Do you have a handful of foreign coins in your home – sometimes from countries you’ve never even been to? Somehow we always have in our house, despite moves and several “why do we have these?” conversations. I’m pretty sure ours even includes a car wash token for a place that no longer exists, andContinue reading “Agreeing on a Currency that Works”
Category Archives: Leadership
How to Make Your Bed at Work
You’ve probably heard axioms along the lines of “success starts with making your bed.” You may have even seen the popular 2014 University of Texas at Austin Commencement address by Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, which has inspired thousands of people to make their beds each morning when they first wake up. But whether or not youContinue reading “How to Make Your Bed at Work”
Life Happens… Even During Major Projects
If you’ve ever had a death in the family, a house fire, a medical emergency, or a life-shaking diagnosis for you or someone close to you, you know that these things don’t happen at convenient times. They can also be painful in a way that seems to alter time itself – time can both grindContinue reading “Life Happens… Even During Major Projects”
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”
Honoring Years of Service while Seeking Fresh Perspectives
Think back to when you started working for your current employer, even if it was in a different role than you currently hold. How long did it take for you to go from feeling like the newbie to feeling like you belong? How long were you aware of your time in the organization (“I startedContinue reading “Honoring Years of Service while Seeking Fresh Perspectives”
Solving for Now or Solving for the Future?
When was the last time someone shared a frustration with you? How did you respond? Were they looking for help/advice, or did they just want to be heard? Sometimes it can be hard to know without asking. Working with groups on practicing difficult conversations, many facilitators start with the skill of acknowledgement. Acknowledgement focuses onContinue reading “Solving for Now or Solving for the Future?”
Avoiding Selective Moral Outrage
I showed up to register for my first set of classes at Harvard Graduate School of Education on the morning of September 11, 2001. The World Trade Center attacks played over and over on the small TV screens in Gutman Library with large crowds gathered around, but we all registered for classes without acknowledging whatContinue reading “Avoiding Selective Moral Outrage”
Using Your Team’s Previous Work Cultures to Build a Better One
During a series of team building activities with a client this week, it was noticeable that one newer member of the group shared ideas that were shut down or ignored by the rest of the group – including the director of the department. Rather than point that out in the moment, I let the groupContinue reading “Using Your Team’s Previous Work Cultures to Build a Better One”
What Are the 5S Pillars?
A recent Building Bridges Leadership article on the concept of Kaizen touched on the five phases of 5S methodology, a system to reduce waste and optimize productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace. Implementation of this method “cleans up” and organizes the workplace basically in its existing configuration, and uses visual cues to achieve more consistentContinue reading “What Are the 5S Pillars?”
How a Digital Detox Could Benefit You
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”
Building Bridges Leadership 