What was the last high-stakes conversation you initiated? How prepared did you feel going into it? Perhaps this was delivering performance evaluations to team members, or maybe it was applying for a new job, or something entirely different. Such conversations can be as daunting as playing a musical instrument in front of an audience, deliveringContinue reading ““Zinnias Make Great Listeners” – Who are Your Zinnias?”
Category Archives: 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”
Idiosyncracy Credits: The Currency to Stand Out from the Group?
I sunburn easily. So when I forgot to bring sun protection for an all-day outdoor program I was leading in hot sun last year, I asked if anyone I was working with had an extra hat I could borrow. They did, and I had two choices – a wooly winter hat or a large strawContinue reading “Idiosyncracy Credits: The Currency to Stand Out from the Group?”
Claiming Space and Creating Space
How often are you talked over by someone in a meeting? How often do you talk over someone else? How often do you find yourself listening to someone go on and on, with no real entry point to offer your own thoughts? How often would others say the same about you? Now think about aContinue reading “Claiming Space and Creating Space”
Why “Quiet Quitting” is More Complicated than it Might Seem
Have you ever felt burnt out by the imbalance between “work” and “life”? Emailing around the clock, arriving early and staying late, helping a colleague out at the expense of your own responsibilities, showing as much dedication to your role as possible – these are extra behaviours that go the extra mile and can resultContinue reading “Why “Quiet Quitting” is More Complicated than it Might Seem”
How to Move Forward with a Difficult Coworker
Many things can contribute to work being challenging, but most of us have had at least one experience where the people you work with make or break your experience. Sometimes a coworker or manager can really add to your experience and you’re grateful to be working with them – if so, great! Other times youContinue reading “How to Move Forward with a Difficult Coworker”
If Microaggressions Were Mosquito Bites
It’s the time of year when mosquitos are out in force where I live in New England. And mosquitos love me. Much more than I love them. At any one point during late Summer I can have dozens of mosquito bites on my body. And while I’ve been telling people for years that it’s becauseContinue reading “If Microaggressions Were Mosquito Bites”
Taking Time Off Work? Then Don’t Work!
How often have you found yourself checking your work email while on vacation? Or still holding your weekly check-in meetings, even on a day off? Whether it’s a break of a few weeks, or a weekly routine of long weekends, many of us take vacation time during the Summer. But how many of are reallyContinue reading “Taking Time Off Work? Then Don’t Work!”
Mentoring Summer Interns, and Finding a New Mentor or Mentee
As we approach Summer in the Northern Hemisphere, your organization may be planning to bring on some interns for the season. Internships can provide incredible hands-on learning opportunities for young people looking to enter a field of work. The interns also bring value to the organization through their labor, their unique perspectives and lived experiences,Continue reading “Mentoring Summer Interns, and Finding a New Mentor or Mentee”
The ‘Thought-Stoppers’ That End Conversation
How do you transition out of a conversation about an unresolved issue? Some of us do it more gracefully than others, but chances are you have a few stock phrases you use to signal that you’re ready for the conversation to end. Sometimes these phrases take the form of folk wisdom: “It is what itContinue reading “The ‘Thought-Stoppers’ That End Conversation”
Building Bridges Leadership 