I’m sure you’ve noticed the ubiquitous statements against racial inequality in recent days. Such statements are being issued by public organizations, educational and nonprofit institutions, and for-profit companies. These statements are, sorry to say, generally mealy-mouthed in nature. It is very unusual for any entity to come out publicly to disavow both explicit racism and microaggressions. (Kudos to Ben &...

I’ve seen it many times. After wrapping up one of my presentations, I’m approached by a Baby Boomer or Gen X manager who says, “My young employees just don’t have any common sense! How can I understand them?” Other times I hear more extreme responses like, “My Millennial employees are lazy and entitled. I regret hiring anyone under 35.” I am strongly against generational shami...

After a great response to my recent post on saying thanks to employees, I began thinking about small actions that lead to big results. For example, knowing a junior employee’s name can be more impactful on that person’s motivation than a $1,000 bonus. Then I came across this Harvard Business Review article on tips to cultivate more inclusive meetings. How simple! I understand that diversity is a complicat...

Many of my clients ask what to do about age discrimination during the job search. The plain truth is if you’re waiting for ageism to disappear from the job market, one thing is certain: However old you are, you’ll grow much older waiting. Age-based discrimination may be illegal, but it remains pervasive despite its illegality. In any event, the law isn’t the recourse you need. “Failure to Hire&rdq...

Here is a quotation that I share in my training programs on generational diversity: “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today.” In what era do you think this was written? This week’s Economist? A political speech from the 1960s? The Roaring Twenties? The late eighteenth century? In fact, these words are attributed to the poet Hesiod, all the...

Companies that love to brag about their distinct and defining cultures often cite culture as a significant recruiting tool. In turn, their hiring managers often regard the nebulous “cultural fit” as the most essential factor in evaluating candidates. But is this a good way to hire? Not always. What tends to happen is that rather than hiring for cultural fit, managers hire for personal fit. Instead of seeking out...

As many of my readers know, I had an 18-year corporate marketing career that was very “successful” on the outside, but entirely unsuccessful on the inside. I faced a myriad of crises and challenges including gender discrimination, sexual harassment, zero work-life control or balance, chronic illness, narcissistic bosses and colleagues, and more. But worse than all that was the painfully nagging question “I...

I love millennials. I’ve built my career on helping companies successfully integrate younger generations into their workforces. I’ve defended millennials against those who seek to bash them, and I deeply admire their drive to improve the workplace for all of us. I am happy to be a contributor to the many conversations—at conferences, in the media, and inside organizations—about “best practic...

Many organizations have prioritized the hiring of military veterans in recent years. This is commendable, as military hiring requires a different strategy than civilian hiring because veterans do not have exactly the same needs as traditional hires. For instance, they are often attracted by different things during the recruitment process, and sometimes respond better to alternative training and development approaches. Th...

I recently had a very telling conversation. I was speaking with a man at a networking event. Let’s call him David, for the sake of this story. David regaled me with the story of his professional life. He graduated from an Ivy League university in the late 1970s, with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Upon graduation, he moved to New York to pursue his dream of becoming an accomplished stage actor. As expected,...