Which work style do you have? Which is best for your personality and career?
Communicating at work often requires women to walk a very fine line to avoid being seen as “aggressive,” “bitchy,” “pushy,” and so on (for exhibiting the same behavior as a typical male employee, of course). The double standard was perfectly captured by Sarah Cooper in last year’s “9 Non-Threatening Leadership Strategies for Women” (which you can … Read More about Learn How to Become a Better Communicator with These Books
What are some “best practices” you should follow when it’s time to quit? Reader T asks about how to give notice when you leave a job… We’ve discussed in the past about how to know if it is the right time to move on to a new job, how to interview while working, and how to transition files … Read More about How to Give Notice When You Leave a Job
What should you do when you’re stuck with a bad assistant, secretary or subordinate — and your assistant doesn’t assist? When is just time to switch assistants, or even fire the person? Reader K wonders: We are a small (12 people) conservative professional investment firm serving high net worth clients. I recently moved from front office … Read More about The Bad Assistant: When To Switch, When to Fire
How many devices do you have? Does having multiple devices boost your productivity — or just add to the feeling of being overwhelmed? Reader A has an interesting question: So I was wondering, how many pieces of technology do you and your readers have? I am increasingly getting overwhelmed by it all. I have a desktop both … Read More about Do Multiple Devices Boost Your Productivity — or Your Overwhelm?
When should you quit your career? How do you know when you’ve chosen the wrong one? How long should you give yourself before you quit — and how many jobs should you try in that career? Reader F has SUCH a great question about this: Question for you: how do you know if you hate … Read More about Your Job, Your Career, or You: When to Quit Your Career
If you could pick any office, which would you choose? What factors would help you choose the best office? Reader C wonders… I’m thrilled to have accepted a new job! I’m an attorney in my late 20s making a lateral move to a mid-size boutique firm after five years with my current shop. Of all … Read More about How to Choose the Best Office
Do you struggle with focus at work (or, hey, at home)? What tips and tricks have you found to improve your focus? I am always looking for the best ways to improve my focus, but keep coming back to a few ideas… Readers, what are your best tips on how to improve focus? {related: how … Read More about Five Ways to Improve Your Focus
2017 Update: We still stand by this advice on how to become a better manager (and links have been updated below), but you may also want to check out our latest discussion on online women’s management training. How do you become a boss and a more effective leader — whether you’re new to management or you’ve supervised people for a while and want … Read More about Becoming a Better Manager: Books and Online Resources
What’s the difference between confidence and arrogance, especially at work, especially for women? How can you tell if you’ve crossed that line at work? Reader A wonders… I’ve got a sensitive subject that I haven’t seen discussed about discipline at work. I was recently hired at a law office where I’ve summered the last two … Read More about Being Confident at Work vs. Being Arrogant
2018 Update: We still love this discussion on how to be productive when you work in an open office; links have been updated below. Readers, do you have any tips for how to work productively in an open office? What advice do you have for someone struggling to adjust to one? Reader K wonders how … Read More about How to Be Productive When You Work in an Open Office
How can you track business development efforts, beyond traditional CRM (customer relationship management) software programs? We’ve talked about how to build a book of business, but not how to organize those attempts. Here’s reader EJ’s question: I have accepted a new job that will involve less billable hours and more business development. I would like … Read More about CRMs, Business Development Trackers, and Other Organizing Fun
Let’s talk about a subject near and dear to our hearts, ladies: how do you organize your office and your work (or otherwise get things done)? We’ve talked about cute office supplies, the best notebooks, planners, and office padfolios — as well as how to keep notes to CYA — but we haven’t talked about … Read More about How to Organize Your Office
