When you’re the person who makes the seating chart, you have a lot of power and also a serious responsibility to optimize a functioning workplace. There’s a whole Myers-Briggs personality chart of different needs to consider when deciding who sits where and in what kind of working environment. You’ve got your introverts who suffer in an open area with no control over chatty co-workers; then there are th...

In the movie, 'Star Wars,' Obi Wan-Kenobi gave Luke Skywalker a sword that seemed to have magical powers. The sword was useless to Luke when he lacked confidence in his abilities. But when Luke realized that he had the magical powers within to create his own perception of reality, he wielded the sword with confidence and accuracy. Do you have control over your life career? Indicate yes or no: I didn't get t...

“Find your passion.” The phrase conjures up some mixed feelings. On one hand, we imagine Future Me living our best life, one where we’re smiling at work and making real and important change happen. There’s a glossy filter on this fantasy. And on the other hand, we feel a small bubble of panic rise from our stomachs; I haven’t found my passion yet—was is wrong with me? Or I thought I found...

You know someone who found a great job in a week. But you’ve been looking for the last six months. What’s wrong with you? Chances are, nothing. It’s entirely possible that your strategy needs help, but that’s why there is help here, and of course, not just here. Before you start comparing yourself to anyone, though, remember that the job search is affected by a thousand things that none of us can con...

Almost 10% of white-collar workers in the US now work from home on a full-time basis, and more than 40% of all white-collar workers work from home at least once per week. This flexible work arrangement is one that costs employers nothing but engenders high engagement from employees. While many people report that they are more productive when they work from home, many also struggle with the blurred line between home and wor...

Slash careerists, moonlighting, freelancing. TThere are many terms for working extra jobs, but no matter what you call it, more than 44 million people have side hustles. Millennials aren’t the only ones creating new sources of income while holding down a day job. Baby boomers are cashing in on the trend as well. Soon-to-be-retirees out-earn Millennials when it comes to side hustle income, taking home an average of...

You know what to do with an underperforming employee, but what about an efficient but difficult one? I’m a strong believer that you can’t be too positive or too empathetic in the business world. Yes, a lot of places of business are far from that ideal, but that’s exactly why you should distinguish yourself from the dog-eat-dog norm and try to make your work life a place of caring and sensitivity. Why...

For many of us, weekends are a time for relaxation. Counting down to Friday becomes routine because it means you can finally recover after five days of beating yourself up at work. However, this is a toxic cycle that tells us we should put self-care on hold for most of the week, when it should actually be something we think about all the time. Like all things, moderation and balance is key. It’s completely possible...

Recently I was asked to contribute to a piece for The M Dash, the online magazine for clothing brand M.M.LaFleur, about what it’s like to feel lost at work at various stages in life. While my deepest area of expertise is coaching and training mid-career women who recognize they want and deserve a better, happier professional life, I’ve worked with hundreds of women and men across a fuller span of their lives, in...

Do you feel powerless about aspects of your job? Do you feel unappreciated? Overworked? Are you always tired, irritable? Do you lack enthusiasm? Think of quitting? If so, you may be experiencing job stress. Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a problem when you feel so overwhelmed by work demands that normal coping strategies don’t work. Studies report that anywhere from 70 to 80 percent of North...