“I hear and I forget. I see and I understand. I do and I remember.” Though Confucius spoke those words long ago, they remain relevant, today. We’re approaching the beginning of the new school year for children and adults who’ve returned to school or who are continuing through the advance degree process. But even if […]
Read More →Recently I heard a quote that got right to the heart of conflict and how to resolve it. I’m paraphrasing, but it was along the lines of “conflict does not rise out of a clash of good and bad, it rises out of a clash of good and good.” In other words, each conflicting party […]
Read More →One of my favorite comic strips is set in a bookstore. In one corner of the store, there is a section with a sign that reads, “Self Help. ” Right next to it, there’s a sign for the “Fixing Others” section. The “Self-Help” section has one person in it while the “Fixing Others” section is […]
Read More →The people who are the most in tune with today’s technology are young people. My daughter, nephew and their friends can do way more with my iPhone and iPad than I can even imagine. Frankly, they can do more than I’d ever want to do, but that’s not really my point. When they show me […]
Read More →For many, being assertive is difficult and the reasons are varied. Maybe you don’t want to hurt feelings or come off as cocky and aggressive. Or it could be that you don’t have confidence in your own opinion and fear that others will prove you wrong if you speak up. Assertiveness is about confidence. It’s […]
Read More →Do you ever feel like you just want to whine and complain about your job, your boss, your company, your partner, your life? We all do. It’s normal, but there might be good buried beneath the bad feelings on the surface. While we call these feelings negative, they actually hold positive potential. Don’t ignore them. […]
Read More →While the specific ways people react to change vary widely, there are always two components to everyone’s reaction. One component is their logical reaction and the other, their emotional reaction. Here are two suggestions that can help you deal with changes in your workplace and life: First, get beneath the headline. Try to understand the […]
Read More →Sabrina’s Story: In 1988, Sabrina Umstead Smith lost her husband in an apartment fire. She almost died herself. The baby she was carrying at the time was born with underdeveloped lungs and cerebral palsy due to oxygen deprivation. Three years later, her young son, Erick, succumbed to his medical disabilities. As part of her emotional […]
Read More →When it comes to pressure in the workplace or at home, which situations trigger feelings of overload, burden, overwhelm and stress? How do you typically react? Do you freeze up, get angry or cranky, gossip, feel frustrated, or stop working and start complaining? Do you overreact? The next time pressure and overload land in your […]
Read More →In a year-end post by blogger Penelope Trunk called “15 Things Overachievers Do,” one of those things was they steal things. She admitted to stealing this particular blog idea from “Thought Catalogue. Forbes.com contributor TJ McCue stole the same idea from Penelope for his year-end piece “13 Things Overachievers Do.” My point: achieving great things […]
Read More →We look to tools and techniques to help us manage time. And they can, to a certain extent – that being the degree to which we take a disciplined approach to their application. The effectiveness of any time management tool is squarely in our hands. To manage your time more effectively, you have to improve […]
Read More →“I’m continually trying to make choices that put me against my own comfort zone. As long as you’re uncomfortable, it means you’re growing.” ~Ashton Kutcher Defensiveness is the biggest deterrent to learning, professional and personal growth and positive change. Most of the time we don’t recognize when we’re standing in the way of our own progress. […]
Read More →You’re about to engage in a difficult, yet crucial conversation – one where emotional tensions are high, you’re intent on proving a point, being right and prevailing. Often times, there’s little warning. You may suddenly find yourself in the middle of a response before you’ve properly assessed the situation. When difficult conversations don’t happen, problems […]
Read More →Every day, opportunities are presented to us. They may be disguised as obstacles, problems or issues, but what they really are is a chance to demonstrate our ability to make a positive contribution to our lives or our company’s goals and objectives. The best way to take advantage of these opportunities is by making conscious […]
Read More →I was coaching a man recently, and his reaction to the call for change was classic. To Jack, changing meant he wouldn’t be the person he used to be. About that, we agreed. He wouldn’t be his old self any longer. As he contemplated change, his concerns began to surface. “I don’t want to lose myself. […]
Read More →We tend to react to familiar situation in familiar ways. That’s clearly true any time we find ourselves back in a familiar situation – like celebrating a holiday with our family of origin or our in-laws. Without thinking, old ingrained patterns of behavior kick in. When the pattern is constructive, the gathering tends to feel […]
Read More →Many of you wrote in response to last week’s post, “Hurricane Sandy: My Personal Pivot Point.” Your words were kind. Your offers of help were genuine and generous. You opened up your homes, extending an invitation to visit, escape the chaos and rest. And, knowing that you’re praying for us, enveloping us in loving thought, […]
Read More →Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday – a day of appreciation for the amazing legacy I’ve inherited and the abundance with which I’m blessed. With heart-felt gratitude, this Thanksgiving season, I’m reflecting on and appreciating the many people on whose shoulders I stand. Their lives and contributions have eased my path. I’ve been the beneficiary of […]
Read More →When the bus pulled up to our lane, the kids yelled, “Oooh! Look at your house.” Looking out the window, we saw nothing but a curl of smoke where our house once stood. Exiting the bus, mouths gaping in disbelief, tears streaming down our faces, my brother Lee and I ran, trembling, into the waiting […]
Read More →Try this for just one day and notice the impact on you and on others. Listen more. Listen to understand. Listen to learn. Listen to empathize. Listen to validate. Don’t worry. You won’t become invisible, powerless or less impactful. In fact, you will become more visible because you’ll stand out as someone who cares in a […]
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