The concept of “the office” has never been more vague. After 2+ years of working from home, Americans have done “work work” from just about everywhere but the office building itself. When / if you return to your building this year, you may be bewildered by old ideas of conference rooms, break rooms. Maybe it’s […]
Workplace Culture
Office Drama? Understanding the Difference between Disagreement and Disobedience
Disagreements amongst your staff can be essential to your company’s success. However, disobedience can undermine your team, and ultimately lead to failure. Know the difference between people who disagree, and those who disobey. What I am writing about today is obvious to most of us on a personal level, but somehow within the complexity of […]
Understanding Productive Tensions
There’s a beautiful, productive tension between fundamentals vs trends. This tension informs everything that we do here at smithHOUSE, everyday.
Lessons in Adulthood: You Don’t have to Put Up with Jargon
I have always hated jargon. Why do we use made-up words and silly phrases? What are we trying to prove? What’s wrong with speaking clearly? Everyone should hate these made-up words as much as me. Before I teach you how to get gangster with jargon, first lets identify 4 different kinds of jargon: Jargon that […]
Aunt Becky Goes to Jail, Rigging the System Makes Everyone a Loser
Earlier this year a bizarre news story broke about Hollywood celebrities bribing officials to admit their children into top universities. The most famous name attached to the scandal is Aunt Becky on “Full House,” IRL the ever-pretty actress Lori Laughlin. She and her husband Mossimo (1990s fashion icon) apparently paid their child’s way into the […]
Bold People Need Encouragement Too
Today’s singular American Tale goes something like this: be bold, step out and be you, and your reward is glory and success. It may be the last awesome, inspiring story that our culture knows how to tell. Tragically, this story is rarely true, and it even neglects what it means to be human.