Last week, I watched a young guy at the coffee shop make the barista's entire day. Not with a big tip or elaborate compliment, just a genuine "thank you so much" and eye contact that said he actually saw her as a person, not just a caffeine dispenser. The barista's shoulders relaxed, her smile turned real, and suddenly the whole atmosphere shifted.
Growing up, I watched my dad handle stress the same way he handled everything else: silently, stoically, and with a stiff upper lip. When his company downsized and he lost his job, he just nodded, shook hands, and never talked about it again. Meanwhile, my younger cousin posts TikToks about her therapy sessions and hosts "crying parties" with her friends when life gets tough.
For justice-centered leaders, there is a stubborn dichotomy between our genuine commitment to equity, inclusion, and alignment in our organizations on the one hand, and our continuing self-diagnosis of high levels of misalignment, conflict, and turnover on the other. Three years after Maurice Mitchell's seminal piece, " Building Resilient Organizations: Toward Joy and Durable Power in a Time of Crisis," rang the alarm of "urgent concerns about the internal workings of progressive spaces," the current discourse suggests that the needle has not moved much.
Although IPWatchdog has the word "Dog" in it's name and logo, the publication is in no way associated with dogs. However, Gene and I have a shared love of dogs and have SIX German shorthaired pointers (3 sets of male/female siblings) ranging in age from 11 months to 6 years old. We love dogs so much that when we posted our first job post in 2020, one of the job "requirements" was "must love dogs" (Plural).
Research shows that 70 percent of workers believe they're above average at multitasking. Here's the problem: that's statistically impossible. And this delusion is killing our productivity. I've fallen for this trap myself. During my years in corporate, I prided myself on juggling multiple projects, answering emails during meetings, and keeping dozens of browser tabs open. Running my own company later taught me a harsh truth-what I thought was efficiency was actually just organized chaos.
So life is good. But not perfect, as he told the X sphere this week. "Appalled when I see workers on their phones. My dad used to always say 'there's always something to do.' No customers? Sweep the floor. Floor swept? Clean the machines. Machines clean? Organize stock. Organized? Clean again. Insane that anyone lets you on your phone lol. (I worked in various forms of customer-facing retail for about 7 years, but this extends beyond that)."
You may be jumping to conclusions about your former boss. Your interviewers could have been nasty for all kinds of reasons. They might already have known who they wanted to hire (possibly an internal candidate) and were irritated that they had to interview other people. They may intentionally haze candidates to see how they hold up under pressure. They might have been mad at one another. Or they could just have a nasty office culture. You're probably lucky you didn't take a job there!
A horse toy in China meant to be a Lunar New Year decoration has turned into a symbol of corporate agony on Chinese social media. The red horse toy in question, made by the shop Happy Sisters in China's western Yiwu city, features an upside-down snout, giving it a morose look at odds with its festival golden bell. Per the Chinese zodiac, the incoming year will be the year of the horse.
I'm always amazed at how easily we give our time to others without thinking, and then are mad later when it was wasted. What exactly did we think was going to happen? That everyone was going to be prepared, productive, and appreciative? Time has become the ultimate luxury-we never have enough of it, and are jealous of those that have it. For too many of us, endless meetings, back-to-back emails, and constant interruptions leave little room for focused, meaningful work.
So, you've finally done it. No more putting it off, pushing through the grind, waiting for a more opportune time once things settle down. Alas, you've mustered up the gall to cash in on your paid vacation time. Now you have several days strung together to travel, rest, or do whatever the heck your heart desires. I love that for you.
We've been trained for years, if not decades, to go at a certain pace, react fast, and constantly strive for success. But at what cost? Workplace culture can breed constant reactivity, where multiple demands dominate our days. The question is about balance: how do we sustain good energy and personal growth throughout our careers, remaining curious and creative without burning out? We're actual humans needing a more inclusive, balanced approach to live well. That's really been the key theme, regardless of industry or level
"Each person's contribution is $100. Please Venmo me when you have a chance," the email read. It was sent to 17 managers, totaling a $1,700 contribution to cover a luxury fish subscription for the company owner. The message came from the president, who also happens to be the owner's nephew and is reportedly being groomed to take over the business.
The next big meeting on your calendar might not have any other attendees-it might just be you. A growing number of high-performing leaders, including managers at Google and other Fortune 100 companies, are carving out protected "focus blocks" and treating them like mission-critical meetings. With constant pings, shallow tasks, and back-to-back calls, this might be the only way to produce strategic, high-value work. Google and Microsoft have even rolled out Focus Time features that automatically block off calendars to protect deep work.
I was tired of making $15 per hour and having no benefits, no time off, and no future after 20 years of experience. I wanted kids someday and wanted the kids to be able to see a doctor before they were old enough to get a job themselves. Restaurants simply cannot provide that. COVID-19 just really drove it home how owners would VASTLY prefer their employees to all die than take a slight hit on profits.
In a post on X on Wednesday, the 27-year-old creator, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, told his 33.4 million followers that he hasn't been fully satisfied with the quality of his latest videos. "After some reflection, I just want to say I think some of our newer youtube videos haven't been as good as I wanted. I apologize," MrBeast wrote. "Ya boy is going to go into ultra grind mode and make the greatest content of my life in 2026. Promise," he added.
It's a season for warm messages and "thank yous." This is why Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the power of genuine gratitude in learning and the workplace, as well. In today's world of remote teams, deadlines, and constant learning, employees can easily feel overwhelmed. A simple "I appreciate you" can make a big difference to your team, as it can change the mood of the day, create a sense of connection, and remind everyone that their work is important.
Chris was frustrated. He'd used Artificial Intelligence ( AI) extensively in college. Now at his first job, he saw very few of his colleagues ever experimenting with it. At first, Chris tried bringing up AI conversationally. He mentioned creating a meal schedule, as well as planning a cool weekend trip itinerary. But when he suggested to his manager how they might want to incorporate AI into their workflow, he felt rebuffed.
On September 11, a Marilyn Monroe impersonator sang a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" to an executive at the Virginia headquarters of the Society for Human Resource Management. The brief performance, which took place in a conference room with about 75 employees, came after remarks honoring the 24th anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks. Two former staffers who were present at the gathering, recordings of which were reviewed by Business Insider, said it was uncomfortable to see - and not just because it was sexually suggestive.
During those interviews, no one ever offered me a glass of water. Not the recruiter who greeted me. Not the other individuals who interviewed me. And no, not my future boss. I remember that at some point I had to use the bathroom. My future boss seemed annoyed that I asked where the ladies' room was. I scurried into the bathroom quickly, not wanting to be late for the next interview.
Let's start with a confession: I've never been fully authentic for a single day in my life. Neither have you. I don't mean this as an accusation. I see it as fact. The relentless cultural message telling us to "be ourselves" might be the cruelest advice we've ever collectively accepted. It promises liberation but brings anxiety. Because here's what nobody mentions when they sell you authenticity as the path to enlightenment: being your full, unfiltered self would make you unemployable, unfriendable
I think about hiring the same way. Like a stat sheet, a résumé might list someone's achievements, but it won't show how they adapt under pressure or support a team. Yet in the age of AI, companies often overlook that, prioritizing technical skills instead. According to a 2024 report from Microsoft and LinkedIn, 71% of employers said they would choose an AI-fluent candidate with less experience over someone more experienced but with limited AI knowledge.
This is a real escalation in the dispute with agency workers now joining picket lines due to the terrible way they have been treated by Job and Talent and Birmingham council. Birmingham council is spending a fortune it doesn't have on a dispute that could easily be resolved by agreeing a fair deal for workers. Unite does what it says on the trade union tin we are totally committed to fighting for the jobs, pay and conditions of all its members.
Early this year, Mark Zuckerberg made headlines by saying corporate culture needs more "masculine energy." This sentiment was echoed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's call for the military-an employer of 2.1 million Americans-to return to a "warrior ethos", promoting traditional masculine standards like aggression and athleticism. And yet, according to recent news reports, recruits at ICE (another workplace) are struggling to pass basic fitness tests, and Hegseth allegedly installed a makeup room at the Pentagon.
