When was the last time a group of people let you know the difference you’ve made in their lives? Or showered you in praise while pointing out the particular contributions you’ve made to them? Most of us only experience that when leaving a job after a long time, and/or at our funeral when there’s noContinue reading “Fostering Workplace Appreciation: Tips for Team Growth”
Category Archives: Authenticity
Using Previous Work Cultures to Build a Better One
Have you ever shared an idea or a solution to a problem – maybe one you thought others would be excited by – only to have your suggestion summarily ignored? How did that feel? Have you ever noticed it happening to someone else? Sadly, this happens all too often, and for a multitude of reasons.Continue reading “Using Previous Work Cultures to Build a Better One”
“Lead with Message, Lag with Mode”
When you meet someone for the first time and they ask what you do for work, how do you reply? If you’re like the majority of people, you might reply with an approximate job title and the organization you work for. “I’m a manager at [x] pharmaceuticals,” “I’m a software engineer at [y],” or “I’mContinue reading ““Lead with Message, Lag with Mode””
Burning Bridges Leadership? The End of Building Bridges?
Over the last year I’ve wondered many times if the the first two words of my business’ name, Building Bridges Leadership, have become outdated and quaint. Or well-intentioned but naive, like “I don’t see color.” If you’ve read Building Bridges Leadership posts for any length of time, you know we talk about leadership and teamsContinue reading “Burning Bridges Leadership? The End of Building Bridges?”
Who are Your Unsung Heroes of the Year?
If you’ve been reading the Building Bridges Leadership blog for a while, you may remember the Good News Jam series we started in April 2020, at the early height of the Covid pandemic (inspired by John Krasinski’s own pandemic YouTube series, Some Good News). These virtual happy hours had a simple design: for each personContinue reading “Who are Your Unsung Heroes of the Year?”
100 More Ice-Breaker Questions for Any Group Gathering
Each week in our newsletter we include one question you can use as an ice-breaker for conversations with colleagues at the beginning of meetings, or to post on your internal workplace messaging platform. Some serious, some silly, but all with the intention of leading to further conversations and building community. Last year at this time,Continue reading “100 More Ice-Breaker Questions for Any Group Gathering”
Rewinding “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
Have you been on either side of a job interview recently? As mentioned last week, job interviews don’t always show the candidate at their best or most authentic; heightened stress and excitement often lead to a situation where both sides need to sift through what was said to get to find out if this isContinue reading “Rewinding “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?””
Noticing Potential, Promise, and Authenticity
Formal, structured conversations have a particular feeling unlike any other. Think of job interviews. How many have you been a part of – either as the interviewee or one of the interviewers? Remember the tension in the air? The desire to impress? The fear of screwing up? Role-plays are a regular feature of my executiveContinue reading “Noticing Potential, Promise, and Authenticity”
Mosaics, Not Melting Pots
I’m writing this from the window seat of a red eye flight, following a work retreat in Hawai’i, on the island of O’ahu. This was my first time in the state, and I was struck by the vibrancy and beauty of Polynesian culture that stands proud long after American and European businessmen overthrew the monarchyContinue reading “Mosaics, Not Melting Pots”
Experiencing Some Distrust in Leadership?
Over the last few weeks I have had several conversations with people in different (for-profit and non-profit) fields with a similar theme: distrust in leadership. In some cases this has come out as targeted public complaints about a figurehead; in others as a move toward a strike; in others a community cry for more transparencyContinue reading “Experiencing Some Distrust in Leadership?”
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