connections and relationships. Sure, we all know someone who has been promoted, maybe more than once, despite being terrible at relationship building. However, in the end, those folks usually don’t rise to the top, they don’t build a coalition of folks under and around them, they often reside on their personal island. It is the process of building connections and forging relationships that helps us succeed and grow in our careers.
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Jun 27, 2019
A leadership exercise I facilitated with the Mandela Washington Fellows teaches us to think about the number of balls we are continually juggling.
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Jun 19, 2019
Learn about the Mandela Washington Fellowship and how much we can discover together.
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Jun 13, 2019
To each of you – this is the beginning of so much more. Capitalize on what you have learned. Use it to leverage your future, but also use it to empower others. A diploma from Drexel University should also be about using your skills and knowledge to benefit others.
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May 23, 2019
In the age of the continued gender gap, wage gap, the Time's UP movement, it is imperative that, as women, we actively work to empower one another. Here's how.
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May 02, 2019
Are you the only person in your whole department? Learn tips and tricks on how to be a successful team of one.
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Apr 10, 2019
Whether on the basketball court or in an office, building a team is not done haphazardly. It is a thoughtful and methodical process. One that has long-lasting consequences. The old proverb, “you are only as strong as your weakest link” is especially true when it comes to building a team. At Goodwin, I am part of a dynamic, engaging, and productive team, where I feel supported and valued, so I thought I would ask Assistant Dean, Tim Gilrain, who is responsible for building this team, to share his secrets.
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Apr 03, 2019
Employers are being faced with the increasing prevalence of a new conundrum: how to approach and assist employees who may (or may not) have autism. Guest blogger, Amy D. Edwards, EdD provides 4 Tips for helping employees with autism succeed in the workplace.
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Mar 13, 2019
Level, status, seniority, etc. do not matter. Accountability should be woven through the fabric of every position, in every department. It cannot happen in a bubble, it must start at the top, it must be fostered and cultivated, and it must never be punitive.
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Mar 06, 2019
I might go as far as to argue that if you are not gaining something in return, then you aren’t putting enough effort into the mentor/mentee relationship. Sure, the bulk of the benefits should be for the mentee. However, I have had those mentor/mentee relationships where I feel I have been the one gaining the most benefits. That would extend to my mentoring of the Mandela Washington Fellows. Of course, part of that results from the cultural exchange.
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Feb 27, 2019
Mentoring at its core is a symbiotic relationship. It is one where both people, the mentor and the mentee gain something of inherent value. In this two-part series, I will unpack the value of mentoring from each angle – that of the mentor and of the mentee. Let’s begin by looking at the value for the mentee.
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Feb 13, 2019
Brené Brown, in her book Dare to Lead, argues, “While some leaders consider apologizing to be a sign of weakness, we teach it as a skill and frame the willingness to apologize and make amends as brave leadership.” She also talks a lot in this book about vulnerability and there is no doubt that stepping up, in front of a colleague you just insulted or yelled at, immediately makes you vulnerable, but it also is a bridge to honesty and accountability. And without those two elements, there can never be trust.
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Jan 10, 2019
I recently came across a quote from Dame Minouche Shafik, the Director of the London School of Economics. She said, “In the past, jobs were about muscles, now they’re about brains, but in the future, they’ll be about the heart.” This really resonated with me, likely because I talk a lot about the necessity for empathy and compassion in the workplace and both come from the heart.
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Dec 06, 2018
If you are a young woman, just starting your career, or one in mid-career, only you can define what success means to you. For some of you, that may be owning your own business, for others of you it means service, and for some still it is a path to the C-Suite. Regardless of your trajectory, we should applaud their hard work and dedication and look to their journey for inspiration.
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Nov 16, 2018
Personally, I love brainstorming whether it is one-on-one or in a group. There is an energy that flows between the participants and as that energy builds, more ideas begin to flow. Essentially, it is a highly collaborative experience intended to bring a wide range of ideas to the table, some of which will fall to the wayside, while others will get pulled and shaped into something concrete, but what I find most exciting is when a new idea emerges, something no one entered the room with, and through the meeting it grows and develops.
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Oct 12, 2018
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, millennials (aged 22-37) make up 35% of the workforce. Another 5% is made up of the post-millennials (aged 16-21). This 40% of the workforce faces incredible challenges such as carrying high student loan debt and earning low salaries, both of which will make it more and more difficult for them to establish themselves, feel comfortable financially, let alone save for retirement.
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Oct 03, 2018
Take a few moments every day to notice the natural world around you. Maybe it’s a sunrise, a lone dove meandering along, or the dew dripping off a blade of grass. These moments not only pull you out of your frenzied world, they have health benefits.
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Sep 06, 2018
Have you ever thought about your personal core values? If companies create core values to guide decisions and actions, then shouldn’t you have personal core values to do the same?
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Aug 28, 2018
John McCain passed away on Saturday, August 25th from an aggressive brain tumor, it felt sudden given the families announcement that he had decided to stop treatment came just the day before. It also felt sudden because he was an incredible American hero. This is not about being a Republican or a Democrat, a conservative or a liberal, this is about honoring a man who has an incredible legacy of serving this country. Whether in the military, politics, or simply a lay person, there are lessons we all should learn from John McCain.
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Aug 02, 2018
Learn more about ways you can foster inclusion in the workplace through my interview with Jesse Krohn, the Associate Director, Education & Prevention in Drexel's Office of Equality and Diversity.
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Jul 24, 2018
Next time you have a team meeting, suggest using an ice breaker. When this short 10-minute activity is effectively utilized, by choosing the right type and following some basic rules, it can pave the path toward a more functional team by fostering interaction, a sense of community, and empathy.
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Jul 18, 2018
Since we communicate with people throughout each and every day, one would assume we'd be fairly good it. I don't believe it is any surprise that we're not. But why? Well, there are six barriers that impede our ability to communicate effectively.
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Jun 26, 2018
Wells Fargo is in the news again for taking advantage of their clients. In full disclosure, I bank with Wells Fargo, but that does not stop me from questioning their actions. Over the past couple of years, Wells Fargo has made the headlines with a series of scandals for the treatment of their employees and their clients. As I read about the latest scandal, I can’t help but think about transparency and Wells Fargo’s lack of it.
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May 23, 2018
After talking with my freshmen about the handshake, I started thinking more about this little ritual and had to ask myself the question - are they really all that necessary?
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May 02, 2018
Change always opens the door to the unknown, especially when it involves leadership. I’ve written before about a colleague leaving, but what happens when it’s your boss? In some instances, it could be a good thing, but for those of you who have a collaborative and supportive relationship, your boss’s departure can be anxiety provoking.
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Apr 26, 2018
Corporate philanthropy, the practice of corporations donating money to charitable causes, is technically on the decline. While the total dollar amount has increased some 115% over the past 30 years, as a percentage of pre-tax profits, corporate philanthropy numbers are dismal. According to Ken Stern in his article entitled, “Why Don’t Corporations Give to Charities,” published by MoneyBox, corporate giving has dropped over the past 30 years. In 1986 corporations gave 2.1% of their pretax profits, and as of 2012 that number had dropped to 0.8%.
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Jan 31, 2018
Charitable organizations are not just opportunities to find purpose in one’s career or to provide much needed services to those in need. These nonprofit organizations and the monies they raise and spend have a significant impact on our country’s overall GDP. According to Bureau of Economic Statistics, as a means of comparison, the wholesale trade accounts for 5.9% and the retail trade 5.7% of the GDP. The Charitable Sector reports 10% of the American workforce is employed by nonprofit institutions.
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Jan 17, 2018
Another lesson we were taught in Kindergarten that seems to disappear once we reach adulthood is admitting to our mistakes. I could go on and on about the reasons why accountability has been replaced with denials and finger pointing, but the reasons really don’t matter. The truth is, we, as adults and business people, need to be accountable for our actions – both good and bad.
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Nov 15, 2017
Why is social capital important? Well, within our organizations (small and large), we can’t operate in a vacuum; we need to rely on others to accomplish tasks, projects, etc. You may need to ask for an introduction, expertise, a favor, or you may need an advocate.
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Oct 26, 2017
Remember the old saying, “Do as I say, not as I do?” Well, those are not words to live by. If we want those who work for us and with us to be kind, empathetic, hard-working, etc., then we had better be kind, empathetic, and hard-working. Never did the day exist where one could truly expect those around them to perform in a certain way while they performed in another.
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Oct 18, 2017
At the recent Pennsylvania Conference for Women, I heard powerful words of encouragement from the keynote speaker.
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Oct 12, 2017
As a woman, I would like to think we were making progress, and in some cases we are, but according to a YouGov poll that survey 4,900 people, 25% of respondents reported witnessing sexual harassment at work, and 30% of respondents (80% of whom were women), reported experiencing sexual harassment. And it gets worse, “60 percent of women in tech report receiving unwanted sexual advances,” according to a February 2017 TechCrunch article, it is difficult to argue progress is being made.
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Sep 20, 2017
Team building experiences are not just fun, they provide an opportunity for co-workers to interact with one another in very different ways, see one another through a different lens. We begin to see one another as a fellow human being versus a “co-worker,” someone who has feelings, hopes, and dreams, etc. When we return to the office, we then interact with that person a little bit differently. While we have this shared experience to talk about, laugh about, and reminisce about together, we also are more likely to be supportive, give the benefit of the doubt, or even lend a hand.
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Sep 14, 2017
Over the years, I have had a few good bosses, some bad ones, and even more mediocre ones. The good ones have been supportive of me and my career goals, they have encouraged me to think differently, they have pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and take on tasks and assignments I considered out of my wheel house. The mediocre bosses weren’t unsupportive, but the focus was more about simply getting the job done – punch the ticket and move on. For the most part, the bad ones were either not interested in my career goals or they didn’t support them because they thought they knew what was best for me.
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Sep 06, 2017
Reflection is a powerful tool in our EQ (Emotional Intelligence) toolbox. It is a skill that requires you to step outside of yourself to honestly examine your actions, thoughts, and goals. In other words, thinking critically about yourself by asking the tough questions.
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Aug 23, 2017
Did you purchase the special solar goggles or make a home-made viewer to watch the solar eclipse in action on Monday? If so, you are not alone. Many people did just that, and then they stepped away from their desks, phones, and computers to withness the rare event. But at what cost?
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Aug 16, 2017
Leaders should model and encourage ethical decision-making, and reward those who make ethical decisions. More importantly, those leaders who do not make ethical decisions and promote ethical decision-making, should not lead. They do their employees and their clients a disservice.
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Aug 09, 2017
Time management is a "soft skill" — a skill highly valued by employers and necessary in virtually all aspects of our professional and personal lives. So, I spent some time thinking about my own time management skills, and here is what I consider a sensible list of recommendations to enhance your time management skills.
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Jul 19, 2017
How often have you heard – the Millennial generation is lazy, they don’t respect power structures, or they need constant reinforcement, in other words they are the generation that expects a trophy just for showing up?
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Jul 05, 2017
Does your company offer education benefits? Tuition reimbursement? According to a survey conducted by the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans, as cited in Fortune Magazine, 83% of companies offer some type of educational reimbursement benefit.
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May 24, 2017
For many across this country, this weekend signals the start of summer. There will be pool parties, cookouts, and trips to the beach to welcome the warmer weather and the lazier days that will follow. And while I enjoy all of those things, I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon the holiday and what it represents.
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May 16, 2017
There are a more than a dozen companies that offer various employee security and monitoring software. While they may differ slightly, they all monitor emails (content and destination), file usage and access, inactivity, social media usage, websites visited, and even keystrokes. The intention is to ensure employees are productive and efficient with their time. According to CNBC, the amount of time employees across the world “wasted” on Facebook totaled $3.5 trillion (in US dollars).
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Apr 12, 2017
Spotting influence around us means that we need to be open about what and who influences us. Think about the times you yielded to the group and the times you separated yourself; this will give you an idea about what influences you and how.
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Apr 05, 2017
Last week, I attended the 2017 Philly Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Symposium, themed "Ignite Your Influence." It was a great day, full of information and networking, but it was the keynote speaker, Jonah Berger, a Wharton professor and best-selling author, whose message resonated most for me.
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Mar 22, 2017
Recently I participated in a power system exercise. It was based on the research of Barry Oshry. Essentially, within any type of organization (this also applies to our personal organizational structures such as families and friend groups), people fall into certain roles: tops make the decisions and shape the vision, middles work to execute the vision of the tops, as well as prioritize the needs of both tops the bottoms, and bottoms are the ones completing the work. It is important to note, that we tend to float between the levels based on situations, areas of expertise, etc. For example, a CEO is considered a top in most instances, but in the board room, the CEO becomes a middle or even a bottom.
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Mar 15, 2017
Is a company’s main responsibility to make as much money as possible for its shareholders/owners or to make as much money as possible—under certain standards?
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Mar 08, 2017
How many times have you heard, “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes…?” The ability to understand how another person's beliefs, feelings, and experiences makes them feel is known as EMPATHY. Well, empathy is essential to good leadership. At the end of this post, take the empathy quiz.
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Mar 01, 2017
If history is not your thing, I am not suggesting that you must develop a passion for the subject, but to be a great decision maker, you have to understand how we got to where we are before you can take a step forward to determine where we are headed.
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Feb 08, 2017
In Christine Porath’s article, The Hidden Toll of Workplace Incivility, published by McKinsey&Company in December of 2016, she details the rising trend of incivility in the workplace.
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Nov 30, 2016
Given Black Friday was just a few days ago and we are now full swing into the holiday shopping season, I thought I would share my thoughts on a recent McKinsey&Company article/podcast entitled, Getting to know urban elderly consumers. It should be no surprise the over-55 set is growing – they are, after all, the baby boomers. But what this article points out is that this consumer group is not well-understood, nor is it generally targeted.
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Nov 22, 2016
The term Black Friday has nothing to do with the day retail stores move into the black, meaning they start earning profits. The term actually originated right here in Philadelphia!
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Nov 09, 2016
Finding a job as a vet can be difficult. According to Military.com, employers often do not view veterans’ skills as transferrable, they prejudice veterans based on stereotypes, they worry that veteran employees can be deployed again in the future, or they believe veterans won’t acclimate well, especially in corporate America.
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Nov 02, 2016
A corporate reorganization often instills fear, anxiety, and paranoia in people, which then results in miscommunication, distraction, and even depression. In the October 2016 edition of the McKinsey Quarterly, Rose Beauchamp, and the authors of ReOrg: How to Get It Right (Harvard Business Review Press, November 2016), Stephen Heidari-Robinson and Suzanne Heywood take a look at how communication plays a significant role in effectively and compassionately managing a corporate reorganization.
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Oct 12, 2016
Next week is National Business Women’s Week (October 17-21). There are so many incredible women who paved the way for my generation and the generations to come. Over the course of the next week, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter to pay homage to some of these inspiring women.
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Sep 28, 2016
I came across McKinsey’s annual Women in the Workplace Report for 2016. The study was conducted by LeanIn.org and McKinsey. It looked at more than 34,000 men and women at over 130 companies. While the results are not necessarily a surprise, it tells us there is much more work to be done.
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Aug 24, 2016
When leaders manage those under them only through expectations and demands, discussing performance on an annual basis, workers at all levels are left feeling undervalued. This leads to dissatisfaction and resentment, which ultimately prevents the person from effectively doing his/her job. And it doesn’t stop there – resentment and negativity can breed like rabbits.
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Aug 17, 2016
Confusing emails, poor directions, incomplete responses - have you ever thought about the actual cost of poor communication?
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Jul 21, 2016
I was having a conversation with a colleague the other day about organizational collaboration and how people often get caught up in their own positions, their own collective group of employees, their own departments, etc.
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Jul 15, 2016
Not too long ago, I picked up Five Most Important Questions: Enduring Wisdom for Today ’s Leaders by Peter F. Drucker, Frances Hesselbein, and Joan Snyder Kuhl, published by John Wiley & Sons in 2015.
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Jul 11, 2016
Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing Professor Emeritus, Milton “Milt” Silver. I usually see Milt in the afternoon as he walks by my office to refill his coffee mug.
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