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What Burnout Is and Why It Isn’t Confined To The Occupational Sphere
What Is Burnout? Burnout isn’t just being tired or “fed up” with work. “Burnout is far more than feeling blue or having a bad day. It is...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
May 16, 2021


Self-Insight Is Sparked by “Crystallization of Discontent” Moments
“The twists and turns of your life can be so unexpected, and that’s a good thing to learn.” -Christina Baker Kline (American novelist) In...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Apr 25, 2021


How to Give Direct and Clear Feedback
From front-line leaders all the way up to C-suite leaders, I have seen, time and time again, how managers have made a mess in delivering...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Feb 22, 2021


I Felt the Fear and Did It Anyway – The Risk I Took to Blossom
“And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anaïs Nin Today —...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jan 26, 2021


Fully Engaged – When Great Days at Work Feel Like MAGIC
According to DecisionWise (2018), “Employee engagement is an emotional state where we feel passionate, energetic, and committed to our...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
May 22, 2019


Going Through Your No’s Before Getting to Your Yes
One year ago on December 20, 2017, I flew half way across the U.S. to interview for a position at a very famous tech company in northern...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jan 1, 2019


The Three S’s (See, Surround, Set) to Overcoming Failure
SEE: See mistakes as learning opportunities and see yourself not as a victim One of my former college students shared this: “I have...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Nov 11, 2018


Workplace Friendships: The Benefits and Challenges
Workplace Friendships: The Benefits When you work in close proximity to other people in an organization, it’s inevitable that friendships...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jan 7, 2018


Book Review: Awaken, Align, Accelerate by MDA Leadership
Awaken, Align, Accelerate (2011) is a leadership development and coaching guide from MDA Leadership Consulting. The book harnesses “the...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Dec 1, 2017


Conversation Killers: Interrupt/Monopolize, Minimize/Discount, Oppose/Argue, and Not Pay Attention
There are four types of people who destroy and neutralize a conversation dead in its track. These types can be distinct but often I find...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Nov 5, 2017


Hire Conscientious People
[Note: This post was updated July 2022 for freshness & clarity.] In the book, The Truth About Managing People, professor Stephen P....
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Apr 3, 2017


Book Review: Leaders Ready Now
NOTE: For this book review, I intentionally and excessively quoted the authors throughout the post. I do this for two reasons: (1) I...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Aug 22, 2016


Don’t Have to Put Others Down To Feel Better About Ourselves
[Note: This post was updated July 2020 for freshness & clarity.] One consistent and recurring theme keeps appearing over and over again...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jan 1, 2016


Talking Too Much and Not Listening
In a previous life and time, I worked as a mental health counselor. I was trained in the art of listening and would periodically have my...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Sep 10, 2015


Job Crafting: Shape, Mold, and Redefine Your Job
In his book, Drive (2011), Daniel Pink wrote that one of the motivating factors for employees is having the autonomy over four areas of...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jul 7, 2015


I Will Teach My Daughter Not to Be Afraid
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Jul 26, 2014


Would You Work If You Won the Lottery?
The question is simple: If you were to win the lottery (also known as the lottery question), would you continue to work? The answer might...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Aug 8, 2013


Half-Truths and Omission of Facts in Selling
My first job was working for a sporting goods store in a mall. I was really excited because it was a well-known company and had a sister...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Mar 31, 2013


Silly Job Titles Are Not Funny
[NOTE: This post was updated February 2021 for freshness & clarity.] In a Forbes article, Goudreau (2012) wrote about silly job titles...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Nov 19, 2012


Overreliance on Computer May Leave You Ill-Suited for High-Trust Jobs
[NOTE: This post was updated March 2018] Many of us have seen, heard, or read about the computer geek who is so consumed about...
Steve Nguyen, PhD
Mar 21, 2012
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