With this being a holiday weekend in the US for Thanksgiving, I decided to take Thursday and Friday off from writing this newsletter too. So, I’m sending a short-week edition on Wednesday instead. Next Friday, Dec. 1, we’ll get back to our normal schedule, and be astonished that it’s already December.
In the meantime, since this is a time to consider all the things we are thankful for, I want to take a moment and express some gratitude.
Welcome to this week’s collection of thought-provoking things. Each week I’ll share information about careers and workplace culture, mental health in the workplace, talent development, and important information about privacy, security, and legal tech.
You can find out all about me here - Mike McBride Online.
It’s been a tumultuous 2023 for me on the professional front. I came into 2023 with big plans for the training and development position I was in only to get caught up in layoffs three months later. I spent four months not working, and now find myself planning for 2024 rollouts of M365 tools in the same law firm I left in 2011.
But, I can say this. I’m thankful for projects like this newsletter, the Child Abuse and Mental Health Survivors newsletter, and the M365 newsletter that helped keep me focused and sane during those 4 months and continue to provide an outlet for me. Not to mention the networking impacts I get from writing and contributing in online spaces.
I’m thankful for the network of people that I’ve worked with over the years, especially the ones who led me to the next thing in my career.
I’m thankful to everyone who reads the newsletters and shares them with their connections, and I’m thankful to get to spend a few days exploring and having adventures with my wife, which is still one of my favorite things to do.
I hope you take a moment to say thank you to the people who make a difference in your life.
Careers and the Workplace
Work Can Be Many Things But It Is Also Transactional
As I listened I was torn. Because I do value friendships that I've made everywhere, including people I have worked with in the past. Heck, I met my wife at work.
On the other hand, I bristled at the critique that this approach seemed like a very mercenary approach to the workplace because we all should take a more mercenary approach to our workplaces. It is clear that employers are taking a mercenary approach to it, why shouldn't we? Our work is transactional, even if we do have friends there.
Debunking the Myth of Hard Work
"Luck plays a far more significant role in life outcomes than successful people like to admit."
6 Worrying Workplace Numbers — And What You Can Do About Them - start with the 23% of workers who trust their leadership and read on from there.
Training and Development
This makes sense, leaders who don’t know how to develop their own careers aren’t of much use in helping the folks who report to them - Want to Improve Career Development? Start With Your Managers
This is a troubling trend that will lead to some workplace retention disasters and some disastrous situations with under-skilled employees. - Workers want L&D job perks, bosses say they're a waste of time
Mental Health in the Workplace
While we are talking about having friends at work, a reminder of how valuable having friends at all is important:
Even Friends Who Are Bad Influences are Better than Not Having Friends
Connection matters more than small behaviors. Loneliness is more damaging to our mental and physical health than small vices, despite the amount of digital space spent talking about what we should and shouldn't eat, drink, or do with our time. Yet, so many of us make our friendships one of the lowest priorities.
The case for inviting everyone to everything -
In a time when loneliness is more pervasive than ever, why not extend an invitation?
Privacy, Security, and Legal Tech
We are all going to be hearing a lot about these kinds of things - The Good, The Bad And The Reality: The Impact Of AI On Cybersecurity
EU faces privacy complaint over CSAM microtargeting ads it ran on X - You would think the EU could follow its own data privacy rules.
And if you do choose this, don’t come to the office on Monday with it, thanks!
That’s all folks. If you found something interesting in this week’s newsletter, please share it with your friends. It’s the best way to help support the effort I put in each week to share this with you.