Every Sunday morning, my phone vibrates and pops up a notification to show me how much “screen time” I’ve spent on my phone over the past week. Every week I think with some dismay, “that can’t be right.” But then when I think about how much time I’ve also spent in front of a laptopContinue reading “How a Digital Detox Could Benefit You”
Category Archives: Culture
Mapping the Rhythms of Your Year
It’s only the end of August, but in In New England, where I live, the seasons are already beginning to change. The hot Summer weather has started to give way to cooler temperatures. T-shirts are increasingly covered with jackets, or even sweaters. And schools and universities are back in session. The beginning of the academicContinue reading “Mapping the Rhythms of Your Year”
“Where Are You From, Where Are Your People From?”
When meeting someone for the first time – knowing that you’ll be working with them for a while – what are your go-to opening lines in conversation? Do you ask where they live, what they do for work, how has their day been so far…? I recently learned from some acquaintances who moved from theContinue reading ““Where Are You From, Where Are Your People From?””
What is Cooperative Overlap? Isn’t It Just Interrupting?
Cooperative Overlap (or Collaborative Overlap) is a term coined by Georgetown University professor of linguistics and author Deborah Tannen, in which the listener starts talking along with the speaker, not to cut them off but rather to validate or show they’re engaged in what the other person is saying. In conversations, do you have aContinue reading “What is Cooperative Overlap? Isn’t It Just Interrupting?”
Choosing to Stay Confronted in Conversations About Race
How often are you involved in conversations about racism, marginalization, colonialism, and/or other issues related to race? Perhaps these are conversations about systemic issues, or perhaps they reflect personal lived experiences. Often these topics are not an explicit part of the conversation, they are under the surface – not necessarily unacknowledged, but unnamed nonetheless. ExplicitContinue reading “Choosing to Stay Confronted in Conversations About Race”
The Doll Test, and Fault vs. Responsibility
Portraits by Fabrice Monteiro Did you play with dolls (or action figures) when you were a child? If so, did you get to choose them, or were they given to you? What skin tone did they have? Did they look like you? Perhaps you’re a parent of a young child now – what skin toneContinue reading “The Doll Test, and Fault vs. Responsibility”
Sitting in the Tension of “Both / And”
On the eve of #Barbenheimer, now might be a good time to revisit the idea of moving away from “either / or” and towards “both / and” in this article originally posted in 2021: “Do you think [politician or leader X] is a racist?” How often have you heard versions of this question in interviews, politicalContinue reading “Sitting in the Tension of “Both / And””
How Are You Benefiting from Masks and Passing Privilege?
“Spider-Verse‘s Gwen Stacy might not be trans, but her story sure is,” one article began. “[T]here is plenty of evidence in Across The Spider-Verse to suggest that the version of Gwen seen in these films is a canonically trans woman,” stated another. Over the course of Pride Month this year, dozens of pieces across media made theContinue reading “How Are You Benefiting from Masks and Passing Privilege?”
How is Your Team Like a Fireworks Display?
In honor of this week’s Independence Day celebrations in the United States and in Canada, we are revisiting this article, originally posted in 2021: If you live in the United States or Canada, you’ll have had the chance to see fireworks at some point recently – in person or on a broadcast. If you’re anythingContinue reading “How is Your Team Like a Fireworks Display?”
Has Your Brain Tricked You into Believing Everything is Worse?
The age-old saying “the grass is always greener on the other side” is a proverb about envy and perspective, but there’s also a logical reason behind the phrase. Stand on a lawn and look down, and you see all the spaces between blades of grass; the brown soil and dirt underneath, which balance out theContinue reading “Has Your Brain Tricked You into Believing Everything is Worse?”
Building Bridges Leadership 