But not necessarily the fastest. My path was well defined very early on. I was going to study, to get good grades, to major in Dentistry, and live a comfortable life doing an interesting job. Dot A. Straight line. Dot B. Except it did not go quite like that. As I was approaching the middle […]
If you don’t like what someone says, or their opinions, or the positions they take, you can always protest. You can call them names, you can lay bare all the flaws in their reasoning. You can even try to express your displeasure to those around them, try to punish them by harming their life. All […]
Thank you for letting me know about your decision. I am sure that the chosen person will be a valuable asset to your team and company. May I ask for more detailed feedback on why I was passed over for the position? I ask not so that I can dispute it, but because I would […]
New Year’s resolutions… That has to be one of the prime clichés, right? Ah, of course, there is an even bigger cliché: the resolution that remains unfulfilled year on year. That doesn’t mean that it’s silly to take resolutions. It is better to have a goal and fail than not to have one. Of course, […]
“This sucks!” Isn’t helpful. It might be your gut reaction, and it might even be right. But it doesn’t point the way to improvement, and it almost unfailingly makes people get defensive. (Side note: telling them not to get defensive almost always produces the exact opposite effect.) Ask questions instead: “What was the thinking behind […]