The old adage says that curiosity kills the cat, but luckily, it won’t kill your co-workers. Unfortunately, not all employees agree that curiosity is encouraged and rewarded on the job. According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review which surveyed more than 23,000 individuals – including 1,500 C-Suite leaders and 16,000 employees – there is a discrepancy about the frequency and perceived value of curiosity among C-level executives and lower-level employees. The following chart represents the estimated percent of C-Level employees (red) and other employees (blue) who agreed wit... view article details

The only way to truly get the life you want is by taking positive risks and planning a strategy for doing so.'Unlike negative risks, which are typically impulsive and emotionally driven, positive risks are calculated,' says Gail McMeekin, a nationally recognized creativity and HR career coach (www.creativesuccess.com). 'You must think them through, and anticipate what could happen,  before you jump.'Choosing to find a mentor to help accelerate your career is one way of taking a positive risk.  Develop “a road map” by first deciding if you want the mentor to be someone inside the company... view article details

Last week, we brought you '9 Reasons You Should Nap at Work,' which discussed the benefits of daytime snoozing and highlighted some companies that encourage their employees to nap on the clock.This week we tackle the more practical aspects of catching some ZZZs at work.1. Understand your company's culture and rules Before you put your head down on your desk and start snoring, do your homework.Many employers discourage napping. Others consider it grounds for firing. Gradually, however, more companies are allowing or even promoting naptime in the office. Some progressive companies have... view article details

For many, if not most, of us, the Internet is an essential work tool. It lets us send e-mails, share documents, participate in video conferences, conduct research, and browse cat videos (only during breaks, of course). Now, three communities are taking things even further, deploying widespread networks with speeds at or above 1 gigabit per second in the hopes of boosting economic development.How fast, exactly, is 1 Gbps? Well, the average Internet speed in the United States is somewhere between 5 and 6 megabits per second, according to various reports. These 1-Gig systems, therefore, are as mu... view article details

The California budget crisis has been a headline fixture for a while, but now that higher education students and faculty are beginning to feel the heat of the latest budget cuts, education has jumped to the front of the news. Because of the cuts in the higher education system, many are acting out through protests to show their anger, while others are wondering what their next option could be. The New York Times reports that in the past two years, California has made over $30 billion in budget cuts, one of the largest cuts has been higher education. The California state schools have seen $2.8 ... view article details

Dear Annette,Our company subsidizes memberships to a gym in our building. Everybody goes here, and I often find myself working out next to senior people in the company. How do I handle this? Out of BreathDear Out of Breath,I'm sure you realize you can glisten with perspiration and good manners at the same time. I myself do not exercise - I have People to do that for me - but nobody knows better than I do that sweat can be fabulous. It can also make the most casual situations more complicated than they appear. When working out with colleagues, you want to show you're a team player who appreciat... view article details

Beautiful? Brilliant? Bathing? Though he won't disclose what the B stands for, the secret of Philip B. is Botanicals. This 37-year-old, self-described medicine man turns ordinary and extraordinary ingredients into deliciously scented luxury liquids for hair and body.As an aspiring hair expert, Philip suffered a childhood injury chasing the cat down the stairs for a 'haircut.' By 14 he was already working at a salon, and it wasn't long before his name started gaining recognition. But it wasn't enough.'I wanted to live in LA and be a hairdresser to the stars,' he said. With two twenty-dollar bil... view article details

 Finding the house of your dreams is a cinch if you have the money. You can buy where you want, the size and style you want, you can even tear it all down and remodel how you want. 'I've taken out pristine, custom-built $100,000 kitchens to replace them with pristine, custom-built $150,000 kitchens that looked a little different,' said John C., a building contractor from Marina del Rey, California. 'Not that they seemed like the kind of people who spent much time in a kitchen anyway.' Staying within your means For the rest of us, buying a home is a knotty process of checks and balances. Ironic... view article details

As we all know, the economic picture is and has been rather bleak the last few years. And with unemployment still far too close to 10 percent for anyone's liking, we can't tell you it's going to get better any time soon. But while you can't magically predict whether or not you'll join the ranks of the unemployed someday soon, you can be prepared for it. And we can help.These tips are good habits to get into to manage your career even in boom times. So even if you're one of the lucky ones who aren't concerned about being laid off, put the economy to work for you. Let it motivate you to g... view article details

In a study by the American Society for Training and Development, more than 750 U.S organizations provided data about their expenditures on training programs as a percentage of payroll and on a per-employee basis. Here's how they compare by industry on several key factors.Business sector Commitment to learningServices (hotels; professional, business, and personal services; educational, legal, social, and consumer services)High percentage spent on training and a significant increase in the use of new learning technologies, including computer-based training, the Internet, and teleconferencing.IT ... view article details