Which squirrel are you today? If that question means nothing to you, you probably haven’t seen the “squirrel scale” – a fun check-in tool used by some schools initially during the remote learning era of Covid. I was reminded of this tool recently while working with a group of middle and high school teachers, duringContinue reading “Which Squirrel Are You Today? Sharpening Your Axe with SEL”
Category Archives: Perspectives
Using the Principle of “Two, Not Three”
How do you find grocery shopping? Is it something you enjoy, or just a necessity? When faced with needing to buy something new, do you like having several options, or do you find that overwhelming? For me, I prefer to shop in a store with fewer options – maybe one or two of each typeContinue reading “Using the Principle of “Two, Not Three””
The Pendulum, and Listening for Agreement in Others
How has the last week been for you? If you have felt unsettled by a changing political landscape here in the US (let alone earthquakes, or wildfires, or snow in places that rarely see any), you’re not the only one. And while people can reasonably disagree on a great many topics, it’s likely that ifContinue reading “The Pendulum, and Listening for Agreement in Others”
“Gender Ideology” and “the [X] Debate”
Several trans and non-binary colleagues and friends came to mind immediately upon hearing President Trump’s inaugural address stating that, “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.” (Gender identity is widely recognized as a spectrum.) The Trump administration hasContinue reading ““Gender Ideology” and “the [X] Debate””
Completing 2024 and Moving On to 2025
As we move towards the end of another year full of challenges and growth, successes and failures – on the personal, professional, and global levels – 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 mayContinue reading “Completing 2024 and Moving On to 2025”
Caga Tió and the Journey of Discovery
My family and I are hosting two exchange students from Barcelona for the next two weeks, and within hours of meeting them, we learned about Caga Tió, a cultural tradition that, as they explained it to us, brought laughter to their faces. “It sounds really weird, right?” they asked. We knew that a lot ofContinue reading “Caga Tió and the Journey of Discovery”
Cultivating Your Own Personal Advisory Board
Do you have your own personal advisory board? If this isn’t a term that’s familiar to you – or you instinctively understand the concept but find it odd – you’re certainly not alone. We all have a wide variety of people who provide input into our lives, including colleagues, family, friends, and acquaintances, but ourContinue reading “Cultivating Your Own Personal Advisory Board”
100 Ice-Breaker Questions for Any Group Gathering
Each week in our newsletter we include one question you can use as an ice-breaker for conversations with colleagues at the beginning of meetings, or to post on your internal workplace messaging platform. Some serious, some silly, but all with the intention of leading to further conversations and building community. With so many of usContinue reading “100 Ice-Breaker Questions for Any Group Gathering”
Applying the 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, as we approach the holiday, we’ll partake in our own annual tradition of revisiting the ideas of Banquet Leadership, Potluck Leadership, andContinue reading “Applying the Banquet, Potluck, and Thanksgiving Models of Leadership”
Building Bridges through Serious Play
Last Wednesday morning – about 90 minutes after the Presidential election results were announced – two colleagues and I opened an in-person two-day corporate retreat for 48 senior leaders from around the country and elsewhere in the world. If you read the last few Building Bridges Leadership articles, you won’t be surprised to know thatContinue reading “Building Bridges through Serious Play”
Building Bridges Leadership 