A need, according to Webster's Dictionary, is a requirement or lack of something deemed necessary. Since needs form the basis of behavior, unfulfilled needs result in job dissatisfaction. Your job needs reflect your reactions to your work situation. As you gain competence, a job that first seemed challenging may become boring. Moreover, as you mature, your need hierarchies may change. A young person with a jo...

How will work be different in the next decade? What skills will be required to succeed? The relentless drive toward increased productivity, lower production costs, electronic intelligence, and computerized business solutions are affecting every job and industry. People can’t compete with electronic solutions in achieving productivity objectives. Offshoring and downsizing are just temporary steps on the way to m...

Are you always jamming your schedule, feel you can't waste a second? Do you allow the clock to manage you? Or, do you feel comfortable trusting your intuition to guide your time? To better manage time, we set priorities and schedule our days and months. But we often still feel pressured, lack total control. The conventional approach to managing time was appropriate for the Industrial-Age, but is this effective in...

At a recent business luncheon one of the guests blew his nose in his napkin. Another guest wore jeans and a sheer blouse. Are these appropriate business behaviors? Do you practice such basic courtesies as returning messages promptly, and greeting people when they enter your office? Does your organization have uniform policies regarding emails, punctuality, and kitchen use? Good manners are good business. Many potent...

Victoria wanted a job that would enable her to use her creativity. After assessing personal traits and exploring compatible options, Victoria decided to establish her own boutique. When Murray lost his job, he started searching immediately for a similar position. Although there are individual differences, these stories underscore some of the traditional differences between how men and women tend to manage career tra...

Is it too much to go to work? Before making a career change, determine whether other aspects of life are affecting your job satisfaction. Lack of supportive relationships, few leisure activities, or poor health may be contributing to your dissatisfaction. 'Questers Dare to Change Your Job and Life' may help you identify sources of discontent. Create growth opportunities in your present organization - Identify needs,...

'A colleague is not attending to safety details…' As a professional, how would you handle this issue? What does professionalism mean to you? The American Heritage Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary define a professional as a person having a high degree of knowledge, skill, judgment, and continuing practice in a particular activity. Typically, professionals provide a service in exchange for payment or salary...

At a recent business luncheon a guest blew his nose in his napkin. Another used her fingers to push food onto her fork. Are these appropriate dining behaviors? Lunch or dinner meetings are common. Prospective employers and colleagues want to know how you can handle yourself in social situations, and whether you can carry on a good conversation. Business deals can be sealed or lost over a meal. Test Your Table Manners...

Enhancing Satisfaction Are you satisfied with your job? Do you enjoy getting up to go to work Monday mornings? Whether or not you’re satisfied with your job depends on the degree to which it meets your needs. So, for instance, if you have a high need for social contact and your job gives you many opportunities to satisfy that need (assuming other important high-level needs are also met), you will have a high...

Are you a good listener? Do others feel comfortable talking to you? Listening skills are crucial for personal and professional success. Unfortunately, studies suggest that about 25 percent of us listen efficiently. Ineffective listening affects productivity and morale. Faulty listening habits can alienate customers, damage relationships, and cause people to miss appointments and misinterpret suggestions. Managers, w...