Soft Skills - Ask a Wharton MBA
Develop Soft Skills – Work Smart & Live More
So, I finally did something that’s been on my bucket list for about ten years. I took an improv class!
I’ve always been fascinated by shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? How do these people come up with hilarious songs, characters, and stories completely on the fly? I thought it would be so cool to try. There was just one little problem. The thought of doing it myself terrified me. ...
“Our primary goal for visit is to hug you and feed you. So prepare your list of favorite places to go. 🥰🤗” That was the text I sent my 18-year-old daughter before visiting her for Parents Weekend last weekend. I also added that, of course, we wanted to watch her dance and perform as well. ...
Since leaving full-time work last April, people often ask me, “How is retirement going?”
I usually pause before answering. I think people expect me to say, “It’s great.” And in many ways, it is. I’ve traveled more, spent more time with my family, and had the luxury of deciding how I want to spend most of my days. I’ve also tried to take better care of myself, although my recent flare-up might suggest I still have some work to do on that one. ...
I’m now in the fifth week of what I confidently called a “four-week flare-up” in my earlier article, The Health Debt from Overwork. I laugh a little when I think about that now. Apparently, my body didn’t get the memo.
For the first three weeks, I was mostly in denial. I knew I was hurting, but I kept telling myself it was minor. I thought if I just cut back on my phone and computer, rested a little more, went to my chiropractor and acupuncture, it would pass. ...
A few weeks ago, during a group coaching call, one woman said something that stayed with me. I’ll call her Rachel to protect her privacy.
Rachel is around 40, a first-time mom with a three-year-old, and she’s worked hard for her career. Lately, though, she’s been feeling less motivated at work and dealing with some health challenges. Part of her wants to slow down, maybe take a break or even shift to part-time for a while. ...
“I am not good enough yet.” That has been an inner voice of mine for about 40 years. I probably started saying this to myself when I was a kid. Whenever I came home with test scores, my mom would congratulate me but my dad would focus on the points I missed. Even if I got 97 out of 100, most of our conversation would be about what happened to those three points and how I could avoid missing them next time. ...
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how it’s possible to feel two completely opposite emotions at the same time. As the parent of an 18-year-old entering adulthood, I’ve discovered that pride and heartbreak can exist side by side.
My daughter turned 18 in May and graduated from high school. She is standing at the edge of adulthood—excited for college, independence, and the life waiting ahead of her. ...