Negotiating Comp

One of the biggest challenges I have had in my career is the subject of compensation. For most of my career, I accepted what was given to me, trusting my manager to fight for me. The reality is that while managers try to be fair, they also want to pay the amount that keeps you “satisfied” while not overpaying you compared to the market and your peer group. So a couple of lessons learned: Continue reading

Better: Permission or Forgiveness?

Has anyone noticed the new trend of what I call “apologetic” advertising? Wells Fargo, Facebook, Uber….all beautifully crafted, earnest, with a “we’re the good guys” narrative.

Here’s the problem…when widespread problems happen in a company, it’s because of culture. Yes, a leader can definitely promote a culture…but it also needs a lot of other forces at work. Here are the warning signs I’ve seen…. Continue reading

How Do You Make Others See Value?

Got a great question…someone asked me how you demonstrate value when you work in the softer functions?

In many companies, there’s an unspoken pecking order, usually with sales or anything revenue driven being first. Often at the bottom are the “support” functions…like communications. Having been a COO, I can definitely relate to how challenging that can be….a couple of suggestions should you find yourself in this type of role….

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Changing Lanes

When people look to change jobs, often it’s staying in a similar role but changing the company. What if you’re looking to change industries entirely?  Someone asked me to do a mock interview with them, and here’s some of the questions to be prepared for…. Continue reading