Suggests that being fired is not the stigma it once was. Looks at 20 famous "failures" and where they are now, including Steven Jobs, Michael Milken, William Agee, Jimmy Johnson, and Ivan Boesky. (JOW)

Chronicles the business rationale, the cross-functional commitment, and the process of designing and launching a well-integrated career development program at Monsanto. (JOW)

Workplace violence has gone global, crossing borders, work settings, and occupational groups. A report from the International Labor Organization points out high-risk occupations and indicates that women are especially vulnerable. It highlights the problem and provides ways for policymakers to remove violence from the workplace. (JOW)

Describes a career development initiative that was an integral part of a major culture shift within Union Pacific Resources. Discusses how cross-functional change agent teams helped set employee expectations and build a culture within the organization. (JOW)

It takes a special kind of mentor to establish a work environment in which people are ready and able to withstand changes, such as downsizing and reorganization. Mentoring is a learning partnership, and the mentor's main gifts are learning, advice, feedback, focus, and support. (JOW)

Interviews with a panel of six business and industry officials regarding what employers want encompassed the following topics: necessary skills of employees, the importance of "employability" skills, school-to-work transition, the national skill standards, and the need for a four-year college degree. (JOW)

A discussion of judicial and arbitral trends regarding sexual harassment addresses what constitutes harassment, outlines legislative action and judicial decisions, and identifies recent trends that show the evolution of social responses to it. (JOW)

Virtual work teams scattered around the globe are becoming a feature of corporate workplaces. Although most people prefer face-to-face meetings and interactions, reality often requires telecommuting. (JOW)

In the last decade, technology has rendered a lot of face-to-face interaction unnecessary. However, human contact is still essential to true communication. (JOW)

Discusses why there has been little growth in empowerment over the past 30 years. Suggests that executives often work against empowerment both consciously and unconsciously and that they often do not seem to want what they say they need. Makes some recommendations that may help executives think more sensibly about empowerment. (JOW)

Portfolio thinking is characterized by a personal awareness of one's own contribution, value, and responsibility. It requires individualized thinking, technology-based knowledge management, and a context-creating communication infrastructure. (JOW)

The "web of work" is made up of 12 basic human needs: home/shelter, family/kinship, learning, community, spirituality, social relationships, leisure, economic security, transportation/mobility, health, work/career, and environment/safety. Understanding it can contribute to stability, security, and appreciation that work is not only a job but a…

In a learning organization, growth, learning, improvement, and everlasting experimentation are woven into its culture and employees not in a perpetual state of change will be unable to cope. Mentors can assist by finding a teachable moment, providing support without rescuing, and demonstrating authenticity, not perfection. JOW)

As a result of technology, tomorrow's worker will be able to spend more time away from the office, connecting with customers, partners, suppliers, and colleagues. Managers' ability to create coherence through shared vision and a common set of professional values will rank among their more important career assets. (Author/JOW)

A temporarily disabled executive experiences first hand what those who are disabled regularly face. He offers suggestions for going further than the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and making the workplace work for those with disabilities. (JOW)