Completing 2025 and Moving On to 2026

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 2025 and Moving On to 2026”

Recognizing Burnout in Yourself and Others

Everyone has had the experience of being exhausted by a difficult workday. And we’ve all had hard seasons that we’ve needed to get through and were so glad they were over. But if this continues day after day for months or years on end, it can lead to burnout. We’ve all been worn out, orContinue reading “Recognizing Burnout in Yourself and Others”

Experiencing Some Distrust in Leadership?

Over the last few weeks I have had several conversations with people in different (for-profit and non-profit) fields with a similar theme: distrust in leadership. In some cases this has come out as targeted public complaints about a figurehead; in others as a move toward a strike; in others a community cry for more transparencyContinue reading “Experiencing Some Distrust in Leadership?”

The Times They Are A-Changin’

My oldest child moved in to his college dorm room this week for his freshman year – a huge step for him, and a big change for our family. Even if you haven’t experienced that change as a parent of your own child, you may have memories of your own first day of living inContinue reading “The Times They Are A-Changin’”

How to Work with a Difficult Colleague

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 Work with a Difficult Colleague”

Leading People in a Time of Distraction

Photo credit: Mike Stewart/AP How often are you taking part in (or leading) a meeting but finding it hard to concentrate because of something happening in the wider world? How often have you noticed someone else in the meeting suddenly disappear – mentally, if not physically? With news feeling like drinking from a firehose theseContinue reading “Leading People in a Time of Distraction”

Reclaiming Rest

In 1910, President William Howard Taft proposed that every American worker should receive two to three months of vacation time each year “in order to continue [their] work next year with the energy and effectiveness that it ought to have.” Sounds wonderful, right? Of course, captains of industry – and U.S. legislators – disagreed, andContinue reading “Reclaiming Rest”

Napping… at Work? How a Short Siesta Can Boost Productivity

When you have a few free moments during the work day, what do you do? Do you get fresh air? Text a friend? Close your eyes and meditate? Stretch your muscles? In the past we’ve posted about the Pomodoro Technique, which suggests that after each 25 minute stretch of focused work, you would be wellContinue reading “Napping… at Work? How a Short Siesta Can Boost Productivity”

Retreat Yo Self!

When was the last time you took a personal, or group, retreat? Perhaps this is something you make time for regularly, or maybe it’s been years – if ever. Maybe your association with retreats is entirely based on corporate retreats. I’ve known more than one organization that bristles at the idea of a “retreat” (somethingContinue reading “Retreat Yo Self!”

Five Years On: Honoring Covid “Anniversary Reactions”

Have you found yourself reflecting on “five years ago…” this week? I have been part of several conversations about this, and overheard others. Coronavirus cases first appeared around the world in late 2019. For many readers in the Western world, however, the most direct impacts began in March 2020 – with lockdowns and other sweepingContinue reading “Five Years On: Honoring Covid “Anniversary Reactions””