Did you know there’s a difference between writing a ‘memoir’ and writing your ‘memoirs’? A memoir is a cohesive whole, with a story arc not unlike that of a novel, and often encompasses a smaller portion of the author’s life; memoirs usually refers to a more sprawling tome, covering several distinct sections of life. AsContinue reading ““Make One Point, Not Ten””
Category Archives: Learning to learn
How to Give Feedback without Triggering the Fight or Flight Response
If you’re a parent, bring to mind the characteristics you see in your children that come from you – physical/character traits, or phrases they’ve learned up from hearing you say them over the course of years. Needless to say, your child is their own person; they are not you, but they are an expression ofContinue reading “How to Give Feedback without Triggering the Fight or Flight Response”
Revisiting the Idea of Being a “Student of…” (Not an “Expert in…”)
The idea of being a lifelong learner in your field – a “student of…” rather than an “expert in…” – has come up in a variety of contexts recently, so this seemed like a good time to revisit this article, originally posted in 2021. Have you ever started a conversation with a friend or familyContinue reading “Revisiting the Idea of Being a “Student of…” (Not an “Expert in…”)”
What are Unique Diversity and Diverse Unity?
How many aspects of your identity are visible to those around you? How many are invisible, or at least not intuitive? If you’re like a lot of people, your identity is – as we’ve mentioned before – like an iceberg, with the vast majority (90% in the case of icebergs) being under the surface, andContinue reading “What are Unique Diversity and Diverse Unity?”
“Slavery Isn’t Part of My Country’s History…” – Uh, Really??
Recently I have been part of a few groups with a daunting yet powerful assignment: tracing and sharing your “racial autobiography.” The prompts include personal reflections on your earliest awareness of race, your country/culture of origin, experiences of othering, your family lineage and how it has connected with systemically racist policies, and a lot more.Continue reading ““Slavery Isn’t Part of My Country’s History…” – Uh, Really??”
Anchor Songs: How Music Builds Team Memories
Each of us has certain songs that, when you hear them, instantly bring back a particular memory in profound ways, as if transporting you back in time. Even if you heard that same song dozens of times before that key memory, that’s the moment it will forever be associated with for you. When I hearContinue reading “Anchor Songs: How Music Builds Team Memories”
Stop Looking at Your Results!
Are you someone who starts each year with New Year’s resolutions? If so, how do they usually go for you? Are you able to stick with them throughout the year? Maybe a month or two? Or do they usually fade away after a couple of weeks, or even days? Assuming the latter (sorry, but let’sContinue reading “Stop Looking at Your Results!”
Using the “Whoa Test” in Everyday Conversations
Are you familiar with deepfakes? These are manipulated videos using AI technology to make a person appear to do or say something they did not, and they are more than just convincingly believable – it takes active disbelief in what your eyes are seeing to know that some deepfakes are in fact, fake. And deepfakeContinue reading “Using the “Whoa Test” in Everyday Conversations”
“Zinnias Make Great Listeners” – Who are Your Zinnias?
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?”
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”
Building Bridges Leadership 