Is a Four-Day Work Week in Your Future?

Have you noticed the change in TV culture over the last two decades? At least here in the US, there has been a seismic shift from 22-episode a year network dramas (created for syndication and reruns) to 6-8 episode ‘prestige’ dramas (created for streaming). Suddenly it’s a lot easier to catch up on a showContinue reading “Is a Four-Day Work Week in Your Future?”

All You Need is Love (Notes!)

Every year or two when I go through boxes in my attic, I stumble across some notes that bring a smile to my face. A quarter of a century ago(!) I worked for a summer camp organization, as a team leader and facilitator for camps on college campuses across the US and in Southeast Asia.Continue reading “All You Need is Love (Notes!)”

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

During tragedies such as the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the famous advice for children from Mister Rogers to “look for the helpers” usually makes a resurgence on social media. It’s powerful advice for children overwhelmed by the images of disasters beyond their control; adults, too, can find it helpful and reassuring, although someContinue reading ““Won’t You Be My Neighbor?””

Don’t Have a Desk to Call Your Own?

Have you heard about the Portuguese island that “created” a village entirely for remote workers? If you’re waiting for a punchline, there is none – sadly for the digital nomads from around the world that moved to the island of Madeira, Ponta do Sol has been rife with unfulfilled promises and astronomical costs. And, ofContinue reading “Don’t Have a Desk to Call Your Own?”

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?”

Making Your Phone Black & White and Boring

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 9:08am (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 “Making Your Phone Black & White and Boring”

Completing 2022 and Moving On to 2023

As we move towards the end of another year full of challenges and growth, successes and failures, 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 may not be possible (if this it true for you,Continue reading “Completing 2022 and Moving On to 2023”

How Going “Goblin Mode” Can Be a Good Thing!

Goblins might seem better suited for Halloween than Hannukah or Christmas, but Oxford Dictionaries announced this week that “goblin mode” has been selected by an online vote as its word (or phrase) of the year, receiving over 300,000 votes – more than 93% of the total. “Goblin mode,” in case you’re not familiar with theContinue reading “How Going “Goblin Mode” Can Be a Good Thing!”

Banquet, Potluck, and Thanksgiving Models of 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. This week seems an appropriate time to revisit the ideas of Banquet Leadership, Potluck Leadership, and the hybrid model we call Thanksgiving Leadership. If you’veContinue reading “Banquet, Potluck, and Thanksgiving Models of Leadership”

Stop Solving Problems! The Value of Wondering and Asking

When you were young, did you listen to the radio and hope your favorite song would come on because it was the only way to hear it? Did you go to a Blockbuster Video with options of movies to rent because you knew your first choice might be out? During dinner table conversations, did youContinue reading “Stop Solving Problems! The Value of Wondering and Asking”