The executives in your company may be paid way more than they’re worth, but don’t worry – it’s for your own good. That’s the point of a recent Forbes article defending overpaid executives which contains the single most disingenuous and illogical argument it has ever been my misfortune to see in a business context. From … Continue reading Tournament theory – the worst argument ever for overpaying executives
Let’s do a quick reality check on job descriptions. Ask yourself these three questions: When was the last time you read your job description? Do you remember what it says? When was the last time you did something at work that you could not have done without your job description? If your answers are 1) … Continue reading Why job descriptions are useless
When I wrote my post on why secret salaries are a baaaaaad idea I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into. On most other posts I’ve written, 3 out of 4 commenters agree – in this case 3 out 4 thought that open salaries are a really baaaaaaaad idea. How many a’s are there … Continue reading Comment roundup on secret salaries vs. open
This chapter is not yet finished – but I really need your help, so I’m posting it now. Am I on the right track? It kinda feels like the advice here is either too simple or too complex to be useful. I want people to read this chapter and be inspired by what other great … Continue reading The six practices of happy, succesful workplaces
Though Jane enjoyed working as the sales manager of Wilbey & Sons, working with Scott, the financial manager, was a constant struggle for her. At every meeting, Scott would take great care to explain why all her ideas were unworkable. Also, Scott was constantly asking for sales projections and financial data from her and always … Continue reading 5 essential steps to resolve a conflict at work
Most people think that having a higher income would make them happier. They’re wrong! That is the conclusion of a study by Two Princeton professors, economist Alan B. Krueger and psychologist and Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, who say that: The belief that high income is associated with good mood is widespread but mostly illusory. People … Continue reading Think a raise will make you happy? Think again!
CEO Hal Rosenbluth was once about to hire an executive with all the right skills, the right personality and the perfect CV. His interviews went swimmingly and he’d said all the right things, but something about him still made Rosenbluth nervous, though he couldn’t put his finger on just what it was. His solution was … Continue reading Jerks at work – and five ways to deal with them
The idea that working more does not necessarily mean achieving more, and that we need to end the cult of overwork, seems to be cropping up all over the place these days. Here are a few great, recent sightings. Fred Gratzon lists the Top 10 signs you’re made to be an entrepreneur, including “You are … Continue reading Work less achieve more
When the customer isn’t right – for your business One woman who frequently flew on Southwest, was constantly disappointed with every aspect of the company’s operation. In fact, she became known as the “Pen Pal” because after every flight she wrote in with a complaint. She didn’t like the fact that the company didn’t assign … Continue reading Top 5 reasons why “The Customer Is Always Right” is wrong
Happy at work. Happy? At work? Happy… at work? Is it possible to be happy at work? Can we go to work and be energized, have fun, do great work, enjoy the people we work with, have fun with our customers, be proud of what we do and look forward to our monday mornings? Can … Continue reading The happy at work book – Introduction