The holiday office party offers a unique opportunity for employees to bond with each other and people higher up in the company in ways they can’t during the work day. It can be more than an opportunity to “let your hair down.” Company parties are a great time to make an impression that can impact […]
Read More →Dear Teressa, I currently work part time in education and I absolutely LOVE IT!!! But I’m working a full time job I totally dislike. How does a single mother with two children, break into a career that she absolutely loves, even after exhausting her “network,” applying to numerous jobs in the education field, extremely active on […]
Read More →Q: Dear Teressa, I have a burning desire and drive for making my Motivational Speaking business a huge success. It is important to mention that I discovered my purpose (Motivational Speaking) in 2010 but I started speaking at school during my spare time in 2007. I am a full time employee at a public institution […]
Read More →I voluntarily had myself videotaped twice in the last few weeks. One taping was of a keynote address, the other of a golf lesson. Both were incredibly instructive. I picked up specific behaviors, many of them subtle, that I could only fully understand by watching myself in action. Pictures really speak thousands of words, but […]
Read More →Whether I’m watching Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, Cole Hamels or Michael Vick, I notice how they do what they do – the mechanical and mental aspects of their performance. An important lesson – one many of us can learn from – is the resilience of those at the top […]
Read More →Every week, the content of my blog is based on a real-life scenarios – ones I’ve experienced as a facilitator, executive and personal growth coach, keynote speaker, as well as a manager and leader. Unresolved challenges at work and in life often get in the way of productivity and personal satisfaction. They cause us to question ourselves and the value of contributions we make. Issues at work also […]
Read More →The relaxed pace of summer is, essentially, behind us. Fall is nearly here. Hard to believe, but true. It’s time to refocus on “work” – whatever your age and stage in life. For the kids, its back to school. If you’re in the responsible adult category, you may feel called to re-engage with the particular […]
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 →It’s that time of year again when newly-minted college graduates are hitting the pavement in search of that career-launching job. This year’s outlook for graduating seniors is showing slight improvement over last year, but there’s still every reason to stack the deck in favor of success. Many job hunting techniques have changed over the years, […]
Read More →To get clear about the best way to effectively address a specific performance or behavior problem, the first step is asking yourself which course of action the problem calls for? Is feedback sufficient? You simply describe the person’s behavior and its impact. Is coaching more appropriate? You work to strengthen performance through teaching, training and […]
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 →While interviewing a group of people for a client’s 360 Feedback process, one of the raters told me she has a rule with her team. They have to make at least one mistake a week and tell her about it. She is also bound by the same rule. She has to make at least one […]
Read More →Do you have a BIG idea – one that will transform your career, your company’s business model, streamline processes, save significant time and money, land you a brand new role or help you branch off and build your own successful enterprise? Have you put a plan of action in place or are you stalling, plagued […]
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 […]
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 →There is wisdom in turning a welcoming ear to complaints, in listening to negative comments – whether at home or in the workplace. Why? Because, like it or not, those complaints and grumblings are feedback, most probably based on a germ of truth and, certainly, they hold the seeds of a solution. Listen carefully and […]
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 →“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 →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 […]
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