Marty Nemko's Blog, page 301

The Retirement Party: A short short story

My PsychologyToday.com contribution today is a short-short story that explores what goes through Charlie's mind at his retirement party. It addresses the tension between authenticity and being socially correct.

The Bar-Mitzvah: A short-short story about being judgmental.

As my PsychologyToday.com contribution today, I offer a short-short story that tells the thoughts of a person attending a bar-mitzvah. Does he deserve opprobrium as "judgmental" or praise for his discernment?

"Do You Take This..." A short-short story about the decision to marry

Here's a short-short story that tells what's going through a couple's mind as the officiant asks them to take the marriage vows.  That's my PsychologyToday.com contribution today.

"Are You Going Crazy?" A short-short story about middle-class stress

As my PsychologyToday.com contribution today, I offer a short-short story about middle-class stress. 
 
Note: This photo is merely of someone staring. He bears no relation to the story's protagonist.

Managing People

Today, a career counseling client told me he’d like to move from being an individual contributor to a manager of people. 

But while he's in-step with current management beliefs—be collaborative and a good listener---he fears he’s too nice and that smart, strong supervisees could steamroll him. 

He doesn’t want to spend the time and money on an MBA or other extensive management training. So he asked me if I could offer some streamlined advice. I share what I said in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Straight Talk for Employees 50+

Much advice to older employees is Pollyannish. In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I attempt to offer more helpful advice.

Doubt: 19 Questions with answers less certain than many people believe.

Today, we seem ever more polarized. Of course, the U.S. presidential election brought this into full relief but apart from that.

Excessive zeal leads to excessive closed-mindedness, intolerance, and enmity.  
In a small (if lengthy) attempt to engender moderation, my PsychologyToday.com article today lists some of the day’s more contentious positions and reasons why moderate positions and certainly respect for differing opinions is justified.

12 Questions We Should Ask

Asking the right questions can get you information you want. That can also make the person feel important or cared about.

My PsychologyToday.com article today lists a dozen questions that can be particularly potent.

This article is part of a series. The others are:
10 Expressions Everyone Should Stop Saying Now.
13 Things Everyone Should Stop Doing.
13 Things Many People Don’t Do but Should.
11 Questions Everyone Should Ask Themselves

Come See My One-Man Show, Odd Man Out

I'm doing my one-man-show, Odd Man Out this Saturday afternoon.

It's a bit of a misnomer to call it a one-man show because my wife  Barbara Nemko pops up periodically to annoy me. Plus, awesome singer Jeffrie Givens and I tell her amazing story in words and song. The word "amazing" is overused but not in Jeffrie's case.

The show has been reviewed twice, in the Berkeley Daily Planet and in the Napa Valley Register. 

The performance is this Saturday, May 13, at 1:00 PM at the Octopus Literary Salon: 2101 Webster St., Oakland, CA. $10. For more info and tix, click HERE.

11 Questions Everyone Should Ask Themselves

This is the fourth installment of a PsychologyToday.com series. The first was 10 Expressions Everyone Should Stop Saying Now. The second was, Ten Things Everyone Should Stop Doing. The third was 13 Things Many People Don’t Do but Should.   

Today, I pose 11 questions everyone should ask themselves.