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Chances are good you’ve heard trash talk from an opponent at some point, whether it’s on a sports field, during a negotiation, a Board meeting or in a classroom. (The best ones growing up in South Carolina typically involved a “your momma is so ugly” introduction to a burning personal insult.) However, no matter what…

The “War for Talent,” a term coined by Steve Hankin of McKinsey & Company in 1997, refers to an increasingly competitive landscape for recruiting and retaining the best employees. With U.S. unemployment rates at the lowest levels since the late 1960’s, the drive to keep good employees on board and attract new ones has escalated…

Want to stop career burnout? Try a dose of gratitude. Recent research has shown that gratitude makes you happier and healthier. One of the world’s leading experts on the science of gratitude, Psychology Professor Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis, found that gratitude is related to 23 percent lower levels of stress…

Feel like you are working more hours than ever before? Turns out that’s not your imagination. According to this 2014 Gallup Poll, adults employed full time in the U.S. report working an average of 47 hours per week, and nearly four in 10 say they work at least 50 hours. Yikes! If that’s the average…

I’ve seen a lot of smart people become “career activists,” networking like crazy, volunteering for extra assignments and diligently plotting their next move like a Grandmaster chess player about to checkmate their opponent’s king. However, even the people who never miss a professional association networking event and gobble up self-improvement audio books like the really…

This past weekend, I was approaching the last sprint in an intense spin class when my energy started flagging. Some women might glow, but I was a sweaty, endorphin-happy mess from the previous 43 minutes of climbs, jumps and all-out high heart rate hijinks. Was ready to start winding down when the instructor, Bejay, name-checked me and…

I’m obsessed with the Netflix show Stranger Things. A cross between Stand by Me, Aliens and Firestarter topped with a huge dollop of early 80’s nostalgia, this compelling ode to the power of friendship is more than just great entertainment. It also contains life lessons for thriving in your career. Here are four ways Stranger…

From Stephen King to Maya Angelou, numerous cultural icons have been quoted on the concept of hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. Many organizations certainly operate with that mindset, creating contingency plans galore for handling crisis situations. But if everything goes right, how well-equipped are you to accept good times? It takes…

It might seem like Wonder Woman doesn’t have much to do with employee engagement. After all, the beloved icon uses bullet proof bracelets, the lasso of truth and super human strength to protect humanity (and rack up box office gold) while companies focus on employee engagement to improve productivity, reduce turnover and enhance results. However,…

I have been a sucker for riddles since first encountering them in the form of bad jokes (Q: How do you catch a squirrel? A: Climb up a tree and act like a nut.) on the side of a Dixie cup in kindergarten. But my all-time favorite is one that has provoked thought for generations…