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the only two jobs i’ll ever have [956 words]
“You’ve only ever had two jobs,” my husband said to me one day, about a year ago, trying to comfort me. Having been promoted recently into a role about which I knew absolutely nothing, my faith in myself was wearing thin. Now my faith in my husband was starting to…
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Professional Women: Are You Unwittingly Sabotaging Your Own Success? [845 words]
Author’s note: This article is adapted from my book, Network Beyond Bias. This post focuses on professional women. Most articles I’ve read on this topic show that these behaviors are disproportionately displayed by women. They also have a disproportionate impact on women’s careers, both individually and collectively. I recognize that…
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Communicate with Pictures: Slide:ology by Nancy Duarte [342 words]
Communicate Clearly and Stand Out Communication is an important skill in almost every type of work. Technical reports and business proposals frequently include data to support findings or recommendations. Most people struggle to communicate visually compelling stories from data. You can stand out from the crowd if you learn to convey…
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Our Brains Are Biased: Understanding Unconscious Bias [644 words]
Author’s note: This article is adapted from my book, Network Beyond Bias. You may not know it, but unconscious bias affects you before your brain even knows what’s happening! Don’t believe me? Imagine you’re driving late at night down a fairly deserted highway. You look up into your rearview mirror…
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Is Your Manager a Member of an Employee Resource Group? [112 words]
In a company’s home office recently, I noticed a number of executive offices with signs of support for various Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Seeing this support from managers was powerful. It says, “I see you” to employees who worry they may be invisible. It says, “I value you” to employees…
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Constructive Feedback in Four Simple Steps [822 words]
Many people view giving constructive feedback as an odious task. Those who revel in it … well, who wants to work with those people? There is a happy middle: the caring and genuine coach who really wants to see others put their best foot forward. So, you know, be that…
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Positive Feedback: 4 Simple Steps to Meaningful Reinforcement [576 words]
Have you ever been told “good job!” after you’ve finished a task or assignment? I hope you have. I’m sure you have. You probably felt good about the comment for the moment, but did you really know what you did well? Giving positive feedback or affirmation to others in the…
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Diversity Champions Are Everywhere … and We Need to Be! [524 words]
Author’s note: This article is adapted from my book, Network Beyond Bias. If you look at my resume or my LinkedIn profile, you will deduce that I am an experienced management professional with a background in Information Technology and the Insurance industry. On the surface, I may not seem a…
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You Don’t Have to Be in the Parade to Celebrate LGBT Pride Month [359 words]
Pride Month is a celebration of the resilience and diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Anyone can honor Pride Month by learning more about the contributions and struggles of LGBT people.