One of my favorite pieces of ancient wisdom comes from the Stoic philosopher Epictetus: We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Sure, that may not…
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What’s Next
I find myself at another crossroad. So many roads, so many paths – no sense of direction. When I started my career I worked for a bank. Then I started working in a public accounting…
Time to get a job?
Given that I was a professor at both the college and university, my students were surprised when I did not always encourage further study after graduation. Sometimes I would say: “You’re ready. Get on with…
Bad breath boss
Dear Michelle I have a great job – but there is just one problem. My boss is a close talker and his breath is terrible. I don’t mean coffee breath or pizza for lunch but…
Everyday Ethics
Ethics is a hot button issue. Unfortunately we too often use an ethic’s filter to judge other people’s behaviour. The media sometimes confuses ethics with laws or rules and regulations. When “ethics” is co-opted by…
Teacher’s dilemma
Dear Michelle I have just started teaching college students and I thought it was important to make my expectations very clear at the outset. I explained that it was my policy to set a deadline…
Things my students told me
As I retire from the college I feel the compulsion to share some hard learned lessons. To all teachers, newbies and old hands, sooner or later someone will say… “You are a bad teacher”
The Devil Made Me Do It
Let’s assume for a moment that there is a Supreme Being. Let’s call this entity IT – not to be confused with Stephen King’s novel about a sewer dwelling evil clown named Pennywise. According to…
How Will They Learn? (Team Work)
If the school system seems inadequate to the task of instilling problem solving skills surely they will do better at team building. All those young people in the same place with the same goals. It…