Tag Archives: Communication

She’s the Best

January 15, 2013 by Joyce Richman
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Want to be the best at what you do? “She’s the best boss I’ve had because she’s as open-minded as she is clear about expectations. I always know where I stand with her because she’s willing to tell me the truth in ways that I understand. She’s never hurtful, always constructive, and trusts my ability to learn and grow on the job.” “He’s the best manager I’ve had because he keeps us informed and encourages Continue reading →

Asking Questions

November 7, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Successful job applicants know how to ask good questions. Good questions let interviewers know that you’re curious; you’ve done your homework; you’re listening to what they’re telling you; and you want to find as good a match as they do. Good questions focus on the future and explore ways that applicants can contribute to the company’s goals and objectives. Good questions keep the discussion energized and positive. Bad questions sound critical, cynical, confrontational, and close-ended. Continue reading →

Respect, Honesty, & Loyalty

October 17, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Respect, honesty, and loyalty are value- laden words that mean different things to different people for different reasons: “My boss doesn’t respect me”, she said. “He’s hurtful, he makes me angry and I don’t want him anywhere near me.” He doesn’t respect her. From what she said and how she said it I assumed he used foul language and called her demeaning and humiliating names. I asked her for some examples of what he had Continue reading →

Start & Stop

July 24, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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If you want to start doing something, you need to stop doing what was getting in the way. Some of these ideas might get you going or encourage you to adopt a few starts and stops of your own: Start focusing on long- term objectives and figure out strategies to get there. Stop focusing on short- term goals at the expense of what’s important, long term. Start focusing on your total presence, your confidence, capabilities, Continue reading →

Rude Behavior

May 8, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Bummer. You’ve spent weeks practicing answers to the toughest questions, days improving your resume, hours finding the right thing to wear, only to learn you weren’t made a job offer because the interviewer said you had bad manners. “Bad manners! Can you believe it?” slumped the client. “Tell me what happened”, I said politely, while correcting my posture and rejecting an overwhelming urge to remove a piece of celery from a niche somewhere between my Continue reading →

In a Jam

May 1, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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“I read your column and wonder if you get people like me out of a jam.” That prompted my curiosity and I asked her to describe, “people like me”. “People who are so lost they don’t know where to start. I’m a college graduate and I can’t believe I’m earning minimum wage in a dead-end job. I’m stuck, and I want to know if you can get me out of this mess.” Her tone was Continue reading →

Woah, Time Out!

March 27, 2012 by Joyce Richman
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Last week I described a job seeker who’s currently employed and absolutely miserable. She blames her distress on her boss. She describes him as “arrogant, dismissive, rude, and insulting” and vows not to take it anymore. Her solution? “I’m leaving. I have no idea what I’m going to do next but whatever it is, it can’t be worse than what I have here.” Erin (not her real name) says she likes her work and is Continue reading →

Telling the story a new way: Mother Goose in the workplace

December 20, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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Even the best of friends can drive each other to distraction. Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto, you get the drill. If friendship can’t transcend petty differences, what are co-workers, in recession rocked, pressure packed, deadline driven organizations to do? If you don’t have the energy to read what business gurus have to say on the subject, and want something a little more soothing, check out some Mother Goose. For example: Jack and Jill ran up the Continue reading →

Be a Problem Solver — Not a Problem Maker

November 29, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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She’s intelligent, talented, and fired. This isn’t the first time and might not be the last unless she gets a handle on what’s not working and what is. What’s working? Plenty. Claire (whose name is fictitious and behavior is real) is independent, self reliant, and self -starting. She thinks fast and talks faster. She’s analytic, organized and a wizard at remembering the details; all of which enable her to nail a problem at 500 paces. Continue reading →

Hearing and Fearing in Today’s Workplace

October 25, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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If the following comments sound familiar, they may be representative of what many people hear or fear, in today’s workplace. If you want a job here, you’ll do more with less. You’ll demonstrate and communicate your worth to and for the organization every day you’re on our payroll. You’ll retain and re-train qualified personnel at no cost to the company. There are more reasons than space to describe why organizations pare their payrolls and tighten Continue reading →

Question from a reader: How do I deal with petty complainers?

October 4, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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A reader asks: Q: I enjoy my work but have no tolerance for petty people and this place is filled with them. They constantly complain about each other. What makes it worse is that the department head seems to buy into whatever is being said so now she’s part of the problem. I try to stay out of it but it’s inescapable. I know I need to find a job somewhere else but why should Continue reading →

Questions: The Customer is Always…?

September 27, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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Q: How does a retailer, operating a very legitimate business, protect his/her company from misguided customers who are very clearly inappropriate in their demands and yet threaten all types of exposure and legal measures to get their way? Seems to me that this is a form of extortion… the customer isn’t always right! A: I asked several local retailers their take on the subject and received a variety of responses from them. Here’s a sampling: Continue reading →

Question from a reader: What do I do if I’m left hanging?

August 16, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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Q: It is very frustrating and unprofessional to keep someone “hanging” after an interview and not inform them if they have the job or not. People want to work and want to know if they should continue their search. Over the past year I’ve been on at least two dozen interviews and several firms never informed me as to the status of their selection process. What’s your take on this? A. Unless you’ve experienced both Continue reading →

The Straw that Broke…

August 9, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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I’m getting used to calls about workplace stress. What’s gotten my attention lately are all the calls about workplace abuse. American business and industry are known for having more workplace stress, abuse, and violence than our counterparts in other developed nations. The simple explanation is that we are more competitive, entrepreneurial, and bottom line. We seem to like that. Not that we are violent,  but that we are competitive. Stress is the norm. Add to that Continue reading →

More than Techniques

August 2, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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I’ve written posts dedicated to the trials and tribulations of introverted employees who recognize their own potential while realizing that others don’t. I have described described techniques that the more quiet among us can use should they wish to become more visible, viable, and recognized members of the work community. I’ve received some feedback: Many people don’t like “techniques”. They have an aversion to behaving in ways that are contrary to how they see themselves. Continue reading →

Anything Can Take You Off Course

July 19, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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A client  shared this childhood experience with me and described the  impact that it’s had on her life and career. She said I could share it with you. The only thing I’ve changed are the names… “Momma loved to get into her car and drive wide open. Only problem was she’d fall asleep at the wheel. She’d sleep anywhere she’d put herself and she was more apt to put herself at the wheel than anywhere Continue reading →

Not a Laughing Matter

July 12, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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If you have to think if  your joke is appropriate, it’s not. If you hesitate before lambasting a colleague, don’t. If you stop, however briefly, to determine the correctness of your comment, that’s reason enough to move it from the top of your agenda and the tip of your tongue. Study your action under cooler circumstances. Company leaders familiar with personnel law and risk management are putting their employees on alert. Co-workers, already stressed with Continue reading →

Leaving with the best foot

June 7, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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You’re more apt to be remembered for how you conclude an engagement, then how you begin one. Your reputation is established by the sum of your days, not by the start of them. Like it or not, it’s your proactive response to bad times, not good times, that defines your contribution. Consider that when you step into a project, a professional relationship, or a company. Take Tom (Dick, or Harry) as a case in point: Continue reading →

All Ears…But Not Hearing a Thing

May 24, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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Screaming toddlers are banging on pots, demanding attention while their harried mothers and frazzled fathers yell in their phones and hunch over their desks, desperate to complete what looks like their job. Distraction controls. Chaos reigns. Nothing of value gets done. The banging gets louder and no one can listen because no one can hear. This manager is done. “I am so over it, I just don’t care.” She’s so tired of the back biting, Continue reading →

Both Sides of the Same Coin

May 17, 2011 by Joyce Richman
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A recent reprint of an archived Ann Landers column from 2000 is just as relevant today as it was when it was first printed. It was practically on fire with letters from customers who were fed up with the attitude of retail clerks. I was struck by the irony of what these letter writers were saying: “If you don’t like people and consider them an interruption or a nuisance, go find another job.” “Within driving distance Continue reading →