Perspectives

Communication ·

When the new job is a bad fit, who’s to blame?

My breakfast companion was talking about an organisation he’d recently joined. After the interviews and flights back to the US for final rounds, the job was his for the taking. He took it, but had done little due diligence or spoken much with the Asia team, mostly US HQ. He was given a big title,…

General ·

Who trusts ya, baby

David Maister wrote a book years ago, targeted at consultants wishing to forge stronger relationships with clients, The Trusted Advisor. The issue of trust swirls around the workplace constantly. How do people work with each other across regions, cultures and silos if they’re unsure of each others capabilities, efforts, worthiness; how do they trust each…

Corporate culture ·

The lunatic boss

Ever worked for a lunatic? Not merely someone with a temper, but egomaniacal, unstable, who has all the power.. I have, and I daresay many of you have as well if you’ve worked long enough. Many years ago I worked with an Austrian who’d lived in Hong Kong for many years. He’d just been hired…

Corporate culture ·

Mister Martyr

Some of my conversations are with people who have become martyrs at work, much as they doth protest otherwise. They’ll likely contact me to ‘explore the market’, busy with their job, trading off personal time–and reputation–for the good of the company. Not much left for themselves, and scant time to build their [professional] profile. Many…

Corporate culture ·

Hi-po hi-po, it’s outta here I go..

High potentials, “hi-po’s”, ‘our future [company] leaders’ in business argot.. The ones corporations ululate over, often for sound reasons. If an organisation has strong internal talent, they should recognise, challenge, motivate, and grow them, allowing such people to flex their muscles whilst building the company. But companies often lose those they want to keep. Why…

General ·

Code of conduct–Rules of the game

Most of us do our best at work to ensure what is right for ourselves, our colleagues, bosses, and clients. There are general rules of the game, correct behaviour, how we act; a code of conduct. When those rules are severely bent or broken-by oneself or others-time to sit on the bench and let the…

Communication ·

“You can’t take it back”

My [teenage] children were on school break last week. While making lunch for my son, he finished his call on his mobile and said he’d be out in 10 minutes to hang with one of his good friends. I replied “He seems a little bossy sometimes, telling you where to go and when,” hastily linking…

CVs ·

A robotic resume?? CNBC misses the mark…

A CNBC business on-line article, March 22nd, headlined: “The Killer Resume. How to Get Hired By the Machines.” Here is the link, for those of you with time to waste: http://www.cnbc.com/id/46823506 The column gives tips on how to write a CV in order for resume search engines to ‘see’ enough relevant words, and if so,…

CVs ·

Interviewing? Warning signs from both sides of the desk

Whether candidate or interviewer, there are telltale signs during an interview that something is amiss. It is your job to try and correct it and get back on track without getting thrown off stride, or realise that not every interview goes as it should and make the best of it. Below are 8 warning signs…

General ·

Action talks

I recently had coffee with a CEO who was reaching [early] retirement. Too young to stop working, but financially comfortable not to work, he was stuck. His family was telling him to relax and play golf, his colleagues were wishing him well, but he had no intention of stopping. He felt he was in his…