When it comes to behavior change, did you know that asking questions could be more influential than making statements? Posing questions in a way that invites a “Yes” or “No” response can more effectively encourage the desired behavior than a declarative statement. Asking another person about carrying out a particular behavior could influence whether they […]
Read More →There comes a moment when you know it’s time to leave the comforts of the familiar and move on. You may be ready to move up to the next level; make a lateral move into a new functional area to broaden your experience base; leap into a new industry or company where you can apply […]
Read More →This year, the social climate feels a little different to me. I’m aware of the tension in relationships across groups – political, religious, racial, etc. There seems to be more sensitivity and more potential than usual for disagreements to erupt. So, as you move through your procession of holiday gatherings, add an extra measure of […]
Read More →What you think affects how you feel. Thoughts and feelings shape your life because they influence your behavior and determine what you see as possible choices. The process you use for identifying or recognizing opportunities becomes a closed loop – defining and self-reinforcing. Eventually, you lose sight of the fact that you ever had options. […]
Read More →Thanksgiving initiates a season of celebration that lasts for nearly five weeks. For so many of us, a festive air prevails that permeates life, even in the workplace. We enjoy celebratory lunches and dinners with colleagues and friends. We laugh and dance the night away at the company holiday party. Bring in savory treats to […]
Read More →What do you do when bad news lands at your door? When you face failure, deal with disappointment, or receive less than flattering feedback? Do you feel hurt? Paralyzed with fear? Do you turn away, recoil from the situation? Do you deny the issue and your part in it? Does your mood become sullen and […]
Read More →My book, LIES That Limit, makes it clear that mindset – what we believe, how we think – is everything. Mindset is the composite of our beliefs and assumptions – our theory about life, other people, even ourselves. We feel safe when we make choices consistent with our story about the way things are. But […]
Read More →You have a great idea, but you’re not sure how to get others on board. You may have good reasons for keeping your brilliance to yourself. Maybe your contributions have been shot down in the past, leaving you gun shy. Maybe scars from previous rejection or fear of future rejection has rendered you mute, unwilling […]
Read More →I enjoy ads and commercials. The good ones stick with me. I’m impacted by their images, sounds and words. The best ones have a dramatic tagline or slogan – a succinct, repeatable core message about the product or service that conveys the essence of what the company wants you to believe and remember. They’re designed […]
Read More →Keen observers of self and others have a competitive edge. But, too often, our willingness to pay attention is dialed down too low. Much that we should see, and could capitalize on, passes us by. We’re blinded by the habit of inattention. We’re no longer fully present, noticing what’s going on within us and around […]
Read More →“Your big opportunity might be right where you are now.” ~American Author Napoleon Hill Every day opportunity knocks. Do you recognize it, allow it in and leverage the moment? Or, do you let the door close and, later, walk away thinking, “I wish I had said or done something.” Opportunities rarely appear when we’re […]
Read More →Where are you right now? Are you walking while reading this, and your mind is back in your last conversation, or thinking about the one you plan to have later? Are you reading this while your attention is focused on the conversation in the next cubicle? Are you working on a report while imagining […]
Read More →Call me old-fashioned, but I like receiving a response when I communicate, unless I say, “No need to reply.” And, from a number of recent conversations, I know I’m not the only one with a preference for closing the communication loop. There are many possible explanations for the rise in non-responses. Some blame younger generations […]
Read More →Business Resource Groups, or BRGs, add a valuable dimension to every organization’s diversity and inclusion initiative. BRGs sponsor programs designed to enhance participant’s skills and ability to thrive and advance the organization’s business objectives. The earliest kind of BRGs were professional organizations like the American Bankers Association, the American Medical Association and the American Chemical […]
Read More →I tweeted a quote @SpiritOfPurpose that got attention. People re-tweeted it and saved it as a favorite. The tweet was a Chinese proverb that says, “Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” I don’t know what about the quote appealed to those who retweeted it or tagged it a […]
Read More →Right now, are you feeling worried or anxious? What was the trigger? A message from your boss saying, “Give me a call?” An email from a colleague saying, “I need to talk right away?” A note from your child’s teacher’s asking for a conference, immediately? A message from your doctor saying, “Please call my office.” […]
Read More →More and more, it seems I’m hearing people talk about relationships that are vexing to impossible. Whether workplace or personal, the relationship is described as being beyond repair. Tensions are present – sometimes steady and stable, but sometimes escalating. According to the storyteller, there is nothing that can be done to rectify the situation. When […]
Read More →A study published in the June 29, 2015 issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that workplace impoliteness tends to spread – whether it’s dissing people in meetings, sending nasty emails, spreading rumors, making insensitive comments or engaging in shouting matches. Rudeness negatively effects the environment and performance. The findings suggest that when we […]
Read More →Once again, research affirms what we know about the benefits of spending time in natural settings. Exposure to green trees, grass, bushes, and flowers, as well as blue spaces – those with still or running water – renews and refreshes us, helps us feel more connected to life. Walking among nature also restores and rewires […]
Read More →I like listening to athletes’ stories about how they came to love and learn their sport, who they wanted to be like or compete against, their earliest dreams and visions for their career. Recently, I heard such an interview featuring Garbiñe Muguruza, professional tennis player and Serena Williams’ opponent in this year’s Wimbledon finals. She […]
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