Documents filed in an ongoing age discrimination lawsuit against IBM revealed older employees were called "dinobabies" in internal emails, with discussions around a "dated maternal workforce" and making older workers "an extinct species." A statement from IBM says, "Some language in emails between former IBM executives that has been reported is not consistent with the respect IBM has for its employees."

Freelance recruiter Mercedes Johnson in this podcast talks about being the subject of a social media backlash after her Facebook post about the importance of negotiating salary hit the wrong mark with audiences. Johnson explains she intended to make job seekers realize they need to advocate for themselves, while podcast host Laurie Ruettimann notes the incident points to a bigger conversation that must be had at the executive level when it comes to hiring.

Employers can attract and retain future leaders by enabling them to connect their personal meaning and values with organizational purpose, write the Center for Creative Leadership's Stephanie Wormington and Sarah Pearsall. The pair offer six tips, including communicating the business' wider societal purpose, listing salary ranges to demonstrate equity and transparency, and facilitating community outreach programs.

Employers who want to ensure the effectiveness of their wellness initiatives should follow three guidelines, writes Linda Riddell of the Validation Institute. It's important to set clear, upfront expectations for a program, agree on measures such as sick-day absences or unused vacation time, and look for peer-reviewed evidence about the effectiveness of other employers' efforts, Riddell writes.

Call-center employees who received good mentoring were 18% more productive than those who opted out of such a program, according to a Harvard Business School study. The researchers posit that mandatory mentoring can help reach more employees who can benefit but would otherwise forgo such help.

I spent Saturday at the spa with my friend Sarah,* a gal I worked with years ago. She was the one who helped me find my way into the content side of publishing. After our facials and massages, we found a quiet spot outside to chat and catch up.

We got to talking about a mutual friend, Jerry,* who works with Sarah. Jerry is a veteran journalist and an exceptional writer. He produces content marketing pieces for a nonprofit organization that works with children. His writing is rich and thoughtful and moves readers to action. Jerry is excellent at his craft.

Unfortunately, Jerry is unhappy in his life and it’s starting to affect his work. I was grieved to hear that the guy I once knew as funny and witty and fantastically talented is quickly morphing into a curmudgeon that people don’t want to work with.

Sarah and I discussed what might be the impetus for his discontent. She thinks (and I concur) that part of it might be that he hasn’t advanced in his position. He believes he should be in leadership, but it hasn’t happened.

“And it won’t," she explained. Jerry is unwilling to invest in his own professional development. He hasn’t put in the time to learn new skills or sharpen his leadership acumen. He doesn’t believe it’s necessary, she told me. “It’s going to cost him his livelihood,” she said sadly.

I thought of Jerry as I read today’s top story. Terms like “dinobabies” and “dated maternal workforce” had me spitting nails, but I know that mindsets like this exist. And the best way I know to combat this is by investing in professional development. Attending workshops and mixing with other journalists helps me stay motivated and invested in my work. It fires up the engines of creativity. It keeps me from going stale.

How do you stoke the fires of your professional ambitions? How do you encourage this among your ranks?
Let me know! And if you enjoy this brief, tell others so they can benefit also.

*Names changed to preserve privacy.