Where You Can Catch Rick Brenner

"Gaining Mastery over Meetings" in the Boston Globe

Meetings aren't just business and PowerPoint. There's quite a bit of batting the ball back and forth — what we might call meeting repartee. The tactics of meeting repartee are fascinating, and perfecting your technique can advance your career. This article appeared in the Boston Globe's "View from the Cube" column for July 3, 2005.

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With Danny Faught, Get to the Point, a column on delivering news, especially bad news, up the management chain. At StickyMinds.com.

Are you an organizational Leader who wants to hone your political skills? Look for my article "Achieving Political Mastery" in the April 2005 issue of the Cutter IT Journal. You'll learn how to assess your own political situation, and how to guide your organization toward a more politically effective posture.

And from July through October, 2005, I wrote a series of articles on dealing with troubled projects. They appeared in the Cutter Enterprise Risk Management & Governance Advisor, a weekly email newsletter from Cutter Consortium. Sign up.

You can also find my work in two books from Dorset House:

Amplifying Your Effectiveness, Gerald M. Weinberg, James Bach and Naomi Karten, eds., is a compendium of articles by the organizers of the Amplifying Your Effectiveness Conference. It covers topics in personal empowerment, interpersonal interaction, mastering projects, and changing the organization.

Shaping Projects: A Roundtable on Best Practices, James Bullock, Gerald M. Weinberg, and Marie Benesh, eds., is a collection of the most powerful and provocative points of debate from the SHAPE forum at Jerry Weinberg's Web site.

, by Robert Snair. The book shows you how to be the kind of leader who can open the path to success for yourself and your team in any goal-oriented situation. (cover text) Alpha, November 6, 2007.

When Extreme Weather Strikes, by Amy E. Lemen. A little bit of rain never hurt anyone, so the saying goes — but what if the weather turns dangerous at an event where hundreds, perhaps thousands, are in attendance? ThatÕs one responsibility that venue and event managers take extremely seriously. Venue Safety and Security, Summer, 2007.

Approaching Your Boss on a Sensitive Subject, by Diana Bocco. If the subject is not time-sensitive, give yourself some time to think about it. Consider your options and don't do anything until you're sure about the right thing to say. 100 Hats, August 10, 2007.

When the Boss Talks Politics , by Scott Flander. When bosses talk about their political preferences around subordinates, it isn't as harmless as it might seem -- it can hurt a company's bottom line. HR Executive Online, August 7, 2007. Download in Acrobat format.

Now's the Time To Plot For a Promotion, by Virginia Backaitis. It may seem too early to hit your boss up for a promotion, but now is the time. New York Post, March 5, 2007.

12 quick IT productivity wins, by Dan Tynan. Already lapsed on your New Year's resolutions? It's not too late. These quick IT fixes will make you and your department look good. InfoWorld, February 5, 2007. Download in Acrobat format.

Project Management Best Practices, by Jeff Merron. Top tips to ensure your projects meet expectations. InfoEdge, January 15, 2007.

Change Culture, by Sheryl Nance-Nash. Opening closed minds can stimulate change and help create a constructive corporate culture. Insight Magazine, September 1, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

The Devil Wears Scrubs: How to deal with inept bosses, by Leah R. Troiano. Ineptness comes in many flavors. The most common types of inept bosses are: the unfit, the corrupt and the inexperienced. RT Image, August 21, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

5 Dampers on IT Worker Confidence , by Deborah Rothberg . For the fourth month in a row, technology professionals have felt more confident in their jobs than the U.S. workforce at large, according to the Hudson Employment Index for IT Workers released July 5. eWeek, July 7, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

The Workplace: Criticizing your boss: A survivor's guide, by Matt Villano. You and your colleagues have concluded that your supervisor is incompetent. How do you lobby for his removal without damaging your own career? International Herald Tribune, June 27, 2006. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in The New York Times.

Career Couch: The Perils of an Office Coup, by Matt Vilano. You and your colleagues have concluded that your supervisor is incompetent. How do you lobby for his removal without damaging your own career? The New York Times, June 25, 2006. Download in Acrobat format. This article also appeared in the International Herald Tribune on June 27, 2006.

Employee makeover, by Lisa Radke. In many ways, companies are similar to high school. There are certain cliques, inside jokes and even office nerds. Though talk of nerds may conjure up images of taped glasses and pocket protectors, those nerdy characteristics could be prevalent in your office. Newsday, June 11, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Growing Up, by Peter Fretty. Sometimes the best way to spark growth in the organization is to shake up the portfolio. PM Netork, June 1, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

How to Divorce Your Vendor, by Dan Tynan. Untying the knot can open up a world of pain and regret — unless you follow a few simple rules. InfoWorld, June 1, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Getting it done among multitaskers, by Mildred L. Culp. Have you ever worked on a project where a multitasker seemed to be in another orbit, oblivious to your need for project completion? Whether the person was your co-worker, consulting client, supervisee or boss, you may have been climbing the walls. The San Bernardino Sun, May 14, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Von Eschenbach's NCI 'Farewell Reception,' Gift Solicitation, Raises Legal And Ethical Issues, by Kirsten Boyd Goldberg and Paul Goldberg. A Òfarewell receptionÓ planned in honor of NCI Director Andrew von Eschenbach raises legal and ethical concerns, lawyers say. The Cancer Letter, May 1, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Career Couch: Sticky Fingers in the Supply Closet, by Matt Villano. The office supply cabinet at work overflows with pens and Post-it notes, and you figure that nobody will notice if you take some extra stuff. At what point does stocking up become stealing? The New York Times, April 30, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Dumping your technology vendor? Let reason prevail, by Dan Tynan. When itÕs time to move on, be sure youÕre parting for the right reasons. InfoWorld, April 27, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Creative Workplace Happier Workers, by Dave Simanoff. About the benefits that good architecture and interior design can bring to the workplace. The Tampa Tribune, April 18, 2006. Download in Acrobat format.

Managing conflict: first, know it's inevitable, by Repps Hudson. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 31, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

It's best to avoid hot topics at work, by Donna Dilley. There's an old expression that says that pig farming is a better topic of conversation than politics or religion. In the workplace, many believe political discussions can create obstacles that make harmonious cooperation more difficult. Blue Ridge Business Journal, October 31, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

Miers' gushing notes to Bush put currying favor in the spotlight, by Robin Abcarian, the LA Times. Move over Eddie Haskell. Harriet Miers could teach you a thing or two about sucking up. The Seattle Times, October 26, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

The timeless art of flattery, by Robin Abcarian, the LA Times. Harriet Miers. Eddie Haskell. Your co-workers. They've all indulged in currying favor with higher-ups. The Baltimore Sun, October 24, 2005. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

The timeless art of flattery, by Robin Abcarian. Harriet Miers. Eddie Haskell. Your co-workers. They've all indulged in currying favor with higher-ups. But the payoff isn't always clear -- unless you live in Los Angeles or Washington, where there seems to be no such thing as inappropriate fawning. Los Angeles Times, October 21, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article also appeared in The Baltimore Sun on October 24, 2005; and in The Seattle Times on October 26, 2005.

Chemistry is the key to a working partnership, by Joyce Pellino Crane. Respect, humor, and passion for the job can build successful working partnerships. The Boston Globe, October 12, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

Keep venting about job woes to family under control, by Maggie Jackson. We often bring home more than a paycheck and a laptop from the office. We cross the front door loaded with emotional baggage that we expect and need to share with spouses and other family members. Done wrong, however, this sharing can become toxic. The Boston Globe, September 11, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

Ovulating? Depressed? What Not to Talk About at Work, by Sue Shellenbarger / Wall Street Journal. In an era when almost anything goes, are any topics still taboo at work? Chicago Sun-Times, July 27, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

Some water cooler talk still is treated as taboo, by Sue Shellenbarger / Wall Street Journal. At a time when just about anything goes, certain topics are still a little too hot to handle. The Detroit News, July 25, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

Ovulating? Depressed? What Not to Talk About at Work, by Sue Shellenbarger . In an era when almost anything goes, are any topics still taboo at work? CareerJournal.com, July 22, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article is a republication of an article that originally appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

Ovulating? Depressed? What Not to Talk About at Work, by Sue Shellenbarger . In an era when almost anything goes, are any topics still taboo at work? The Wall Street Journal, July 21, 2005. Download in Acrobat format. This article also appeared at CareerJournal.com on July 22, 2005; in The Detroit News on July 25, 2005; and in the Chicago Sun-Times on July 27, 2005.

A studied effort to gain mastery over meetings, by Rick Brenner. Like you, I've attended way too many meetings. After a while, you pretty much know where things are about to go. The Boston Globe, July 3, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

GO TEAM! Team Building Matures as Management Pursues Productivity, by John Nemo . What is team building? Or more important, what is effective team building? Effect Magazine, July, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

How to divorce your vendor, by Dan Tynan. Untying the knot can open up a world of pain and regret — unless you follow a few simple rules. Computerworld, May 17, 2005. Download in Acrobat format.

How to douse the fuse when the political talk heats up, by Kristin Dizon and Paul Nyhan. Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 30, 2004. Download in Acrobat format.

The Big Sleep, by John Edwards. With the economy on the upswing, business managers look to revive IT projects. It's not always easy. CFO Magazine, April, 2004. Download in Acrobat format.

Four things youcan do to get workers to tell you the truth. A monthly newsletter of Feature Articles, One-Minute Ideas, Anecdotes, Quotes, Statistics, and Humor and Trivia. Motivational Manager, June 1, 2002. Download in Acrobat format.