Do you experience mysterious conversations with introverts? Here’s one from just the other day. Jay and I were watching TV when a commercial came on promoting Charlotte, NC, as a tourist destination. Jay said, “Charlotte’s…

Clarity is my buzzword for this week’s compilation of articles that will help you better understand how to think through some critical topics. Clarity about a promotion Ask good questions before accepting that promotion. Many…

Welcome to MentorLoft.com, a site dedicated to helping you take charge of your career through the benefits of mentoring. Before we get into details, think about this. Your boss, your supervisor, even your CEO were…

Knowing how to ask good questions saved me at least $1500 today. Asking good questions can save you time as well as money. You can learn how to do this, too. Read on. Ask Good…

Learn sales skills? I can hear the screams now: I am not in sales! can’t sell! hate sales! I used to say the same thing. The reality is that regardless of your job, you need…

When someone offers “a word to the wise,” it’s smart to heed what they’re saying. Remember your mother reminding you to say “please” and “thank you?” She knew what she was talking about. I’m embarrassed…

Have you ever sat through a training session and been bombarded with Powerpoint slides and lots of numbers? Was someone actually expecting you to learn from that experience? If you want to get smarter, follow…

Without a doubt, team development is one of the toughest challenges I’ve ever taken on. When I worked at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), I volunteered to lead a team for a work project. I…

I recently came across an article that says it’s performance appraisal time. That all depends on what schedule your company has for performance appraisals—and how well your boss meets that schedule. Regardless of the schedule,…

As you know, we all have the same 24 hours, 7 days a week. But some people are much better at managing their time than others. This post gives you time management tips that can…

This is a blog post I wrote for my executive coaching clients. It came from a real experience of one boss’s need to create a sense of urgency in a staffer. Young professionals, keep this…

Hi Abby, Should I change jobs? I’m not sure I’m in the right position at work. I like the company and my coworkers. But I’m in accounting and think I would be happier in marketing. …

This past fall, I spent time each week with a Toastmaster’s Club at a local high school. Several times in their speeches, the students said something like this: “Nobody reads anymore; we just go to…

“I want to be a leader,” Matt said when we talked last week. Matt, 28, has been in his current job for 18 months. According to a WorkplaceTrends.com study, 91% of young professionals (aka Millennials)…

What do you do at work? Do you know how what you do—every day—impacts your company’s business and success? Most of us view our work only through our own lens. We know what we do….

Are you this guy? The one who says what he thinks, often without thinking? We’re talking about Big Larry. He leaves an emotional wake behind him wherever he goes. “I need help handling Larry,” an…

“Only 5% of people set goals, and that 5% achieves more than the other 95% combined.” While it may sound crazy, it’s true. How are you doing? Knowing how to write SMART goals is vital…

Like it or not, Millennials, or Gen Y if you prefer, get blasted for not knowing how to spell and how to use words correctly. Your generation is the first to grow up with Spell…

For the first time in our history, companies are struggling to deal with four generations at work at one time. The resulting culture clash is causing some serious issues that you, as young professionals, need…