Feedback: Part 3 – Relationships

Our relationships with those who are giving us feedback are, obviously, an important factor in how we receive the feedback they give us. Thus, Stone and Heen's second "trigger" in their book, Thanks for the Feedback, is the "truth trigger." Here, I'll cover the two big pitfalls of feedback conversations caused by relationship triggers: switchtracking and the blame game. Switchtracking … Continue reading Feedback: Part 3 – Relationships →

It’s Aubrey. With a B.

This rant is for those who get called all sort of names... that aren't theirs.

Feedback: Part 2 – The Truth

See Feedback: Part I for a breakdown of Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. They outline three types of feedback (evaluation, coaching, and appreciation) and three "triggers" that make feedback hard to take (truth triggers, relationship triggers, and identity triggers). I'm going to cover Truth Triggers here; what they are, how to avoid it, … Continue reading Feedback: Part 2 – The Truth →

It’s that time: Annual Reviews

My annual review is coming up in January, and if it is anything like my six month review, I know I'll be asked to think about three things that I am good at and three areas for improvement. To put it bluntly, this self-evaluation is not my favorite thing to do. I always sit in … Continue reading It’s that time: Annual Reviews →

“Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

Yeah, I hate that question, too. According to this article that I read in the Harvard Business Review on career development, it's something you should try to figure out the answer to before you prep for your next interview. Dorie Clark, the author, proposes four methods to start making a name for yourself in your organization … Continue reading “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” →

Make a List, Check It Twice

Updating your resume is sort of like flossing; you should do it more often.

Stalk Yourself: Know Your Web Presence

Google yourself and clean up your web presence.

Paper Trails: no, not the TI album

While the 2008 hip-hop/rap album Paper Trails is a gem, we've got more important things to discuss. There are certain job history-related documents that you should always keep on file: Offer letter Job description Letter of employment Annual/Quarterly review records Notices of raises or other recognition Letters of termination or resignation Why? Hopefully for no reason! But, … Continue reading Paper Trails: no, not the TI album →