How to Keep the Feedback Conversation Out of the Ditch (Part 4 of The Fact & the Fundamental Lie)

Jun 3

Carolann Jacobs on June 3rd, 2009

Recapping parts 1-3…
Janice* runs the governance group for her company, and Rhonda* works for Janice in that group.  Over the course of time, Janice has developed a healthty distrust of Rhonda, although she’s never addressed it directly with Rhonda.  Anyone with two eyes and half an ear can observe that something isn’t right in that [...]

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“I Have Too Much to Do, and I’m Bored”

Apr 17

Carolann Jacobs on April 17th, 2009

Every heard that?
I used to say something along those lines to my mother, except that it used to start with an “I’m bored” and then she’d list all the unpleasant things I could be doing, like cleaning my room.
This is not a good thing when it happens consistently at work.  Many of you are probably [...]

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Bad Manager – The One Question You Can Count On To Tell You That You Have a Serious Management Problem

Apr 15

Carolann Jacobs on April 15th, 2009

The top reason people leave their company when they are temporarily dissatisfied is because of their direct supervisor.  If we think about it, it probably isn’t news.  Most of us probably quit a job or two or three because the “The Boss is stupid.”
The direct supervisor is the day-to-day representation of the organization.  This also [...]

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Turns Out I wasn’t Alone Having That “Ick” Feeling at Work

Apr 10

Carolann Jacobs on April 10th, 2009

@HireCentrix posted a link to on Twitter to this article that reminded me of something I’d suppressed…
I used to have this co-worker who turned nearly everything that was said into some sort of sexual innuendo.  Although, I am pretty sure he was only trying to be funny and not intimidating or predatory… ICK!
What’s funny about [...]

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HR Thinks Bob is a Sociopath, and They Hired a Coach?

Apr 8

Carolann Jacobs on April 8th, 2009

In yesterday’s post, I talked about “Bob,” a VP at a large company who has more than 50 HR complaints lodged against him.  The HR director chatted with me about it, because she’d read The Sociopath Next Door and thought that it described Bob pretty accurately.  That said, she hoped that some coaching might work [...]

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A Sociopath in a VP’s Clothing? (Not Talking about Dick Cheney)

Apr 7

Carolann Jacobs on April 7th, 2009

I was recently conversing with an HR director about some of her challenges, and she told me this story:
Bob* (not his real name) is a Senior Vice President in a large corporation.  He reorganizes his group about once a quarter as his direct reports fall in and out of favor.  In fact, there is a [...]

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The Simplest Step in Creating an Inspired Workplace

Apr 6

Carolann Jacobs on April 6th, 2009

Creating an Inspired Workplace, by definition means that the environment has to be someplace where people want to work.
A few years ago, I had a business in the same office building where I’d worked a few years before that.  As I was driving into the parking garage, going over the first speed bump, I felt [...]

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