Fear of being fired may get you first on the list to be fired.  In these tough economic times with one company after another closing and those that remain open downsizing, the stress level of so many employees is through the roof.  Who wouldn’t be anxious about job security?    Even so, the sad reality is getting fired may just be the new normal.  Gone are the days of 30 year careers with a single company.

Fear of being fired ruins more careers than a mean or unfair manager, incompetence, or co-worker sabotage.  Fear of being fired too often immobilizes and stops us in our tracks.  We take no risksContinue Reading

On the last Sunday of 2012, I left home late but determined to get to church.  The Pastor had left one of those mass telephone messages saying there would be a meeting after church and I wanted to be there to show support.  As the service proceeded, he indicated one of the assistant ministers would bring the message.  I was disappointed the Senior Pastor would not be preaching.  The disappointment quickly passed.

The message of the morning was “Make Room for Miracles” and the assistant minister was outstanding!  She shook me from a bit of “retiree-thinking” that had started to creep into my psyche.  She reminded me no matter how wonderful my past accomplishments, the best is yet to be!

However 2012 ended for you, the best is yet to be.  You have an opportunity to start anew in 2013.  Shake-off the oldContinue Reading

Those of you who have been following my articles may remember this one from December 2011.  I believe the topic is so important it is worth a rerun. 

This is the season of many social gatherings in workplaces around the country.  The annual company holiday party is long awaited by employees everywhere.  Some happen on a small scale within departments during work; some happen in the evenings at the homes of managers and co-workers; some are in restaurants; and yet others are grand black-tie affairs.  Tis the season of much merriment.  TIS THE SEASON OF TARNISHED REPUTATIONS AND DAMAGED CAREERS.

The same professional style and demeanor cultivated and protected during work hours, must be cultivated and protected in business social settings.  Consistency is the key.  COMPANY SOCIAL FUNCTIONS ARE NOT THE PLACES TO LET YOUR HAIR DOWN AND SHOW HOW HARD YOU CAN PARTY.  You must work while you play.  Well doggone Marsha, that’s not even a party.Continue Reading

Several years ago, I was driving to the grocery store with my great-nephew who was 5 years old at the time.   He was appropriately sitting in the rear seat all buckled in.  As we drove along peacefully, my beautiful nephew, with the seriousness of a traumatic situation asked:  “Aunt Marsha, why can’t I take my teeth out?”  He went on to say and demonstrate how he had been pulling on his teeth to no avail.  They would not budge.  He was really sad and needed to be reassured he was just perfect.

Lets roll back the story.  My mother, her mother, and my sister (my great-nephew’s grandmother) all wore dentures.  My great-nephew routinely watched as they put dentures in and took dentures out.  He probably marveled at dentures in some cup in the bathroom.  Can you imagine the number of times he must have pulled on his own tiny teeth, hoping he would be “normal”, Continue Reading