Know when you should bend (or break) the rules Even in a role that doesn't leave much room for creativity, you can think outside the box a bit when you're not provided with strict guidelines or you're given permission to run with a new project, writes Alyse Kalish. Other times that you can bend the rules include situations where outdated methods may be costing your team great opportunities, Kalish writes. The Muse (8/3)What to say when you can't do what your boss asks If you feel that you need to decline a request from your boss, first acknowledge that you understand that the request is important, advises Robin Tingley. Then inform your boss of the conflict that makes it impossible for you and suggest a method in which you may still be able to help, if possible. Fast Company online (8/2)
Do-it-yourself vs. Doing it right A highly-engaged workforce drives results and employee engagement programs are key to success. But most companies still lack on-the-ground programs for employee engagement and alignment. Learn how to leverage time and resources with a social recognition program in the whitepaper "Do-it-yourself vs. Doing it right".
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Making the Connection
How to decipher common phrases used at work Learn to read into certain phrases used at work in order to maintain better relationships with colleagues, writes Emily Moore. For instance, "Did you get a chance to...?" is often a reminder to complete an important task, while "We need to..." usually means "you need to," Moore writes. Glassdoor (8/2)
The Landscape
EEOC, UPS resolve disability case UPS has agreed to pay $1.7 million and to require human resources employees to work with legal counsel before firing workers at the end of their medical leave, to resolve claims that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, UPS capped medical leave at 12 months and discharged more than 70 employees who could not return to work after their leave expired. Bloomberg BNA (free content) (8/1)
Former NBC reporter Anthony Ponce left what most journalists would consider a dream job last year in order to drive for Lyft and record conversations with passengers for a podcast called "Backseat Rider." Although Ponce said he makes significantly less in his new job so far, he said his fulfillment level is "at a 10." Columbia Journalism Review online (8/1)
Balancing Yourself
First-century philosopher Seneca knew about work-life balance Professionals can find a number of lessons about happiness and fulfillment in letters by Roman stoic philosopher Seneca, writes Patrick Allan. For instance, Seneca stresses that productivity should come second to using your life to tell a story. Lifehacker (8/2)
The Water Cooler
Okla. family unearths new SUV from backyard An Oklahoma family found a brand new SUV wrapped in plastic when digging in the ground in their backyard. Police discovered that the buried 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer was reported stolen by the previous landowner the same year that it was purchased. The Drive (8/3)
What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.
