Tag: Competitive Edge

“A Reasonable Expectation of Humanity”

Paul Wagenaar

We move through and interact with dozens of organizations and people every day, healthcare, government, work, housing, commerce, and community spaces. Most interactions are brief, yet over time they quietly shape our sense of dignity, trust, and belonging.

This post explores a simple idea: a reasonable expectation of humanity in those interactions. Not perfection or special treatment, but clarity, respect for time, basic human regard, competence with humility, fairness, and accountability when things go wrong.

As you read, notice where these standards are present in your own interactions, and where they quietly fall away. And if you work inside an organization that holds power over others, consider how humanity is supported by design, not just individual effort.

As with most of my posts, this is a little longer than most, thank you for taking the time to read.

You Don’t Need a Perfect Resume … You Need a Path, a Place to Start When the Usual Advice Doesn’t Fit

Paul Wagenaar

This is a longer blog. I won’t pretend it isn’t.

But job searching is exhausting, and the usual tips often make it worse. So I wrote something slower, steadier, and more honest.

It’s a practical framework to help anyone looking for work, or someone supporting them, to see where they are, what’s working, and what deserves energy next. No judgment. No rush. Just clarity.

You don’t need to fix everything. You just need your next step.

📌 If that resonates, it’s worth a read, and please share it with anyone you know who’s on this journey.

Retail: The Lessons, the Pressure, and the Price

Paul Wagenaar

Retail has a way of shaping you for what comes next. It builds judgment under pressure, people skills that actually work, and leadership grounded in reality, not theory.

In my latest blog, I explore how experience in retail prepares you for future growth: which skills travel well beyond the sales floor, how to keep evolving without burning out, and what it takes to build a career rooted in integrity and purpose.

If you’re in retail now, transitioning out, or rethinking your next chapter, this piece is written with you in mind.

Redefining the Perfect Hire: Who’s in Your Blind Spots?

Paul Wagenaar

Does the best candidate always get the job?

Does everyone who can do the job get equal consideration?

Or do our unconscious biases, misconceptions, and traditional image of the “ideal candidate” create hiring blind spots preventing us from seeing different and perhaps better hiring solutions?

… a process and a journey

Paul Wagenaar

How does someone become motivated?

In life, at home, and in particular when they are searching for a job. Motivation becomes more complex when people experience stress and frustration. Whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, we all all affected.

I find it helps to think of motivation as a learned skill, a journey, and a process of a series of small steps that will get you where you want to be. Today’s post, lays out a path you or someone you know might consider.

Failing Should Be Taught More …

Paul Wagenaar

Learning to fail seems counterintuitive to everything our success culture seems to value. I believe people who say they never fail likely aren’t trying enough new ideas or ways of doing things. Failure isn’t the end, I believe it is simply an additional step on becoming successful. What is important, is learning how to fail so that failure doesn’t discourage you and lead to giving up.

Building Culture is Building Success

Paul Wagenaar

Culture isn’t built in meetings. It is built in moments – every minute of every day and in every action – culture can be nurtured, strengthened, and lived. The way we treat people when no one’s watching determines the strength of every business. Start small, stay kind, and keep building. It isn’t easy, it can be hard work, frustrating, fraught with setbacks; however, it is worth the time, and it is worth the investment … every time.

Consider this post to be an introduction, a starting point for building your team through one of the areas that is entirely within your ability to influence.

… things managers do that leaders don’t

Paul Wagenaar

You might think I have something against managers … I am less “anti-manager” than I am more “pro-leader.” Our interactions with people matter and anyone aspiring to be a good manager should set their sights higher and pursue being a good leader. As a retail store manager, a consultant, a project manager, a board member, and now as a career advisor and coordinator I have seen the difference a manager who aspires to be a leader can make and I invite you to see how many of these tools you can use.

Starting your Journey to becoming a Servant Leader

Paul Wagenaar

Becoming a manager of any type of organization is a big accomplishment for anyone. My challenge for anyone in this position is to strive to be more than a manager … become a leader … and most importantly become a servant leader. The road ahead for a new manager is full of danger and chances for failure; however, as an aspiring servant leader, your chances for success increase dramatically when you put serving your team ahead of your own aspirations.

Building Teams by Developing People

Paul Wagenaar

High performing teams are often desired by most organizations; however, it is remarkable how few of these organizations take the time to put all of the building blocks for success in place. Effective organizational dynamics and “how” teams function doesn’t happen by accident. Creating an inclusive and evolving “team charter” should be one of the first “building blocks” all organizations have on their “to do” list.