Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Category: Working Matters

  • Three Accounting Travesties

    Three accounting travesties: no means of quantifying trust, initiative or learning.

    No wonder our investments in building each are so paltry.

  • Loving Monday: From Occasional to Ordinary

    loving_mondayGet up right now and walk over to a co-worker and thank them for being a part of the team.

    Don’t pause. Don’t hesitate. Don’t over-think this one. Simply go let someone know that you appreciate them and then come back and finish reading this post.

    How was it? Did they look at you with bewildered astonishment? Did they smile and return an awkward thank-you?

    I‘d love to see a movement where expressions of appreciation at work went from being occasional to being ordinary.

    There doesn’t need to be a reason to express appreciation. In fact, the element of surprise is one of the best parts.

    What if work became the sort of place where one could expect to be appreciated and valued? Hearing things like, “Thank you” and “I’m glad you’re here” would be ordinary experiences instead of isolated rarities.

    What would it be like?

    Would would it be like to know that whatever your mood, whatever your mistake, whatever the complications of the day, there would be an atmosphere (more…)

  • Quote to Consider: Now That’s Self-Awareness

    quote-to-consider“He claimed his modest share of the general foolishness of the human race.”

    Irving Howe

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #19


    Wearing competence like a bad toupee.


    Karl Edwards

  • Quote to Consider: The Power of Music

    quote-to-consider“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.”

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #18


    Inspired watching the boss stuff envelopes.


    Karl Edwards

  • Interview Tips: 100 Ways to Prepare, Participate and Be Present

    As if looking for work wasn’t stressful enough.

    Interviews can be nerve-wracking affairs. No matter how mutual you try to make the exchange, there is no getting away from the fact that the hiring person has the job and you don’t.

    As a result of this power differential, we can easily feel that we are the only one on trial, the only one being evaluated, the only one with much at stake.

    Mike King is someone I keep my eye on. He has put together an almost overwhelming list of 100 interview tips. You can find it at: “100 Ways to Ace an Interview” on his web site Learn This.

    Suggestion for benefiting from King’s list
    Read quickly through the list paying special attention to your initial responses as you do so.

    1. Which three tips seem most immediately helpful to you?
      Decide how you will incorporate these three ideas into your next interview.
    2. Which three tips were brand new or surprising thoughts for you?
      Reflect on what you might be able to learn from these three tips.
    3. With which three tips do you disagree most?
      Disagreement is often a clue to an important value of your own. What underlying values of yours do these three tips violate?

    We want to be playing at the top of our game when interviewing. Playing at the top of one’s game, though, does not mean play-acting. It means showing up fully yourself and comfortably yourself.

    Click here for Mike King’s “100 Ways to Ace an Interview.”

    On your side,

    – Karl Edwards

  • Loving Monday: Tell Yourself the Truth

    loving_mondayToo many leaders are unable or unwilling to tell people the truth.

    It is sad but true.

    This inability to trust others with the truth covers myriad facets of work life. The truth about company finances, the truth about impending lay-offs, the truth about promotion prospects, the truth about changing deadlines, the truth about management planning… and the list goes on.

    Today I want to focus on the unfortunate reality that so many leaders cannot tell you the truth about you.

    FACT: Everyone has strengths, skills, talents and abilities. Therefore there is always something to affirm, empower and reward about everyone on the team.

    FACT: Everyone is imperfect, learning, makes mistakes, chokes, falters, and fails on occasion. Therefore there is always room for constructive confrontation.

    If leaders could tell people the truth about themselves, they would never be at a loss for extending compliments, expanding responsibilities or extending rewards. At the same time, in the ordinary course of events, leaders would be pointing out (more…)

  • Quote to Consider: Fear Corrupts the Powerful

    quote-to-consider“It is not power that corrupts but fear. The fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it, and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”

    Aung San Suu Kyi

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #17


    March Madness: productivity plummets, morale soars.


    Karl Edwards