Tag: personal-development
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“We Need You to Be More Flexible” Means You’re Carrying the Failure
“We need you to be more flexible.” It sounds reasonable.Team-oriented.Mature. But in most workplaces, it’s said when something has already gone wrong — and someone else doesn’t want to own it. Flexibility Only Flows One Way Notice when this phrase appears. A deadline was unrealistic.A scope wasn’t defined.A decision was rushed. And instead of fixing…
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Interviewing for the Job You’ve Already Been Doing
Few things scream corporate dysfunction louder than being asked to interview for a job you have already been doing for years. You have carried the workload, you have solved the problems, you have trained the juniors, and now leadership wants you to “prove” you are capable. Capable of what, exactly? Surviving their incompetence? The Setup…
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Free Pizza Is Not Culture (Stop Pretending It Is)
Every toxic company has its version of the “perk.” Free pizza on Fridays. A ping pong table in the corner. A fridge stocked with energy drinks. They parade these things like trophies, as if melted cheese or a beanbag chair can make up for low pay, endless crunch, and managers who could not lead their…
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The Growth Opportunity That Was Just More Work
Every toxic company has its favorite phrase. For some it is “we’re like a family.” For others it is “we’re still figuring out the process.” But my personal least favorite is the one that appears right before they dump a mountain of extra work on your desk. “This is a great growth opportunity.” It sounds…
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The Performance Review That Was Written Before You Walked In
Performance reviews are supposed to be about growth. That is the story, at least. An honest conversation about your contributions, your progress, and your future at the company. A chance to celebrate what you did well and to align on where you can improve. In reality, they are usually just a carefully scripted performance of…
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The Team-Building Exercise That Broke the Team
Few words strike fear into employees quite like “mandatory team-building.” On paper, it sounds positive. Who does not want stronger bonds with their coworkers? Who does not want to feel like part of something bigger? But in practice, corporate team-building exercises are less about building teams and more about wasting time, dodging real problems, and…
The Toxic Boss 