My mom, Barbara Jackson, died last week after living with Motor Neurone Disease / ALS. How long she lived with it is somewhat unclear, as is sadly the case with many people with this disease; she was diagnosed only nine months ago, but many symptoms overlap with other conditions and she displayed some of thoseContinue reading “Remembering Barbara Jackson, 1944-2024”
Category Archives: Gratitude
Lessons from the Life of John Lewis
If you’re reaching the end of your school year, or even graduating from a program, congratulations! It is a major achievement, and of course, no one earns a degree alone – your family and friends have every reason to celebrate too! As many of the universities in our area are in the midst of graduationContinue reading “Lessons from the Life of John Lewis”
Trevor Noah on Text, Voice, and Recalibrating Tone
Have you ever received a message from someone at work and interpreted the tone as angry, terse, or upset, leaving you stewing for days over what you did that caused that response, or how your reputation or relationships might be damaged as a result? On the flip side, have you ever sent a quick textContinue reading “Trevor Noah on Text, Voice, and Recalibrating Tone”
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. So this week we’ll partake in our annual tradition of revisiting the ideas of Banquet Leadership, Potluck Leadership, and the hybrid model we call ThanksgivingContinue reading “Banquet, Potluck, and Thanksgiving Models of Leadership”
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?”
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!)”
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”
Wakanda Forever: Acknowledging Grief and Loss at Work
Writer/director Ryan Coogler faced a nearly impossible task in creating Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The sequel to the 2018 Black Panther movie needed to acknowledge and honor the shocking death of the franchise’s lead actor Chadwick Boseman while also finding ways to move on, for the story’s characters, for the hundreds of actors and behind-the-cameraContinue reading “Wakanda Forever: Acknowledging Grief and Loss at Work”
Where Could You Find Your “New Rope” Excitement?
As part of my repertoire of facilitation, I work regularly with other facilitators at an outdoor challenge course, which offers high ropes activities and team building experiences for organizations and school groups. The facilitator team is much more diverse than one might expect – with the common challenge course stereotype of middle-aged white men inContinue reading “Where Could You Find Your “New Rope” Excitement?”
Showing Support for Your Team through Acts of Service
When’s the last time you felt overwhelmed or lost while working on a project – perhaps even paralyzed because you were unsure of your next step? Have others offered “let me know if you need help,” but you haven’t even known what to ask for, or perhaps been too embarrassed to ask? Now think backContinue reading “Showing Support for Your Team through Acts of Service”
Building Bridges Leadership 