Topic: office politics

9 Ways You’re Being Too Nice At Work

9 Ways You’re Being Too Nice At Work

As I read Sheryl Sandberg‘s “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” I nodded so hard that I worried my neck would sprain. I noticed after a while that the highlight function on my Kindle was turning every page fully yellow.

The takeaway? Succeeding in business—whether that business is a blog, the PTA, or being COO of Facebook—is hard, and nobody can do everything right. But you can try, and you can remain a human being while doing it. More »

Fired On His First Day: ‘I Have No Idea How I’m Going To Tell Everybody’

Fired On His First Day: 'I Have No Idea How I’m Going To Tell Everybody'

It takes a special kind of employee to get fired on his first day at work, but Derek Erdman had what it takes. He started Monday morning as a receptionist at the Seattle-based record label Sub Pop, and by the end of the day he was packing up his things. What makes the story even more interesting is that his weirdly aggressive exit interview was published on Sub Pop’s blog. One choice question from his employer of less than one day: “You failed to mention you were such a dick. Why?” More »

Bullish Q&A: When Your Success Is Based On Shadowy, Unspoken Rules

Bullish Q&A: When Your Success Is Based On Shadowy, Unspoken Rules

Today, we have two questions about underlying rules and structures that you have to figure out to keep from constantly banging your head into a wall.

I wrote in Bullish: Social Class in the Office about how my high school debate coach not only taught me to properly shake hands, but explained to me why it was important to cordially shake hands with your enemies (hint: so observers you hope to bring over to your side don’t think you’re an asshole before you even start talking!) More »

The 12 Scariest People In Your Office

The 12 Scariest People In Your Office

Halloween only comes around once a year, but that doesn’t mean its the only time you’re surrounded by frightening creatures. They may not be ghosts or monsters, but some of your co-workers and bosses can be considered terrifying in their own way. Take a look at who we think should be considered the scariest people in your office this October. More »

Kate White Tells Us When She Was Scared To Death In Her Career

Kate White Tells Us When She Was Scared To Death In Her Career

When you think of Cosmopolitan Magazine, career strategy may not be the first thought that pops into your head. Images of photoshopped girls of the moment and 100 tips for how to make your man happy may come to mind instead. But Kate White, who was the Editor in Chief of the iconic magazine from 1998 until just a few months ago, actually knows quite a thing or two about how women can get ahead in their careers and she is sharing it in her new book, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This: Success Secrets Every Gutsy Girl Should Know. Well, luckily she is telling us her secrets and she even took the time to chat with The Grindstone a bit about her favorite tips from the book, being scared to death of being the boss, sexism she experienced and what corny mantra she loves.
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Women Should Curse At Work, If They Work In An Office Where People Curse

Women Should Curse At Work, If They Work In An Office Where People Curse

Last week Above the Law writers debated over the topic of swearing in the office and if it was particularly off-putting to see a woman do this. Above the Law Editor Stacy Zaretsky said she found swearing to be more appalling when it came from a woman because she holds them to higher standards. Her coworker Christopher Danzig thinks it is awesome when women drop a well-timed curse word. Then Jezebel writer Erin Gloria Ryan weighed in and said swearing was totally awesome within the appropriate context. She was upset that the conversation of how a woman should behave was even being brought up. Ryan said she has sworn in job interviews and dropped a dirty joke or two while networking. However the person she was networking with was a comedy writer. It was not the head of a fancy law firm. We have talked to people that come down on both sides of the swearing in a professional setting and it seems it can both help and hinder your career. It is all about reading the room. More »

HR Mistake Of The Week: Asking A Biracial Job Candidate, ‘What Are You?’

HR Mistake Of The Week: Asking A Biracial Job Candidate, 'What Are You?'

There are HR dilemmas that are complex. Then there are HR dilemmas that are, well, not even dilemmas — but apparently they’re still necessary to discuss. For example, if you’re interviewing a job candidate who happens to be biracial, should you ask her “Where are you from?” “Where were you born?” or “What are you?” That’s the question posed by a woman who wrote a letter to Slate’s advice column “Dear Prudence” today. More »

Lena Dunham, 26, Signs $3.5 Million Book Deal – What Did You Do Today?

Lena Dunham, 26, Signs $3.5 Million Book Deal – What Did You Do Today?

Turning 26 this Sunday, I’m pledging to get cracking on that list of life goals I made for myself in middle school, especially after hearing this:

The 26-year-old Lena Dunham, filmmaker, actress, creator of the HBO series Girls and four-time Emmy nominee, just sold her debut essay collection to Random House in what has been called the most cut-throat auction of the year. No biggie. More »

NYC Guidance Counselor Fired For Racy Photos She Posed For Almost 20 Years Ago

NYC Guidance Counselor Fired For Racy Photos She Posed For Almost 20 Years Ago

A 37-year-old high school guidance counselor in New York has been fired because she posed for some PG-13 sexy photos almost 20 years ago. Tiffany Webb never received a negative performance review, and she handled 540 students at a school in downtown Manhattan. She has been a teacher and counselor at various city schools since 1999. Last year, just days before she was set to receive tenure in an $84,200 position, she was fired. More »

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