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Betrayed by Work

People take their work more personally than ever. But what happens when work becomes too personal? These cautionary tales can help you figure out where your work ends and your life begins. Pamela Kruger

FC-Roper Starch Survey: Expectations

Results from the Fast Company-Roper Starch Survey on job expectations. Fast Company

Great Expectations?

Is your job living up to its promise? Is your boss the kind of leader that you thought you'd have? Is your work living up to the new economy's bold new compact? FC-Roper Starch Worldwide survey looks at the gap between promise and performance. Fast Company

How We Sell

If shopping is the great American indoor sport, why isn't it more fun? Why isn't it easier? Why isn't it better? Paco Underhill, founder of Envirosell Inc., decodes the secrets of retail design to explain the rules behind how we shop. Keith H. Hammonds

Information Is Everything

...And everywhere. It's a simple idea: If you want people to solve problems in real time, give them real-time information. Here's a look at how US West, Chevron, and Micron Electronics are using information to empower their people. Ron Lieber

Inspired by Work

What's most intriguing about "open-source" software isn't what it does -- it's how it gets created. Eric S. Raymond, open-source evangelist, explains why and how these programmers do their work -- and what that means for the rest of us. William C. Taylor

It's About Time

Unit of One Jill Rosenfeld

NASA's Mr. Team

The man behind NASA's Academy of Program and Project Leadership. Cheryl Dahle

Only the Pronoid Survive

Forget Andy Grove's famous saying about the power of paranoia. Neo-Darwinist Helena Cronin says that competition today favors the generous. Harriet Rubin

The Theory of the Peahen

How Darwin figures into the battle of the sexes. Harriet Rubin

The Wisdom of Chairman Ko

Solectron's Ko Nishimura has mastered the art of doing "just enough." Enough to win two Baldrige Awards and build a $6 billion company. Enough to show what it takes to win in the high-tech world of contract manufacturing. Alex Markels

Why We Buy

Computers are a commodity: They're all the same shape and color. The iMac changes all of that. Jonathan Ive, designer of the iMac, describes the rules behind design that has power, passion, and purpose -- design that makes us buy. Charles Fishman

Xtreme Teams

In the new world of business, all work is teamwork -- but very few teams work all that well. How do groups of ordinary people achieve extraordinary results? Learn from these extreme teams. Your team may never work the same again. Cheryl Dahle

Report From the Future

Big Vision, Little Visibility

What's Your Problem? Cathy Olofson

Consultant Say - To Shift Fortune, Shift Furniture

Consultant Debunking Unit Lisa Chadderdon

Consultants Just Wanna Have Fun

Meeting I Never Miss Cathly Olofson

Easy to Handle

Get a grip -- on your luggage. Amy Wilson

Film Festival

View your favorite flicks on a virtual big screen. Amy Wilson

Hard Lives, Low Pay, Big Stakes

Dean Curtis teaches welfare recipients how to enter the world of work. But his lessons apply to every rung of the job ladder. Keith H. Hammonds

Her Message Is What Matters

Meet the woman behind Take Our Daughters to Work Day and other cause-related ventures. In a world where companies market values as well as value, Nell Merlino's message matters more than ever. Pamela Kruger

How's This for a Tough Assignment?

You think you face a tough battle for talent? Carlos Ponce's assignment is to get really smart people to take really tough jobs -- as teachers in Chicago's public-school system. Here's his recruitment curriculum. Jill Rosenfeld

Hybrid Kids

Report from the Futurist Cathy Olofson

I Can See for Miles

New and interesting ways to earn -- and spend -- your frequent flyer points. Amy Wilson

Meet Hollywood's Mr. Pitch

Robert Kosberg has made a career out of pitching in-your-face ideas for movies. Have you heard his pitch for a horror film about a rampaging dog? Think "Jaws on paws." Why not let him direct your next pitch? Anna Muoio

My Favorite Bookmarks - Bill Greer

Picks from the founder and vice president for GORP. Fast Company

My Favorite Bookmarks - Carley Roney

Picks from the cofounder and VP of the Knot. Fast Company

Road Rules - Rule 14

Travel plans mean backup plans. Heath Row

Ruler of the Free World

Job Titles of the Future: Tim Choate Amy Wilson

Success Here's the Inside Story

Few books by company founders capture the real drama -- or the lessons -- behind their success. Too often, really smart business leaders write really dumb books. These four books are notable exceptions. Polly LaBarre

The E-Lance Economy

How Web sites are meeting the needs of Free Agent Nation. Katharine Mieszkowski

The Voice

Job Titles of the Future: Alicia Dougherty Amy Wilson

This " Killer App" Saves Money and Lives

Dr. Joe Prendergast is using the world's most powerful communications medium to address one of the world's most costly diseases -- diabetes. A case study in lifesaving digital innovation from DiabetesWell. Eric Ransdell

This Virtual Agency Has Big Ideas

London-based Host Universal, founded by two young innovators from the advertising establishment, wants to reinvent what it means to be an ad agency. Some very big companies are betting on their model. Keith H. Hammonds

Two Ways to Two-Way

The latest communication tool of choice for on-the-go businesspeople. Amy Wilson

Ultimate Taxi

What distinguishes this taxi from the standard fare? Liz Zack

Web Designs Designed to Sell

Steve Burnett doesn't pretend that he knows why some sites sell and others repel. The key to creating great sites, he says, is to let the people who visit them help you design them: "Users will show us what works." Cheryl Dahle

NetWork

A Well-Balanced Diet of Sites

Four sites that can to help you cook up tasty treats. Gina Imperato

Skiing Scared

They've been devoured by monster moguls. They've freaked in the steeps. Now they're fighting back. Meet four brave souls who have traveled to British Columbia to jump-start the ski season -- and to take on their own version of the abominable snowman. Karen Karbo

The Digital Darkroom

Sometimes, the best way to help people get the picture is to take one. Now that digital photography is finally ready for the world of work, we've assembled pixel-perfect tools for outfitting your digital darkroom. John R. Quain

The Web Is Cooking

From discovering the secrets of great chefs, to finding just the right kitchentools, to buying the most exotic cheeses and spices -- you'll find generous helpings ofinformation and advice on the Web. Now, if you'll pass the salt... Gina Imperato

More Great Stuff

Advertisers in Issue 29

Fast Company

Books on Aging (And Reverse Aging)

Fast Company

Change Agent - Issue 29

In My Humble Opinion: Why is it that the really obvious chances to improve our businesses and careers almost always pass us by? Seth Godin

Digital Matters - Issue 29

In My Humble Opinion: Genomics is the most important economic, political, and ethical issue facing mankind. John Ellis

Life/Work - Issue 29

In My Humble Opinion: The more orgasms you have a year, the younger you are. Tony Schwartz

Living Dangerously - Issue 29

In My Humble Opinion: How do we understand leadership? Badly. No, stupidly. Harriet Rubin

Reinvent Yourself

Ron Lieber

What Are You Working For?

A letter from the founding editors. the Founding Editors

Yes2K!

A Spy in the House of Work the Spy