Category Archives: workplace

Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

I dropped out of my reporting job at Spaceflight InsiderĀ (SFI) three years ago–not because of any wrongdoing, but because my various freelance contracts in the aerospace business were starting to interfere with my ability to write stories for SFI. I … Continue reading →

Posted in business writing, careers, clients, engineering, freelancing, management, Office Politics, personal, proposal writing, technical writing, workplace | Leave a comment

What to Say When You Have Nothing to Say

I’m late posting today because honestly I couldn’t think of anything to say. Has that ever happened to you? Obviously it’s a little different when you’re writing a blog column vs. attending a team meeting face to face or online. … Continue reading →

Posted in clients, management, meetings, Office Politics, peers, personal, philosophy, workplace | Leave a comment

Assumptions in the Freelance Proposal Business

One challenge I encounter when I do freelance writing for solo entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations is an assumptions gap. This gap can create problems early or later in the relationship, depending on how quickly the problems arise.

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Other Duties as Assigned

You see it in the job description: “other duties as assigned.” You assume it’s boilerplate language. I mean, how outlandish could those other duties actually be? As someone whose career has seen its share of unusual jobs, I can say … Continue reading →

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Providing Positive Feedback

Giving negative feedback can be a sensitive subject because you never know how someone will react, even if you couch your criticism as gently as possible. Yet giving positive feedback can be a challenge, too, because people also vary in … Continue reading →

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