Posts By: Jennifer Miller

4 Ways Consumer Behavior Shapes the Workplace

The other day I happened upon the Fast Company article 12 Trends That Will Rule Products In 2013. The article was focused on consumer goods like phones and washing machines, but you know what? The trends listed made sense in the context of the workplace too and here’s why: your employees are consumers. It’s inevitable that their consumer purchasing behavior will shape their attitudes at work as well.

Here are four trends Fast Company listed that have implications for those of us in the human resources and management functions of our companies.

4 Tips for Curbing Gen Y Workplace Stereotypes

You’ve seen the generational labels. Generalizations lump everybody into one, big, homogenous group. The narrative on the Gen Y generation is filled with words like spoiled, entitled and demanding. Is it unfair? You bet it is. But here’s the deal – Millennials who point out the bias only reinforce the stereotype of spoiled, self-entitled whiners. In this post, I offer my career advice for Millennials.

Are You Scary at Work? Staying Connected to Your Power

Do you scare people?

Evidently, I do, on occasion. A male colleague once confided in me that when we first met, “you kind of scared me a little.” That stopped me short. Me, “scary”? It turns out that because I approach my work with a sense of purpose and gusto, I appeared formidable to him. My enthusiasm and ability to move a project forward was, to him, a bit intimidating at first.

I can live with that.

Four Myths of Self-Employment

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work for yourself? Before self-employment becomes a viable option, be sure you’re not buying into any of the myths out there that may lead you astray. As a self-employed home-based business owner since 1995, I’m here to debunk those myths and further help you determine if you should hang out your shingle. Trust me, it’s not for everyone.

Bully Boss or Tough Boss? How to Tell the Difference

These days, the Peanuts character Lucy is a bully and they’re not going to allow it anymore. At least, that’s the deal according to the administrators at my kids’ school system, who ditched the time-honored tradition of watching It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown in the elementary schools during their Halloween parties because “Lucy is a bully.”

Don’t Get Angry, Get Creative

While both genders are equally predisposed to experience the emotion of anger, women were able to move to problem-solving more quickly than their male counterparts.