Time for a Phone Fast? Making Phones Boring Again

Do your devices send you a weekly notification to show the amount of time you’ve spent using the device each day? Mine comes every Sunday morning at exactly 9:09am (I assume there’s a reason why it’s that time in particular, but I haven’t been able to find anything about it in my research); every timeContinue reading “Time for a Phone Fast? Making Phones Boring Again”

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year I’ve wondered many times if the the first two words of my business’ name, Building Bridges Leadership, have become outdated and quaint.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?”

Turning a Negative Spiral Positive

Have you ever had a day that started badly, and just got worse? Maybe you dropped a glass in the kitchen, which led to you leaving for work a few minutes late, which meant you got stuck behind a school bus and sat in worse traffic, so you were late to your first meeting ofContinue reading “Turning a Negative Spiral Positive”

Completing 2025 and Moving On to 2026

As we move towards the end of another year full of challenges and growth, successes and failures – on the personal, professional, and global levels – many of us are looking for ways to bring closure to the year and recharge for the new year. Depending on your role, a clean break from work mayContinue reading “Completing 2025 and Moving On to 2026”

When a Choice is Not a Choice…

Chocolate or vanilla? Which ice cream would you choose? Many of us would know our answer (even if it’s “I want non-dairy” or “no ice cream for me”). But of course, sometimes choices aren’t so easy to make – and sometimes, a choice isn’t a choice after all – it’s a responsibility, a commitment, orContinue reading “When a Choice is Not a Choice…”

What is Thanksgiving Leadership?

While the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US has a controversial history and our cultural retelling of it is inaccurate, the traditional Thanksgiving meal can help us reflect on how we lead others. So this week, as we approach the holiday, we’ll partake in our own annual tradition of revisiting the ideas of Banquet Leadership, Potluck Leadership, andContinue reading “What is Thanksgiving Leadership?”

Recognizing Burnout in Yourself and Others

Everyone has had the experience of being exhausted by a difficult workday. And we’ve all had hard seasons that we’ve needed to get through and were so glad they were over. But if this continues day after day for months or years on end, it can lead to burnout. We’ve all been worn out, orContinue reading “Recognizing Burnout in Yourself and Others”

Are Your Meetings Lectures, Show-and-Tells, or Labs?

How many meetings have you attended in the last few weeks? How many have you led? If you lead meetings, how did you learn to lead them? By emulating the meetings you’ve attended? Employees who are high performing often get promoted to management without any training in how to manage others – and, as aContinue reading “Are Your Meetings Lectures, Show-and-Tells, or Labs?”

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”

Flying in a V Formation During Turbulent Times

How are your teams and communities doing at the moment? In the last few weeks, I’ve heard multiple experiences of painful fractures within groups who have historically been supportive and unified. If this is true for you, take heart that you’re not alone – if it’s helpful to consider it within the larger cultural contextContinue reading “Flying in a V Formation During Turbulent Times”