Tag: United States

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The UBS Employee Dress Code: A Test Santa Claus Would Flunk

Three keys logo by Warja Honegger-Lavater.
Image via Wikipedia

In the old days – circa 1980 or so – companies depended on managing their operations by policies and procedures. Senior managers would issue an updated process and procedure, and people would follow the new marching orders. It seemed to work well – except when times changed and it didn’t.

Swiss banking giant UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland), in a back-to-the future-moment, has just issued an extensive set of dress guidelines for its client-facing employees (“wear flesh colored underwear“) that makes it feel like the 1980’s all over.  … Read the rest

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Your Goal? Good Stories About Tough Times

Wendy Mogel, author of New York Times bestseller The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children was in the City this week. I caught her presentation at the Hamlin School along with a bevy of parents from various independent schools.

Mogel has great on-stage presence and funny charm, fitting for someone whose father published the National Lampoon.… Read the rest

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Your Career: Thriving in the Age of Unreason(able)

Image via CrunchBase

Seth Godin recently blogged that “unreasonable is the new reasonable” – the only person or business that succeeds are those that offer qualities or service that no one can ever approach.

I quibble with Godin’s assessment (I believe it’s more hype that actual performance). I don’t quibble with his take to the appearance of those qualities.… Read the rest

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Can You Trust the Recruiter?

The voice at the other end of the voicemail sounded sincere and the message they left earlier about the possible job sounds great. But is too good to be true just that: too good to be true?

And can you trust the recruiter who left the message?

The short answer is “maybe”. And here’s more.

I spend my work life coaching people and teams to up their performance game, and one of ways to enhance performance is to improve the ability anticipate what’s coming down the pike.… Read the rest

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[New Rules] Did You Flunk the Test?

You have a testing problem – you probably just don’t know it.

As noted earlier [here , here and here ], the use of psychological and personality tests to make hiring and promotion decisions is on the uptick. With the recent US Supreme Court Ricci vs. Stefano decision, any number of ill-advised HR types will likely increase the use of these tests.… Read the rest

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[The Lure of “Can’t Miss” Talent] How Do You Measure Heart & Chutzpah?

Like the song of the Sirens , for some people the “right” backgrounds or the “right” personality test scores suggest “can’t miss” – the certainty that someone who comes from certain schools, certain environments, certain zip codes, or certain Meyers-Briggs personality profiles will be predictably successful.

You’d be wrong: predicting success in business or life does just doesn’t work that way.… Read the rest