Sometimes its tough to be the (female) boss…

One major accomplishment of Carly Fiorina went unnoticed in her ouster last week as one of the nation’s most prominent chief executives: Her six-year tenure set a record of sorts. Hewlett-Packard Co.’s Fiorina lasted longer than other women who lost their jobs as Fortune 1000 chief executives in recent years. Remember Jill Barad at Mattel Inc.? She transformed the 1950s Barbie into a new millennium sensation, but Barad lasted only three years. Pamela Lieberman was forced out after two years at the helm of True Value Co., while S. Marce Fuller, who has held the top post at electricity company Mirant Corp. for five years, is resigning.

Although the tenure of male chief executives is shortening amid intense post-Enron scrutiny by corporate boards and shareholders, it isn’t that short. The average chief executive of the world’s largest publicly traded companies holds his job for 8.2 years, while women stay 4.8 years, according to a study by Booz Allen Hamilton. The consultant cautioned, however, that there are so few women chief executives that it is hard to draw conclusions.

”A CEO who is a woman is a classic example of a woman who is succeeding extremely well in a male-dominated field. She’s not supposed to be up there,” said Rosalind Barnett of Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center and coauthor of ”Same Difference: How Gender Myths Are Hurting Our Relationships, Our Children, and Our Jobs.”

CHECK OUT: Getting to top is hard but staying isn’t easy

Different stuff, for a different day…

In today’s ever-changing economy, Americans are moving from job to job — and career to career — as never before. And it’s not just about money: Many are choosing new jobs that might give them a better life. In a series of reports for Morning Edition, NPR’s Ketzel Levine talks with those taking the leap.

Check out a VERY nice series of stories on NPR called Life Changes.

Hallellujah…

Ewwwww….

The Today Show’s Al Roker takes a germ tour of the “Today” show studio and finds out that its not as clean as he thought.
Click here for the Video

Ay yo, Adrian!

Never give up!

The further you advance in your business career, the more pitches, proposals, and recommendations you’ll serve to your bosses for acceptance or rejection. And unless you’re prematurely content with the status quo and/or uncommonly risk-averse, it’s enevitable: From time to time, you’ll stake some brownie points on a winner-take-all plan, a strategic direction, or a bid for a key job.

Sometimes, you’ll prevail. Other times, you won’t — whereupon you’ll face one of your most emotionally trying career experiences. At such times, it’s normal to feel like a fool. Your failure is exposed for all to see. And you can’t help wondering what that means for you, long-term. It’s an awful sensation.

You’ll probably be angry with those who shot you down and jealous of whoever trumped you. You’ll vow to short the company’s stock and go work for its nearest competitor, or at least think bad thoughts about the organization forever. Perhaps you’ll feel so terrible that you’ll consider quitting on the spot.

Well, don’t do any of this, at least not abruptly and in a huff. You’ll be amazed at how quickly these feelings pass. Your career isn’t over, probably not even stalled. Faster than you imagine, you can again become a Golden Boy or Gal — if you display maturity and poise. In fact, your ability to play (and truly be) a gracious loser will speak volumes about your suitability as a future team member and leader.

Here are some ideas for getting back on track quickly:

READ: You Lost — Now What?

If you can’t pay me back, stop borrowing!!!

My question is, if they know they are not going to be able to pay me back, “Why do they keep deducting it?” Here is an interesting post about Social Security.

As the debate over Social Security mounts, I find myself thinking of my grandmother. Or more specifically, her friend who lived across the street. When both women were well into their 70s, the friend would complain that she didn’t have enough money. Her Social Security check didn’t cover her monthly expenses.

My grandmother argued that her friend should have planned better. These two women, both long gone, polarized the debate that raged even then about Social Security. One believed the government owed her nothing, the other believed it owed her everything.

The truth probably lay somewhere in between, somewhere in the middle of Main Street. READ MORE HERE: Depend on discipline, hard work

Pride in one’s work…

“People become librarians because they know too much. Their knowledge extends beyond mere categories. They cannot be confined to disciplines. Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the masses. They preserve every aspect of human knowledge. Librarians rule.”

Taken from the manifesto: Why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian

Why some “smart” people can not job hunt…

People perceived as the most likely to succeed might also be the most likely to crumble under pressure.

A new study finds that individuals with high working-memory capacity, which normally allows them to excel, crack under pressure and do worse on simple exams than when allowed to work with no constraints. Those with less capacity score low, too, but they tend not to be affected by pressure.

“The pressure causes verbal worries, like

Need a date? Go to work…

In a 2005 survey by career-focused media company Vault Inc., 57 percent of respondents said they had been involved in an office romance. That

Heeheelarious!!!!

OFFICE ROMANCE is a series of 15 heartbreaking nanolength animations aimed at anyone who’s loved and lost and lost and lost and lost some more.

Funny stuff!