Water Cooler

Information and insight about your career and the workplace at large
April 2007

News and Views

Anti-mentors—potential role models who'd been unkind to employees or acted in unadmirable ways—may be more powerful in shaping behavior than once thought, says Howard Gardner, the author of the forthcoming Five Minds for the Future. In other words, your guiding principles might be to act deliberately opposite the way you've been treated. As Lisa Junker writes in her post on the Acronym blog, what lessons can you thank your anti-mentors for? Food for thought

Interruption, distraction, and multitasking are not such awful things after all— or so says this contentious column from David Freedman of Inc.com. Contrary to what one might expect, worker productivity is at an all-time high. And Freedman says it's essential not only to put up with but also to embrace multitasking. Find out why

Boston Globe columnist Penelope Trunk debunks the myth of job stability. Most adults are now switching jobs every two years, she says, finding work that really suits them personally and not looking for that one job that will carry them to retirement. Here are her five tips to make frequent job changes, and stay sane doing it:
(1) Build up a strong skill set quickly.
(2) Get good at making transitions.
(3) Make the most of the in-between-jobs time.
(4) Get out of paying your dues.
(5) Keep your finances in order.
More

Knowing how to work the company's political environment can make or break your career success. Here are some quick tips for making the best of your environment: get a mentor, ask open-ended questions, review constantly, get buy-in, overcommunicate, give credit where credit is due, and hone your own style. Details

Blog Entry

Creating a breakthrough in your working life Check it out!

On Stage

Workshops and Book Signings

Young Government Leaders, March 29, Washington, DC. Contact: Kate Walker

Rolls Royce Womens Leadership Conference, June 13, Montreal, Canada. Details forthcoming.