You've scrupulously avoided office gossip, but that isn't protecting you from being the subject of this week's chitchat. Wanting to jump quickly to your own defense is a normal reaction, but it might exacerbate the situation. Follow these steps to salvage your reputation and stop the gossip.

Some people “make their own luck.” These are the fearless souls who create opportunities—or maybe they simply notice opportunities others don’t. They expect the best and are resilient enough to flip bad luck into something good. Jan Fraser, author of Ordinary Women ... Extraordinary Success, suggests four ways you can make your own luck:

Even after tremendous highs and lows, most people drift back to their natural set point for happiness. And as with your weight or the temperature in a room, you can reprogram your level of happiness to a new set point. It pays off, too. Over a lifetime, happy people make $750,000 more than dour people.

This month's collection of real-world quick tips from American business leaders, brought to you by members of The Alternative Board.

Nearly half of U.S. workers say they’re afraid and stressed about their ability to provide for their families’ basic needs. So it’s no surprise that workplace fatigue, depression, headaches and other stress-driven symptoms are on the rise. Here are four techniques for turning fear into courage, according to psychiatrist and author Judith Orloff.

The baby of the family may get the most attention, but the oldest gets the cash. That’s the message of a CareerBuilder survey that found employees who were firstborn in their families were more likely to earn $100,000 or more annually compared to their siblings.

There’s been plenty of buzz about what former Yankees manager Joe Torre supposedly called player Alex Rodriguez. Apparently, it was A-Rod’s teammates and clubhouse attendants, not Torre, who dubbed him “A-Fraud.” Real enlightenment comes in the way Torre actually describes the third baseman and slugger in his new book, The Yankee Years  ...

When provided descriptions of each presidential personality, here’s who American workers compared their bosses to. (Which best describes your boss?)

You know best about your boss, your co-workers and your workplace's culture, but, in general, don't talk about your personal life in the office when it's unnecessary, unflattering or confidential.

It's almost performance review time, and you want to bring up issues with your boss about co-workers but not sound like a griper? Liz Ryan, a workplace expert, gives her advice on how to speak up during a review:

Feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world economy? I overheard a woman say she was worried about calling in sick because she was afraid her employer might fire her. This, to me, represents the difference between a career and a job. Years ago, these two words may have meant the same thing, but they don’t anymore.

How often do you start the day with a to-do list? And how often does that list fly out the window by 10 a.m.? The trouble is, says time management coach Patricia Hutchings, we don’t build enough flexibility into our calendars.

Being out of a job for an extended period no longer carries the stigma it once did for top managers, says a new Robert Half Management survey.

Robert Kiyosaki, entrepreneur and author of the “Rich Dad” book series, believes that taking risks and failing gave him the greatest opportunities for growth. Here are his three steps for transforming failure into success:

The people around you shape your own potential, so choose them wisely. Ask these questions: 1. Do they always show good character? 2. Do they have influence? 3. Are they too much like you? 4. Will they provide expertise, skills and wisdom? 5. Are they peacemakers?

Boost productivity by “plotting” the items on your to-do list ... Organize a boss’s overflowing e-mail box by setting up inbox folders ... Manage team conflict with this tactic ... Take a breather every hour, for peak productivity ...

“My boss is driving me crazy. What can I do about it?” ... “My co-worker got a promotion, even though I do a better job.” The starting point for almost any question about your career, says career columnist Penelope Trunk, is: Know yourself better.

Fear can paralyze even the most successful people. To make it through the recession, though, businesses need people who can be fearless. Gayle Lantz, author of Take the Bull by the Horns, says that to move back into “thrive” mode, “You’ve got to figure out how to aggressively move forward.”

Q. I’m going back to school to improve certain job skills. Can I claim the education tax credit for myself?

If you’re forced to imagine something you’ve never seen, or do something you’ve never done, the possibilities for creative thinking shoot way up because you’re no longer relying on experience. The result: new neural pathways.

That’s the advice Marilyn Carlson Nelson received from her dad when she was 13 years old. Today Nelson, owner of the $40 billion Carlson Cos., is one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

PGA golfer Kenny Perry loves cars, golf, his family and his hometown of Franklin, Ky. His dream was to win at the Ryder Cup for Team USA. Perry got exactly what he wanted, and here’s how:

What does an Oreo cookie cream filling have in common with administrative professionals? Everything! Without that cream, there’s no magic center that holds it together. You’re left with two chocolate disks sitting there waiting for something special to happen. The special ingredient: you.

Baseball, America's favorite pastime, may also be a way to hone your business skills this summer. If your company has its own baseball team, cycling club or any other sport, consider signing on. It could do more than tone your muscles.

Base compensation and incentives for HR professionals took a hit last year, according to a new SHRM report, and they aren’t likely to recover anytime soon. The one bright spot, ironically, is pay for compensation and benefits specialists.