I never knew the importance of one-on-ones until I started running them myself — When you become a manager of people, there’s always someone who will emphasize that with great power comes great responsibility, as if they’re dropping some novel wisdom on you (and not cribbing from Spider-Man comics). However true this may be, there’s an actual bit of useful advice that isn’t forewarned…

A manager is only as good as their team — and mine is a mixed bag — There’s a difference between being a manager and being a boss — or at least I believe there is. In my opinion, a boss is someone who cares about the people who report to them strictly through the lens of productivity. They tell their direct reports what needs to be…

New title. New money. Still Black. — I would say it’s been a long time, but these days, 24 hours feels like either 24 minutes or an eternity, no in-between. Instead, I’ll say it’s been a while since I’ve last shared my experiences of being the Only Black Guy in the Office. If this is your first…

I keep it realer than most while on the job, but there are limits to how freely I’ll speak around my co-workers — Around this time last year, I had a professional breakthrough. Last summer, in the midst of various American institutions being taken to task for upholding systemic racism, I decided to shed my code-switching ways once and for all. Longtime readers may remember me pouring out a lil liquor for my…

America’s newest national holiday deserves exclusive access. Sorry not sorry. — After more than three decades of living in America, I’m rarely surprised by the goings-on in this country. But I must admit, the turn of events of the past 365 have thrown me for a loop. We’re more than a year removed from the police murders of Breonna Taylor, George…

When the challenges of remote work are all around you — The remote work revolution has changed life as we know it for corporate folks like myself. And while I’m on the record singing the praises of working from home, I’d like to set the record straight: It’s not without its faults. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed my weekday afternoon…

Day trading with a day job is too damn stressful — The first step to solving a problem is admitting that one exists. Unfortunately, I’m not quite there yet. …

After more than a year of WFH, I can’t imagine it any other way — A couple of weeks ago, my manager, Richard, sent out an invitation to join him and a few other co-workers for a Saturday picnic in a local park. Prior to 2020, this was par for the course; here in Seattle, the coming of spring weather is so satisfying, people would…