Six Sacrifices You Shouldn't Make for Work

The Edge for Scholars

If you routinely check your work email the moment you wake up and right before you go to bed at night, then you might have a problem. If you call in sick but are still are available on email, then you might have a problem. If you have ever responded to work emails while sitting […]

Yesterday I blew my chances at NOT saying “I’m sorry.”

Amy Palubinsky

A few weeks back, my mentor had us watch Amy Schumer’s parody video about women at the top of their respective fields continuously saying, “I’m sorry,” and then we talked about why it’s just not what you want or need to say. Well, yesterday morning I had my chances to prove that I took that […]

Prevent the Email Faux Pas That Gets You Fired: Read Send

Rebecca Helton, MA

Did you know that signing an email with “Sincerely” instead of “Best regards” can irrevocably alter your relationship with a colleague?  Or that “please” and “thank you” can be anything but polite? Although it’s now almost five years old, Send remains an invaluable guide to emailing appropriately to staff, superiors, friends and relatives.  Oh, and […]

A Sure Fire Way to Know What Your Boss Thinks About You

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

Step 1 of the 1 Step Sure Fire Way to Know What Your Boss Thinks About You is….. ASK! Sounds ridiculous, right? But there are countless people who spending sleepless nights worrying they aren’t doing enough, they are doing the wrong things, the wrong way while sporting bad hair. Stop freaking out. Open your computer, send a […]

Do You Have Mysterious Dragons in Your Research?

The Edge for Scholars

If my experience reading some of the world’s best (and worst) literature has taught me anything, it is that all of the best stories have dragons in them. O.K. – many of the best ones have dragons, or mention dragons, or contain some dragon-like concept. Whenever there is a dragon, or something  that could potentially represent […]

Office Hours in the Pool Hall

The Edge for Scholars

Teaching this semester?  Wondering about ways to connect to your students?  It might be time to try meeting them somewhere unusual. Holding office hours in different places helped me reach certain students, drive home points I had made in class, and get students to campus facilities they should know about,” writes John Soares. “I was […]

Win Over an Opponent by Asking for Advice

The Edge for Scholars

Whether it’s a high-stakes monetary negotiation or winning support for a proposal, the simple gesture of soliciting advice can make you more likeable, encourage your counterpart to see your perspective, and rally commitment. The beauty of this approach is that it costs so little.  So as you plan your next negotiation, consider how a targeted […]

The First Days of a New Tenure-Track Faculty Job

The Edge for Scholars

This is the season when some lucky ones preparing for new jobs in the fall. A few people have asked me what to expect, so I imagine even more are wondering. I’m writing from my own experience (starting 2.5 new faculty jobs), and yours have been different, so please do comment. What can you expect from […]

57 Ways to Sign Off on an Email

The Edge for Scholars

Of course, you’ve all read Send and have a firm grounding in email etiquette.  Now it’s time for a special seminar.  The topic?  Closings, the often overlooked cherry on the email sundae. Susan Adams at Forbes writes: Here are my four rules for signing off on emails: Don’t include quotes. Avoid oversized corporate logos. Sometimes […]

How to Talk to People Who Don't Want to Talk to You

The Edge for Scholars

“You’re more interested in what you have to say than anyone else is,” said 60 Minutes’ Andy Rooney. Do any of these sound familiar? “I’m busy. Can you come back later?” “Thanks. We’ve got it covered.” “We don’t have the budget for that.” You’ve probably heard all the above: par for the course when trying […]