"Fired" implies wrongdoing.
"Laid off" implies business decisions.
But what do you say when you lost your job because the company was dysfunctional and management was bad?
We don't have words for that scenario.
And without the right language, employees absorb shame that doesn't belong to them.
AI has changed how we consume information - providing us short summaries or the *exact* response to a query.
I talked with Sarthak Dhawan, co-founder of Turbo AI, about his perspective.
More than 60% of meetings have no agenda at all.
No stated purpose. No direction. No clear reason for existing beyond the fact that they're "already on the calendar."
Those types of meetings serve a different purpose: management's need for visibility and control.
Individual contributors who move into leadership roles may not have always come from environments where good leadership was modeled for them.
They need:
- mentorship
- a sounding board
- a safe space to learn and ask questions.
Boredom is a real reason to leave a job.
You could keep doing the work. You're probably really good at it.
But you've mentally checked out.
Staying in work that doesn't excite you has costs: your energy, your creativity, and eventually your performance.
"Come join us, we have an amazing work culture!"
What does that mean, exactly?
You may have a list of must-haves for a job. How much are you willing to compromise for a paycheck?
It's a dilemma in the current job market, for sure. Not everyone can afford to be picky.
It's ok to take a job that isn't your dream job - or even a job that is FAR from your dream job.
I love bringing expertise to my work.
And my unique perspective.
"Why do you want to work here?"
Hiring managers aren't looking for an honest answer like, "This job meets my minimum salary requirement and seems like it will provide adequate work-life balance."
They're looking for gushing praise. It's just one more hoop candidates have to jump through.
It was a real joy to interview Hannah Cole.
Most people never get taught the basics of taxes or money. At Sunlight Tax, Hannah works to educate creatives, in particular.
Check out this article, and connect with Hannah on her various platforms.
www.workbetter.media/p/financial-...
Selective transparency: cherry-picking positive data, with the purpose of making a situation look better than it really is.
There's a huge difference between being a peer at work and taking on the role of manager.
A lot of people see bad management and think they can do better.
But we *can't* do better without a specific understanding of how to lead a team and care for its people.
Do you have a business origin story?
Do you talk about it?
I'm always curious to know the "why" behind a business, whether it's a company or a solopreneur.
What need did you see?
What problem were you trying to solve?
Remind people of your "why."
The career ladder was never real.
It was an idea sold to keep workers compliant and loyal.
"Keep your head down, do good work, and eventually you'll be rewarded."
This message served employers, not employees.
"Why do you want to work here?" is, in many cases, asking candidates to lie.
Many candidates don't want to work at a *particular* job. They just want to work. They want to trade their time for money. That's it.
My kids have watched me completely change careers over the past few years.
First, leaving a job I'd been at for 15 years and starting over in a new industry.
Second, leaving 9-5 life altogether and now working for myself.
Not only is growth different for everyone, but it π¨ππ€πͺπ‘π be different for everyone.
If you're copying someone else's tactics, style, etc - then you're not offering anything new in the first place.
There's no differentiation between you and "everyone else."
I thought "being good at my job" was enough. Promotions, praise, respect for my skills.
But guess what? If you're not fulfilled, being good at something isn't enough.
Transparency should have a goal of building trust.
It shouldn't be used to micromanage, shame people, or falsely create a perception that someone is doing meaningful work.
Recovering from a bad work experience (burnout, toxic environment, etc) is a process of un-learning and re-learning.
There aren't enough paths for amazing individual contributors who want to earn more and advance, but aren't suited for management.
Not everyone wants to manage people.
(And not everyone *should* manage people.)
I use AI as a *tool* in my toolkit.
But you look at what the big AI companies are saying - that AI is going to solve all the problems of the world...
... And the gap between AI hype and AI reality is enormous.
If companies don't allocate time during the workday for learning, it creates a gap.
Some employees will have time and resources to learn on their own, and some won't.
Additional learning should happen *during* the workday.
Bad clients cost you time and money. Hereβs how to steer clear of them.
www.fastcompany.com/91470668/big...
There's a big difference between money not being a primary motivator at work and being undervalued.
Not everything is urgent or a priority. Some things might just... not get done while you're taking time off from work.
And the world will keep spinning.
Managers who believe that work can only be done under their watchful eyes (in an office) are admitting that they don't trust employees.
"Flexible work" doesn't mean "my boss let me leave an hour early after I asked for permission."
Flexible work gives people the freedom to choose the hours and locations that work best for them.
Years ago, I asked my son what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said, "I want to work from home."
Nothing about a career or industry. But he had determined that working from home was his highest priority.
I've been meeting-averse for a long time. Yet it is still the default way for many people to "collaborate."
It's long past time to rethink our approach to meetings.
