Careers: The Workplace

Sometimes the Answered Prayer Changes There is a strange kind of guilt that can come with realizing you no longer want the job you once prayed for. You remember how badly you wanted the opportunity. You remember the applications, the waiting, the rejection emails, and the hope that somebody would finally say yes. Then one

The Corporate Invitation to Speak Up Almost every company says it wants employees to speak openly. Leaders talk about psychological safety, honest feedback, transparency, and the importance of challenging ideas. They tell people to raise concerns before small problems become large ones. On paper, that sounds exactly right. The trouble starts when someone actually takes

The Employee Who Was Excellent Until He Wanted More A few years ago, I worked with an employee whose personnel file told a very clear story. Year after year, his performance reviews described him as exceptional. He exceeded expectations. He was dependable. He produced strong results. He was exactly the kind of employee management said

Bias Is Already in the Room Workplaces are already carrying enough stress, uncertainty, pressure, and rapid change without adding unnecessary judgment on top of it. People are trying to perform while also managing personalities, expectations, and shifting priorities. In that kind of environment, small acts of bias can build into something much larger. A manager

What It Usually Looks Like Age discrimination rarely walks into the room and announces itself by saying, “You are too old for this job.” Most employers know better than to say something that direct, especially in writing. What happens more often is something much quieter. Management starts talking about bringing in fresh perspectives, new energy,

Your Boss Does Not Need Every Detail One of the strongest communication skills you can develop at work is learning how to translate up instead of simply reporting up. Your boss does not need to hear every task you completed or every small decision you made during the week. They need to understand how your

Politics Are Already in the Room Three different kinds of politics now coexist in most organizations, whether people want to admit it or not. The first is constructive politics, the second is destructive politics, and the third is survival politics. They can all exist inside the same company, sometimes on the same floor and inside

Talent Is Not Always Enough After more than thirty-five years in corporate environments, including executive recruiting and coaching, I have seen talented people struggle because of workplace politics they never saw coming. Many were excellent at their jobs but unprepared for the hidden dynamics around them. I have also watched others move through the same

I guess it is my turn. Like so many other people, I was laid off last week, and I am not going to pretend it did not shake me. I had already been thinking about retirement and what the next chapter of my life might look like. But there is a big difference between choosing

Sometimes the Explanation Is Intentionally Short If you have ever been fired and walked away still wondering exactly why, you are not alone. Sometimes the explanation really is vague by design. An employer may say something like “performance,” “policy violation,” “not meeting expectations,” or simply “the company has decided to end your employment.” That can