Recently BNET published an article by Stanley Bing, bestselling author of What Would Machiavelli do? and Sun Tzu Was a Sissy, that really caught my attention. The headline was brilliant: “My Company Was Bought by Jerks.” Now, if you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you’ll understand why such a title piqued my interest. The article summary was equally intriguing:

The workplace suddenly feels alien now that new management has taken over. Stanley Bing recommends blending in with the “conquering Martians” to save your job—and your sanity.

The article is actually Stanley’s response to a letter from a disgruntled employee struggling with a big, ugly acquisition and questioning how to deal with new bosses, layoffs and the hostile atmosphere created when outside “invaders” take over your once sacred space. Read the rest of this entry »

As a pro bono designer, event sponsor and board member of the Austin Chapter of The Association for Women in Communications (AWC), I’ve had the opportunity to work with an amazing group of incredibly smart, talented, driven and passionate women. The Austin Professional Chapter is the largest chapter of AWC, which is a national professional organization that champions the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve talked a lot about the drama at my job as a result of all the acquisition related changes. Those of you who have been following the saga know it’s been fraught with many challenges, disappointments and frustrations. At this point, if I was going to characterize my general mood, I’d sum it up with one word: tired. It’s been a long, hard road where I’ve run an emotional marathon. I’ve felt just about everything there is to feel and am now left emotionally drained, physically exhausted and completely numb to the whole thing. Ironically, apathetic numbness is strongly preferred in this new culture to passionate emotion. Drama is a 4-letter word around here. And the “who cares…it’s just a job…pass me my paycheck” crowd is now seen as the model for success. Read the rest of this entry »