Every moment of every day, your company’s culture makes itself evident – to those who live and work in and to visitors. Recently, I was facilitating a large group meeting. Several members of the workforce arrived before management. They milled around for a while, found seats and got comfortable, chatted briefly, scanned their […]
Read More →Ever wake up in a foul mood, feeling blah, grumpy, frustrated. You feel off your game, off balance, just not quite your usual self. Such feelings can and do grab hold of the best of us. Here are a few techniques to try when you need to shake off the nastys: For one […]
Read More →In the workplace, and in our personal lives, we tend to come to conclusions and develop opinions quickly. We get attached to our conception of the matter at hand, believing we have the answer. Our reaction to others’ ideas can convey, “I’m right, you’re wrong.” We can benefit from being less vested in […]
Read More →Coaching the senior team as they prepared for a department-wide meeting about recent employee survey results, I listened as they talked about sharing the findings. When they began discussing a timeline for getting back to employees with solutions to the problems raised, I had to put the brakes on. “This idea,” I said […]
Read More →If you’re feeling unfocused, future direction is unclear, goals and priorities are misaligned, teammates and colleagues are competing in unconstructive ways, everyone is NOT on the same page, the time may be right for a retreat. A retreat process a rare and valuable opportunity to step out of the pace of daily pressure, […]
Read More →When my clients, individuals and organizations, want to improve in any area, I often take them through exercises designed to open their eyes to the ways in which they’re already doing what they say is needed. With that awareness, the focus shifts from “all the ways we’re falling short of the mark” to […]
Read More →Here are a few ideas for boosting workplace morale. Each is deceptively simple, but very effective: For one-on-one conversations, or group meetings, turn off your cell phone. Put it away. Respond to messages and texts later. When someone enters your workspace, turn and face her. Give the quality of eye contact that […]
Read More →A recently promoted coaching client was surprised to find that her new group of all highly skilled professionals didn’t operate as a team. Her approach to strengthening teamwork was simple and effective. 1. During weekly meetings, she had the team identify and discuss the linkage between their various, individual work-streams, as well as broader […]
Read More →Is there someone in your workplace whose behavior and career you’re watching? Do you interact with them in ways that make your professional interest evident? Human beings need to feel seen and cared about. If you’ve not explicitly acknowledged your interest in the person’s growth, do so. Reach out and help by coaching, mentoring, or […]
Read More →Creating a satisfying and successful professional and personal life requires active awareness and conscious choices. Ask yourself, “What are my values…what’s most important to me right now? What are my priorities…where do I now want to put my time and attention? What one step can I take to move in that direction?” Reflecting on […]
Read More →If you’re looking for ways to be more productive, here are several tips from a Fast Company article titled, “The Art of Doing Everything.” Don’t waste time on unnecessary decisions, like what to eat for breakfast or lunch. Eat the same thing everyday. Also, for men and women, consider simplifying […]
Read More →While facilitating a strategic alignment retreat with a CEO and his senior team, they struggled to identify exactly what to do to change the culture. Finally, having nothing that felt like a good idea, I convinced them to involve the next level down. They agreed. In the meeting with the broader leadership team – the […]
Read More →You’ve probably heard the news about an interim report issued by Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin on the systemic problems in the Veteran’s Affairs agency. The report intensified scrutiny and resulted in expansion of the number of VA facilities to be reviewed. As a leader, consider allowing this situation to stimulate a deeper, broader look […]
Read More →Recently, I read that most of us check email 37 times per day…37 times! I was shocked. That accounts for 37 daily interruptions…37 times when you stop reading, writing, talking, listening, thinking, analyzing, planning, studying. Take stock of your email checking habits. If you’re among those who allow email to regularly interrupt your focus and […]
Read More →In a recent blog post titled, “The World’s Worst Boss,” Seth Godin reminded us that we are our own bosses. We’re in charge of all aspects of our lives. The post prodding readers with statements like, “If you had a boss who talked to you the way you talk to yourself, you would quit. Or […]
Read More →I’ve been searching the web trying to figure out who first said, “Done is better than perfect.” Long before it became synonymously attached to “Lean In” author Sheryl Sandberg, it was a phrase that perfectionists and endless tweakers used to break them of crippling, obsessive behavior. If you know who first said it, please shoot […]
Read More →What could you do with two to two-and-a-half hours each day? Probably, a lot. That’s how much time the average person loses to interruptions and distractions. If you get distracted easily, things like unplanned telephone calls, responding to the ding of emails, answering text messages, drop-by-visitors, hallway interactions, emergencies and crises can quickly derail your […]
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