Wharton@Work 12-01 — Laughter From The Front Lines

Laughter From the Front Lines
Be Careful What You Ask For

Caption: One person to another at a party: "A little bit less television, a little bit more books on tape. What's your New Year's resolution?"

Would You Like a Comma With That?

I took an Asian friend to an Australian mall. I told her she could buy Coffeemate™ from the guy over there and coffee beans from the guy over here. She went off and returned in 5 minutes.

"That guy refused to sell me Coffeemate™ and kept pointing me to the guy who sells coffee beans. I asked for Coffeemate™ three times," she told me.

"What did you say to him?" I asked.
I said, " May I have some coffee, mate?"

—"Kee"

Tell us your funniest moment at work. If we publish it, you'll get a free Wharton sweatshirt. Send your comments to Barbara Gyde [gydeb@wharton.upenn.edu]. Please let us know if you wish to remain anonymous.

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This month's articles:

Thought Leaders: Leading Up
Acting as If You Were in Charge: What do you do when your boss is making a bad decision? Wharton Professor Michael Useem examines the consequences of keeping quiet.
Laughter From the Front Lines: We learn how important it is to pay attention to the little nuances of conversations — even if you think you’re speaking the same language.
Wharton West: Vice Dean Helps A.L.S. Association: When a teaching sabbatical, a relative’s diagnosis with a crippling disease, and a passion for bicycling all came together for Len and Susan Lodish.
Wharton Fellows: Fellows at Chicago Regional Forum Set New Program Design Transformation.
In the Classroom: The Leadership Journey: What’s Your Story? Your own story can become your leadership map.
Out of the Classroom: Wharton Leadership Ventures: A new Wharton program helps you to walk the walk — across mountains and valleys — in search of new perspectives on leadership.
The Last Word: Wharton and The New Business Reality: Taking Stock of the Future. Vice Dean Bob Mittelstaedt discusses Wharton scenarios for the future and a new program on "the new business realities."