Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Dan Oswald The other day, I brought in a couple dozen donuts for a meeting we were having at the office. Since it was the first week back to work in the new year, I must admit I was curious about how many of those donuts would get eaten. How resolute would my colleagues […]
by Dan Oswald The opening line of Carly Simon’s 1971 song Anticipation is “We can never know about the days to come, but we think about them anyway.” As I write this, it’s the first day back at work in the new year, and anticipation sums up the way I feel today. Webster’s defines anticipation […]
by Dan Oswald Christmas is less than two weeks away. And as the carol goes, ’tis the season to be jolly. But it’s also the season of giving. Gift giving has long been a tradition associated with Christmas. Whether or not you still believe in Santa Claus, everyone likes to receive gifts. Nothing warms the […]
by Dan Oswald “Be all that you can be.” For years, that was the recruitment slogan used by the U.S. Army in its advertising. I think most of us would say we want to be all that we can be. We unabashedly claim we want to be the BEST. People don’t claim they want to […]
by Dan Oswald May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. —Nelson Mandela Life is full of choices. Some big, some small. Every day we are faced with choices, and once we decide between Option A and Option B, we head down a new path. What occurs after we make the choice is a […]
by Dan Oswald Have you ever had someone encourage you to dream big? Someone who said you could be anything you wanted to be? Maybe you were lucky enough to have a parent or grandparent who convinced you that there are no limits. Or maybe a teacher or coach inspired you to consider opportunities that […]
by Dan Oswald When the going gets tough, how long does it take for someone to ask, “Who’s to blame for this mess?” Unfortunately, the answer is not very long. We live in a world in which everyone wants to place blame. You don’t have to look any further than the Great Recession. Republicans blamed […]
by Dan Oswald In 1987, Michael Jackson released a song titled “Man in the Mirror.” The theme of the song is clear: If you want the world to be different, if you want it to be a better place, the change needs to start with you—the person in the mirror. The song included the lines, […]
by Dan Oswald We live in a world of “What have you done for me lately?” And when we say “lately,” we mean today or this week. Our society suffers from an acute case of instant gratificationitis. Wall Street wants to see a return on its investment—now! It’s not necessarily concerned about seeing a company […]
by Dan Oswald It’s October, which means it’s time for the baseball playoffs. Usually at this time of year, I watch with casual interest as the best teams in the game eliminate one another until the World Series champion is crowned. But not this year. This year, my beloved Chicago Cubs are in the playoffs. […]