Is it ever OK to tolerate arrogance in the workplace? This is the central question that became apparent to me after I wrote a post about how to find empathy for the office jerk. After reading the excellent comments from People Equation readers, I realized that a distinction was in order: the answer depends on…
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3 Questions to Refocus Your Life Plan
It seems hard to believe now, but there was a time when broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer was stuck. Shortly after college graduation (where she majored in “Identity Crisis and Self-Absorption, with a minor in Poetry and Daydreaming”1) she returned home, feeling aimless and unsettled. Her father asked her these three questions to help her get…
Why You Should Care About the Office A$$hole
You may suspect that the arrogant, hyper-critical jerk guy in the office next to you is overcompensating for a lack of something, but what? Turns out it’s not a lack of basic human decency, but instead it’s most likely a self-esteem deficit. According to research cited on the I/O at Work site (I/O = Industrial…
Independence Day and Gratitude
Every summer just before our nation’s Independence Day holiday, they appear like magic – little American flags planted along the treelawns of our street.They proudly stand street-side sentinal for a few days, then once again vanish until the next year. It’s the handiwork of our neighbors; a patriotic gesture that visually unites the…
Keeping the Buck: Fighting the Urge to Blame Others by Taking Responsibility in the Workplace
A guest post by Melissa Crossman It’s only natural for people to not want to admit their failures, but at a certain point “passing the buck” becomes a deterrent to productivity in the workplace. On top of being a fruitless discussion, determining who’s to blame for setbacks at work creates unnecessary animosity among coworkers and…