I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review Mile Figliuolo’s new book The Elegant Pitch. One key element of a successful career is the ability to convince others. Often called “The Pitch” how we sell our ideas, skills, products and services determines the level of our success. Learning to effectively pitch our […]

I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review: “Challenge The Ordinary” by Linda D. Henman PhD. How do you manage for success? “Challenge The Ordinary” so instructs Linda G. Henman PhD accomplished author, active Fortune 500 management consultant, and C level Career Coach. The global economy is constantly evolving towards a more […]

No matter where we work unless we are hermits you will share work space with coworkers. It could be physical space at the office, hyperspace as in telecommuting or virtual office. Without fail, there will always be a difficult coworker or difficult boss who challenges your people skills and ability to cope with difficult people. […]

I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review: “They Don’t Teach Corporate In College” Third Edition – A Twenty Something’s Guide To The Business World – By Alexandra Levit. Ask a college student what they want most, and the majority will talk of graduating and having a stellar career in their chosen […]

There are many of us still reeling from the economic recession, which by all news accounts is over. I talk to so many people who are still unemployed or under employed, and many of them are beginning to believe that some how it their fault. If you listen to the news, and political rhetoric the […]

When the Boss Is a Bully – Are You Being Bullied? The number one workplace challenge, over and over again, is the bullying boss. There are many different types of bullying, and yes even the silent treatment is a tactic for the boss to bully employees. Ever been to a brain storming session when you […]

What career should you choose? The reality is that there is more to any job than just the part you may like. How do you balance everything to choose a career you will like, make a good salary, and stay employed? There is a lot written about pursuing your passion in the job market. Like […]

Working for a difficult boss not only ruins your workday it may also disrupt your entire life. Day-after-day working for a difficult boss can creep into your personal life and the negativity can spillover into your relationships. All too often we need to vent those pent up emotions, which build up while enduring a difficult […]

The New Year is at hand, and most of us are rethinking what we did over the last year, and making New Year’s resolutions for the coming year. Problem is very few resolutions survive the first month of the New Year. There are a host of reasons given by psychologists why we make and fail […]

In focusing on what makes for a good boss, or a good job. There are many theories, and number of items on a composite wish list is long. Have you ever tried to come up with a list of things that would make your boss more tolerable, or make you job more satisfying? I never […]

Unless we work for ourselves, most of us have to cope with a boss. What makes a boss more challenging to cope with than other authority figures? Why is more important to learn to cope with your boss? For one thing the circumstances of working are much different the environment in which we were raised. […]

Its Not You Its Your Boss! The PracticaL Mentor’s Guide On How To Cope With A Difficult Boss has something for everyone. Go to Buy Now There are few jobs where there is not someone in a supervisory capacity overseeing the work. Even if you are a supervisor you have someone supervising you. More often […]

The other day a friend sent me a Chinese parable that I think is worth sharing. It illustrates several concepts we experience in our thinking and careers. When you read my paraphrased short version of the parable think of situations, which you faced that parallel the parable. In addition, there are three people involved in […]

I met a new friend with an interesting job situation. She is the sole representative of a foreign company in New York City. Being a long way from the home office has created some real challenges. First there is a lot of envy among her home office coworkers, which results in less than desirable support. […]

Book Review I am thankful for the invitation from Career Press to review the revised edition of: How To Work For An Idiot – Survive And Thrive Without Killing Your Boss In his revised version of “How To Work For An Idiot”, Dr. John Hoover PhD has added all 10 types of bosses that he […]

Many of the tactics discussed in this article by Lynn Taylor have been mentioned in previous Practical Mentor articles. The idea is to present the information in as many forms as possible or maximum effect. In addition, Psychology Today is an outstanding source for workplace information and strategies. As you will notice there are common […]

This week I responded to several question on Yahoo Answers.com regarding problems with difficult coworkers. The problems range to from mild irritations to potentially damaging situations. One of the key concepts to keep in mind is everyone in the workplace is there to make a living and get ahead as best they can. That is […]

This week I exchanged e-mails with a company interested in instituting a formal mentor program for new employees. The objective of the program would provide a formal structure for new employees to obtain advice and guidance from the senior staff outside of the usual management tract. In many organizations, the supervisor or manager has the […]

Strategy, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy deals with how one event affects others. Once only thought of as a military process, strategic planning is now a common political and business term. In its purest sense strategy looks at how elements are linked and provides a high level plan to achieve a goal. Until recently military strategies were […]

An ideal company considers the interests of the employees when making decisions that may affect their status or careers. This seldom happens in these days of lay offs and down sizing. Businesses say they are fighting for their very survival by cutting staff. Truth is that most companies are doing just fine. The economic downturn […]