by Fredia Woolf | May 10, 2011 | Management, Uncategorized
What’s the point of any organization? “To make money,” says the businessperson. “To fulfill our mission,” says the non-profit person. And so begins the false debate that keeps the two worlds separate and often leads to missed opportunities and wasted potential. If... by Fredia Woolf | Apr 26, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
In a recent spring-cleaning effort, I decided to clear out some of the clutter and unnecessary detail that clogs my brain. My desk was clear (for a day, at any rate), my inbox was empty (for five minutes) and, as I started looking for some common themes in my client... by Fredia Woolf | Apr 12, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
I talk to people about their work all the time. For one reason, I am curious to hear their stories. For another, it’s what I do for a living. I talk to people at the beginning, middle and end of their careers. I talk to people who are flying high and have been... by Fredia Woolf | Apr 5, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Management
Last week, we looked at some myths about Performance Management that reflected both poor performance and poor management. Today, we will discuss how traditional approaches to Performance Management are not necessarily the best ways to judge employee effectiveness or... by Fredia Woolf | Mar 29, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Management
Whether receiving or administering a performance review (a.k.a. the centerpiece of a Performance Management system), such a review is often anticipated and received with as much enthusiasm as an unanesthetized root canal. Those who feel this way are the people who... by Karen Alphonse | Feb 18, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Making a good hire depends, in part, on having positive interview experiences with your preferred candidates. Sometimes, employers underestimate the impact of a well-planned interview/interview process. Remember that outstanding leaders will remember your interview... by Carmel Napolitano | Feb 10, 2011 | Featured, Management
Diversity in the workplace goes in and out as a hot topic. When economic times are not so great, the topic seems to take a backburner to the more pressing issue of the lack of job security for all of us. In early September, the Chronicle of Philanthropy devoted a... by Fredia Woolf | Jan 18, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
In my last post, I said I was going to start the year by walking you through five critical elements to master if you want to advance your career. They are the following: 1. Organize, synthesize and crystallize your accomplishments and the key themes of your career. 2.... by Fredia Woolf | Jan 7, 2011 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
The New Year is always filled with tips for a fresh start for your career. But, what if you are not in the mood for all of the wholesome advice coming your way at this time of year? What if you are fed up with your situation, but an artificial date is no reason to... by Fredia Woolf | Dec 24, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Job Seekers, Management
No matter how senior you are in your organization or how secure you believe is your position, you would do well to take an entrepreneurial attitude toward your career. It is comforting to believe others will take care of you, and it’s easy to become either... by Fredia Woolf | Dec 10, 2010 | Advice, Job Seekers, Management
Losing your job must be one of life’s more painful experiences. Whether you are the subject of what HR specialists like to call a large scale reduction in force or you fall victim of cost containment or a reduction in funding, the dramatic, unchosen transition from... by Fredia Woolf | Dec 3, 2010 | Featured, Job Seekers, Management
Where do you stand on the now famous publicizing of embarrassing diplomatic gossip? Is it a treacherous, malicious act of betrayal of those who spoke frankly under the cover of diplomatic immunity by those who revealed what they said? Or, is it a welcome... by Fredia Woolf | Nov 19, 2010 | Advice, Management
Back in the day, when Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and all the other social media platforms were just a twinkle in someone’s eye – can you believe it, I am talking about ten years or so ago? – people used to have to know good, old-fashioned communication skills. Such... 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 | 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 Carmel Napolitano | Sep 9, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Engaging an executive recruiting consultant for your organization’s position search shouldn’t cause you anxiety. You hired a search consultant to ease your anxiety. So, take a look at my Four R’s to get some pointers on how to make the most of the... 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 Carmel Napolitano | Aug 17, 2010 | Advice, Featured, Management, Recruiters
Organizations large and small benefit from the use of retained executive searches. Each nonprofit, and even each department within a nonprofit, has a unique set of leadership needs, and retained search is one way to plan an organization’s future. For the use of... 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...