Have you ever experienced the challenge of trying to obtain specific information from someone who refuses to stray from the “company line” on any particular subject? I have little tolerance, in general, for scripted statements in response to direct questions. I have noticed that any small amount of patience I...

Being involved in a service profession means there will undoubtedly be times when the service you provide may fall short of the expectations of those you serve. There may be any number of reasons why it happens, but it does happen. To be a competent service professional means you must...

How do you know what to do when you are asked to work on a device you have never seen before? Some of us will start by asking the users to demonstrate what they were doing when they noticed the problem, since that’s one of the quickest ways to find...

There is a fine line between being determined and being stubborn, as I have learned the hard way on a few occasions. While there are times when it may be advantageous to display one or the other of these characteristics, it is hard to know where that critical line is....

It’s another new year, so once again a time of reflection for me. With every december that passes, i face the harsh reality that we only have one life on this earth, and another year of mine is behind me. I don’t think I have ever accomplished even half of...

Wow, it’s December. I had an excuse for missing most of 2010, but what happened to 2011? I remember sitting in the lobby of a condo in Florida about this time two years ago. I was listening to the song “Free Will” and considering the deeper meaning of the term...

Do you remember how good it felt to get your homework papers back when the teacher gave you a star for doing your work really well? If it wasn’t a star on the paper, maybe it was a smiley face or a tally mark toward a prize at the end...

I love my job and I cannot imagine doing anything else. Well, that’s not completely accurate. I do love my job, but I also spend quite a bit of time away from work (as my team would readily tell). That is especially the case for this past month, when my...

I do not remember what my initial reaction was when my husband first mentioned the idea of planting some trees on the back part of our property, but I think it was one of agreement. I like trees, and it would be doing something to prevent the field from continuing...

Our initial response to most anything is determined by how it affects us individually. Whatever the circumstance, we readily accept the fact that each person takes a “what’s in it for me” approach when evaluating changes or considering new ideas. If we initially perceive a negative personal impact, then we...