How to survive on a committee

Dear WW: Recently my boss asked me to sit on a new committee. I work in a warehouse and have never done anything like this before. Any tips? NEW TO THE MEET MARKET
Dear Meet,
There’s a tree house at the end of my block. It’s a regular architectural masterpiece, with gables, shutters and a shingled roof, [...]

How to take your team to the next level

DEAR WW: My team is doing well, but I want to really make a name for us. What can I do to take a great team and make it ever better? BIG GOALS
DEAR BIG:
Recently, I was playing tennis with a friend who was a much better player than I am. OK, I had a little [...]

How to make work more civil

Dear WW: No one answers email, phone calls or letters anymore. What ever happened to basic manners and consideration at work? RAISED RIGHT
Dear RAISED,
Recently I was going to dinner with career guru and author of “What Color Is Your Parachute?” Dick Bolles. (If you haven’t read Parachute yet, run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookstore.) [...]

How to avoid being superman or superwoman at work

Dear WM: Everyone has always called me a type-A personality. Recently I realized that it wasn’t a compliment, most people just thought I was a jerk. I’d like to change, but I don’t even know where to start. FORMER SUPERHERO

Dear FORMER,
If I had to pick a favorite type of criminal from [...]

How to create a more vital community at work

The spontaneous sense of community that arose across the nation after 9/11 is hard to forget. Lines for donating blood and volunteering aid wrapped around the block in many cities, and almost every conversation began with a mutual checking in: “how are you doing with this?” On street corners, at bus stops, in workplaces, we [...]

How to tell if a potential business partner is worth working with

Dear WW: My small business has gotten too big for me to run on my own so I’m thinking about bringing in a partner. What should I look for in a potential partner? HOWDY PARDNER
Dear HOWDY,
Lucas Sibanda was walking to work when a huge python slithered in his path. The snake quickly tangled itself around [...]

How to improve your ability to receive feedback

Dear WW: My company has initiated feedback circles and my first review session is coming up. I’ve got myself worried sick! I don’t perform poorly, but tell that to my stomach! I’D RATHER DRINK CLOROX
Dear CLOROX,
Here’s a feedback story for you. When two teenagers in Sheboygan, Wisconsin were wondering aloud about how it would feel [...]