by Fredia Woolf | Nov 5, 2010 | Advice
Readers of this blog probably fall into one of the following categories: – you are actively looking for a new position – you are considering the next stage of your career – you are looking to hire someone for your organization... by Fredia Woolf | Oct 29, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
I have had the happy fortune in the last few weeks to attend talks by two of the leading “Happiness Gurus”, Doctor Barbara Fredrickson at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Doctor Tal Ben-Shahar, who has taught one of the most popular classes at... by Fredia Woolf | Oct 15, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
By chance more than planning, I have found myself delivering Career Development seminars to MBA students in Massachusetts and California in the past week. The first group with whom I worked were all women wanting to follow an entrepreneurial path, and the second... by Fredia Woolf | Oct 1, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers
Renee was the consummate professional. For ten years, her career was the model of upward mobility. Yes, she had had a slow start, but after her first couple of jobs trying things out, she accepted an entry-level position and soon hit her stride. She was eager to... by Fredia Woolf | Sep 24, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
Bob Johansen, a professional Forecaster, authored a book called “Leaders Make the Future: Ten New Leadership Skills for an Uncertain World”. He wrote about the VUCA forces operating in the world today, referring to the increasing amount of volatility,... by Fredia Woolf | Sep 3, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
I am working with a experienced client who just accepted a leadership position with an organization on the other side of the country. To displace his rumbling sense of guilt at his act of “disloyalty” – did he place his own career interests ahead of his allegiance... by Fredia Woolf | Aug 27, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
I am on vacation this week on Cape Cod. It has been a very hot summer, and I was looking forward to a pleasant week of relaxation, enjoying the warm sun, long walks on the miles of golden beaches, biking along the sand dunes and indulging in fresh seafood and summer... by Fredia Woolf | Aug 20, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers
I am reading the novel Parrot and Olivier in America, by Peter Carey. It is based on the travels of a young French nobleman, Alexis de Tocqueville, who visited the United States in the early 1800s and wrote about the young country. His observations about the American... by Fredia Woolf | Aug 13, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
In preparation for an upcoming workshop I am conducting with a Board of Directors, I have been rereading the excellent book Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen. The need for this workshop arose during the last Board Meeting I... by Fredia Woolf | Aug 6, 2010 | Advice, Management
People often adopt a myopic attitude at work. They focus on what they, themselves, need to do, lock themselves into their own universe and are often blissfully unaware of the impact they have on other team members or stakeholders. Communications are scattered via... by Fredia Woolf | Jul 30, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Management
A client of mine was told that, in order to be promoted, she needs to demonstrate greater “Executive Presence”, which is the new buzz-word phrase in Leadership Development circles. But, she is puzzled about what exactly that means. It seems to be an elusive... by Fredia Woolf | Jul 2, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Management
Giving, gathering and receiving feedback is on my mind this week as I have conducted thirty six interviews with managers, peers and direct reports of six of my executive coaching clients, five of whom are ending a six month program and one of whom is at the start of... by Fredia Woolf | Jun 25, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
Search firms are useful job market intermediaries. They are used as brokerage firms and clearing houses between organizations and individuals. The experience and expertise of professionals in these firms in finding, filtering and evaluating candidates can be extremely... by Fredia Woolf | Jun 10, 2010 | Advice
At times, organizational life by virtue of its structure has the capacity to stamp out the human spirit. It can shut down the spark of creativity, cramp boldness and individuality and perpetuate mediocrity. The result is a pitiful waste of human potential. Careers... by Fredia Woolf | Jun 4, 2010 | Advice, Management
Your career is a solitary journey, and leadership is a lonely business, so when you have the opportunity to work in a team or serve on a board, it can be an energizing and fulfilling experience. Though, it often isn’t. So what makes for a great experience and... by Fredia Woolf | May 28, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers
The job search is over! You have an offer in hand, and you are the bees’ knees! They chose you above everyone else, so you must be really good. Was it your perfect resume, your flawless networking or your stellar interviewing skills? It was probably all three as... by Fredia Woolf | May 21, 2010 | Advice, Featured
Last week, I facilitated a meeting between senior leaders of industry and a professional association to explore the topic of collaboration. For the session, I defined successful collaboration as knowing how to respect personal boundaries and how to break down... by Fredia Woolf | May 14, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers
Is there a connection between the oil spill seeping inexorably across the Gulf of Mexico and the wild gyrations of the stock market last week? I think there is. For me, the link is that we human beings have a dangerous tendency to over-reach ourselves only to suffer... by Fredia Woolf | May 7, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers
Sometimes, themes emerge in my work. This week’s is the following interesting observation: Once achieved, the long-dreamed-of promotion or the eagerly awaited job often turn out more troublesome than anticipated. Is it that some people are never satisfied? Or, is... by Fredia Woolf | Apr 30, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers
My last blog, “In Praise of the Simple Life,” portrayed a state of mellowness and contemplative calm. How sad that such a balanced stance does not seem sustainable. Having thought I found the “answers” to dealing with the stresses and strains of work and life, let me...