Articles by Jonathan Segal

Getting to NO in the New Year and Shark Tank!

We all know we need to say NO at times. Otherwise, every YES that should be a NO risks resulting in a NO that should be a YES down the road.  But saying NO can be incredibly hard. Saying yes all of the time, is not simply people pleasing, although that is a piece of […]

That Difficult Conversation

Every HR professional and manager has had to have a tough talk with an employee about his or her performance. Sometimes it is in the context of an annual appraisal. Other times, it may be a final warning prior to termination. But regardless of when the discussion happens, careful planning is necessary. Otherwise, the wrong […]

Where Have All the Mentors Gone?

If each of us is honest, we know mentoring played a role for us in however we define success. Many of us think of our mentors as close friends or even family members. Many of us also think of our mentors as great teachers. And, if we are lucky, we are able to serve as […]

Why The Oscars Diversity Issue Matters to All Employers

Sunday night was the 88th broadcast of Academy Awards. And, even if you didn’t watch it, then you know that not one person of color was nominated for an Oscar in the categories of best actor or actress in either a primary or supporting role. The host was Chris Rock. And, with humor and perspective, […]

Care For, But Don’t Coddle, Millennials

Spend about half an hour Googling for articles on millennials and the workplace, and you will find more written in the last year alone than you will be able to read in a week. How do we attract millennials? What do millennials want? How do we make millennials happy? How do we make millennials feel […]

Copernicus Was Wrong

Copernicus said the earth revolves around the sun. Copernicus was only partially correct. The earth does not always revolve around the sun. In some workplaces, the earth revolves around an employee. Yes, I can tell that each of you is thinking of a particular employee. Let’s hope no one is thinking of you! Seriously, how do […]

The Executive’s New Clothes

We have all read Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”  Wikipedia explains the story in a succinct and cogent matter: A vain Emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires two swindlers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric invisible to anyone who is unfit for […]

Workplace Bullying: Bully Be Not Proud

As we all know, Congress is dysfunctional.  But legislative activity at the state and local level is hot, particularly in the employment arena. State and local governments across the U.S. have passed a spate of recent bills on myriad issues ranging from protecting the right of employees to carry a concealed weapon in their vehicle […]