Author: Peter North
Realism vs. Enthusiasm in the Workplace
Enthusiasm in the workplace is in a constant territorial battle with realism. New ideas emerge from your group, and they will either get welcomed by the energy of enthusiasm or cut down by the criticism of an overly-cautious environment. Every new idea, good or bad, has a risk and aRead More
Working Like A Deep Sea Diver
Deep sea divers strain to survive in the depths of their work environment. There’s a lot to be won in those deep waters, but they need a long, meticulous preparation ritual to ward themselves from the intense pressure of their workplace. After the job is done, it takes a longRead More
Thanking in Advance
Have you ever sent or received an email that ends with “Thanks in advance”? It’s sort of a half-request/half-mandate commonly used between equally-ranked workers. As in, “Do what I’d like you to do, and you’ll have my gratitude.” Managers and executives have no need for the phrase; they have theirRead More
Stuck With a Steady Job
It sounds backwards, doesn’t it? How could you be “stuck” with a fairly decent job? In today’s economy, millions of unemployed workers would be delighted to be “stuck” with a steady stream of tolerable work. But does that mean that we should be satisfied with “steady”? The difference between aRead More
Design is Not a Commodity: Graphic Design Pricing Examined
Stop me if you’ve come across this kind of job posting before: We’re looking to rebrand our business/website/product/publication, and we’re seeking a graphic designer to help us develop a new corporate identity. If interested, send us your concepts for our logos, layouts, typography and illustrations, and we’ll pick the bestRead More
Is “The Office” Real?
For those that don’t watch the American television version of The Office, it is a situation comedy about a failing paper company led by a charming-but-impulsive regional manager. The show’s humor comes mainly from its wide variety of distinct characters (although typical office stories come into play as well), someRead More
Breakfast, Brunch or Bust?
Diversity is a commonly used term in the workplace. We have different jobs, skills, backgrounds, ethnicities and personalities. Breakfast choices can be just as diverse. Your own diversity, for example, may be that the weekend is the only time you seem to eat breakfast! During the work week, however, takeRead More
Buzzword Bingo
Have you heard of Buzzword Bingo? The idea is that you have a little fun during a dull meeting by using bingo cards filled with vague, commonly-used office terminology. The first one to connect 5 buzzwords in a row wins. I doubt anyone has ever truly played this game (andRead More