Of course you care for the environment. You want to preserve the air and water for future generations. And remember the polar bears. So what you do today to reduce your company’s environmental impact will help save the world.

Did you buy any of that? Maybe just a little. But it’s not enough to get you on board the green bandwagon. You’re looking for something a little more tangible and short term. You’re in luck. There is something in it for you and the polar bears.

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When we’re done, we always hit this great brew pub for burgers and beer. If you cut the burger in half you still need need two hands. It’s the perfect complement to their amber ale.

Why did we do it? Weren’t you listening when I described the burger?

Oh, the mountain. Why did we climb it in winter? During a storm you wouldn’t drive in? There are a lot of reasons. There’s the scenery, the conflict of man vs. nature and a really good beer. But I see the “Yeah, right” in your eyes. So I’m going to explain it this way. Keep Reading…

So you’re about to launch. You’ve done a great job planning and executing this project. And you’re almost ready to unveil your baby to the world.

And this is when people start coming up with new ideas and suggestions. Often it’s a major decision maker such as your boss who thinks a new feature or two is needed. Do you rework everything? How do you consider everyone’s feedback and respectfully decline the advice? That all depends on many factors. In the end, you need to decide what’s the gain. And some of that advice comes from someone you can’t ignore.

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Did I tell you about the time I got fired?

It was my first job out of college. I was working as an accountant at a small firm doing tax returns for small businesses. It was run by three partners. Nice guys. But after four months, they weren’t happy with my work. And they shouldn’t have been. I was slow and made a lot of mistakes. I was a lousy accountant. Keep Reading…

On the the 12 days of the holiday sales season my mentor gave to me: These are the things I have to deal with while he’s taking vacation on a tropical island. I’m thinking of asking Santa for a strategically placed tropical depression.

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Hey, am I going to see you at the holiday party?

You can’t miss it. It’s the nicest thing management does for us. It almost makes up for the low pay and the frustration we experience the rest of the year. You deserve it.

Plus it looks good. Management will be there. They don’t just see you at the party as a guest but a team player. You’re getting along with the rest of the team, and you’re showing appreciation for this grand gesture. Yeah, you need to clear your schedule for this.

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Sorry you didn’t get the promotion. Who knew Larry over there had potential to be middle management?

I know you have the potential too. But it’s just not your time. When will it be your time? You need to take these steps first.

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Why are you banging the side of your computer monitor again? Well that’s not going to help. And put down the phone. Who you going to call? IT?

That’s not going to help either. At least not right now. You have to do a few things first. Like grab a pen and paper. And write down what happened. It’s like remembering a dream.

Good point. More like a nightmare.

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I don’t blame you for not wanting to come to work. It’s a good job. But why do we have to get dressed and make that awful commute to this building every day? Surely there’s a better way.

It’s possible to do all this from home. Think about how much money you can save on gas and parking. You could avoid being exposed to H1N1. You can have all this—except for the engaging conversation with me—all from the comfort of home.

If you’re going to sell this to our boss, you’re going to need a good reason. And it’s not going to have anything to do with being able to work in your pajamas or avoid the commute to the office. This has to create benefits for the company, not just you.

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