I walked into a Huawei store in Shanghai and found a Porsche. While in China just recently, I was moved to reflect about luxury. Here I was: surrounded by smartphones, tablets and connected watches. But also diamond watches, a high-end Berline, an impressive SUV – and a sports car. Apple, Samsung, Rolex, Lexus, Mercedes and […]
Read More“So you’re saying, it’s not just me?” Another question I hear too often. And also: “Can you make the ache disappear?” Gut-wrenching 🤛 So many feel isolated in the workplace — even though they are surrounded by people, instant messages, meetings — noise. A lot of attention may even be paid to them — not always of […]
Read More5 Signs Relationship Friction is Stalling Your Career In this article series, I explore how Relationship Friction (RF) and Relationship Wisdom (RW) shape career satisfaction and progression through apparently innocuous, yet critical, workplace moments. A number of you have reached out to discuss how to more precisely recognise RF. This article is therefore a brief […]
Read MorePresence beats stress. It starts in your feet 👣 “Alexandra, I’m so 🤬⚡️🔥💥 🌶️ 🔴✨stressed.” “I can’t think straight”, she added. I’ve heard this many times. People so stressed they don’t believe they can handle their session. Or much of anything else. Caroline was suffering from the usual forms of stress: Information overload: emails, messaging, […]
Read More“It was none of my doing”. My client said it with a heavy sigh. I replied: “Too bad because then it will be none of your fixing.” I invited her to draw a responsibility camembert. When I mention a French cheese, clients find it amusing and fill it out with a little smile. Taking responsibility […]
Read MoreHave you been secretly wondering if it’s time to quit? A checklist to make that important call. In this age of AI replacement, forward-thinking professionals are considering their career prospects proactively and critically: “How do I remain relevant and value-adding?”, they ask. More and more clients are now admitting they wonder “how long I can […]
Read MoreDo you know what you actually need — or just what you want? While you chase what you want, you may be neglecting what you actually need. We frequently confuse our wants with our needs. This confusion creates a lot of unnecessary unhappiness. Let me first show it to you in relationships. Sally thinks she […]
Read MoreAligned, Never Compliant: Handling Workplace Requests That Don’t Feel Right In this article series, I explore how Relationship Friction (RF) and Relationship Wisdom (RW) shape career satisfaction and progression through apparently innocuous, yet critical, workplace moments. We began with the Direct Contributor, whose RF risk was misreading their task. The First-Time Manager’s RF risk was […]
Read MoreFlight as Relationship Wisdom, not cowardice: in praise of avoidance. When I was 16, philosophy entered my life to feed a hunger I didn’t even know I had: I wanted meaning. Often confused, I also wanted advice: not my parents’, biased, nor my friends’, just as clueless as I. I appreciated philosophy’s variety of […]
Read MoreWhen crisis hits at work, reach for your purple crayon 🖍️💜 Are you in crisis right now? If not, have you ever experienced one and can you remember it? In the book Harold and the Purple Crayon*, a boy escapes catastrophe thanks to a magic crayon. In the grip of calamity, do you wish you […]
Read More“My manager is toxic. Can you really help?” I hear this far too often from prospective clients. Don’t despair: Relationship Wisdom can help even with toxic people 🤛 When it comes to toxic people, very little helps. That’s true. But it’s not nothing. I had three toxic managers over the course of my 24-year career. […]
Read MoreWhen You Drive a Cross-Functional Initiative, You’re Putting Your Organizational Credibility on the Line In this article series, I explore how Relationship Friction and Relationship Wisdom shape career progression through apparently innocuous and yet critical, often recurring workplace moments. We began with the Direct Contributor, examining what happens when a task is assigned and misunderstood. […]
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