In these trying and uncertain times… As we navigate uncharted waters… And face unparalleled challenges… So, hey. I haven’t blogged for a while, because I’ve been tired. My last post back in January, entitled Rest, feels like it was posted a lifetime ago. And I haven’t blogged because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. I’m watching people I care about go through tough stuff - some related to COVID-19, some nothing to do with the virus - and I’ve realized something. I actually do have something to say. A lot to say, actually. So hey, how’ve you been? This dystopian future we’re living is bizarr ..read more

Lately, I just don’t know. I’m tired. Not just physically or mentally tired, but emotionally tired. It’s the kind of tired that a good night’s sleep won’t fix, the kind that is so deep in your bones that you can’t shake it off. Have you ever felt a combination of anxious and powerless and exhausted? And no amount of TV or salted caramel ice cream can get you back in the groove? That’s where I’ve been the past couple of months. So I’m giving myself permission to do something radical, something truly restorative: Rest. I’m going to rest for a bit, so that I am able to keep going eventually. If ..read more

A client said something recently that bothered me. I was talking with a young adult about career options. I heard him say, “I’m not very creative, I’m really more of a math-and-science type.” Creativity as an individual trait has been hemmed in and crowded out by a narrow definition that does not do it justice. If we can’t paint a still life, compose an original symphony, or design an architectural masterpiece, we conclude we aren’t creative. That’s that, an entire cluster of fulfilling, meaningful careers is suddenly off-limits ..read more

You may have been a mentor to someone in your career. Even if you didn’t use that term, you’ve probably given someone advice, looked at their resume or cover letter, and told them how you got started in your career. That’s awesome! But it’s not enough. Think about what you can do to be a sponsor for someone in your field. There are quite a few articles written about the differences between a mentor and a sponsor. Mentors are relatively passive in their assistance, sharing insight and perhaps serving as a sounding board for ideas. A sponsor can be so much more. A colleague of mine, Ana Clara Bl ..read more

In a previous blog post, I described how researchers discovered the response study subjects got when they noticed a notification appear on their LinkedIn app icon. They felt stressed out. So stressed. Image of a woman with her head down on an open book, her laptop next to her on the desk. That’s right. The little red circle with a number in it saying they should check LinkedIn? It made them anxious, irritated, and annoyed, unlike notifications for other social media ..read more

You are welcome to read the original thread on Twitter here. I'd really like to share a story. It's a story my family has told and retold, I've probably heard it a dozen times. Now that I'm grown, I hear it differently though... In honor of Hattie, Memphis TN, for #BlackWomensEqualPay. My granddaddy grew up in Hernando, Mississippi. I don't know much about his family other than that his brother wasn't a kind man. My granddaddy moved to TN and became a pharmacist. He owned a corner drugstore in midtown, Memphis in the 1940s and 1950s. My grandma was from rural Arkansas near Jonesboro, and cam ..read more

Who to connect with on LinkedIn presents a dilemma: should you connect with only coworkers and acquaintances, or should you connect with strangers too? Some folks only connect with people they have met in person. Their reasoning is sound, as they think of LinkedIn connections as professional colleagues, clients, or coworkers. They are the people in their network they feel most comfortable asking for help. Sociologists call these individuals "strong ties," and they are the folks that most of us reach for when we need advice or a recommendation. There’s just one problem. Research proves that as ..read more

LinkedIn is a powerful tool.Learn to leverage it!That is exactly what you'll learn to do in this course.You'll see what a powerful tool LinkedIn can be when leveraged authentically in pursuit of a strategic goal. This course will benefit college students, mid-career professionals and experienced business leaders alike.The course includes 8 easy-to-digest videos totaling more than 30 minutes. Videos are captioned and have accompanying transcripts. Also included are 3 tip sheets that cover the basics of LinkedIn, 4 articles that dive deeper to focus on particular aspects of the platform, and a s ..read more

I’m a fan of science and I love reading about research, which you’d think would make me enjoy poster presentations at scientific conferences. Nope. Hate ‘em. Those posters are too hard to read, there is just too much stuff for my brain to process while standing in a re-purposed hotel ballroom with hundreds of strangers.When I read about one doctoral student’s effort to simplify and streamline the scientific poster, I admit I was intrigued. (Check out this NPR article for the full scoop on how the #BetterPosters discussion began.) He suggested researchers feature the main finding of their study ..read more