“Who Will Lead Them?” read the caption on the front cover of Uncanny X-Men # 201 – one of the first comic books I bought as a then-9-year-old in 1986. The cover showed two characters battling for leadership of the team: Cyclops, the team’s original leader and a master strategist who had back-up plans forContinue reading “Which X-Men Leader do You Need as Your Work Partner: Storm or Cyclops?”
Category Archives: Weekly Tips
Leading Teams in a Time of Distraction
With so many eyes – and cameras – focused on one particular indictment and arrest in Lower Manhattan, this week seemed like a good time to revisit this article, originally posted in January 2021. How often are you in (or leading) a meeting but finding it hard to concentrate because of something happening in theContinue reading “Leading Teams in a Time of Distraction”
What are Your Unspoken Agreements?
Screenwriter John August recently asked a thought-provoking question on his podcast Scriptnotes (co-hosted by The Last of Us writer/showrunner Craig Mazin): When someone mentions the 1960s, what comes to mind for you? If you’re in the Western world, your answers probably include JFK, Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, The Beatles, flower power,Continue reading “What are Your Unspoken Agreements?”
Is Your Self-Talk Helping You?
Recently I stumbled across an article and chuckled at the title: “How Do I Know If I Have an Inner Monologue?” After all, if you find yourself wondering if you have an inner monologue, congratulations – you’ve just discovered your inner monologue! But it turns out that not everyone experiences that internal voice. As muchContinue reading “Is Your Self-Talk Helping You?”
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”
Hearing vs. Fixing: Are You Supporting How They Want to be Supported?
Have you ever shared a frustration, a sadness, or some other strong emotion with someone, only for that person to jump right into “fixing” mode? Or maybe even tell you why you shouldn’t feel that way? Maybe they even agree with you, but somehow their agreement feels diminishing of your own experience in some way.Continue reading “Hearing vs. Fixing: Are You Supporting How They Want to be Supported?”
Is a Four-Day Work Week in Your Future?
Have you noticed the change in TV culture over the last two decades? At least here in the US, there has been a seismic shift from 22-episode a year network dramas (created for syndication and reruns) to 6-8 episode ‘prestige’ dramas (created for streaming). Suddenly it’s a lot easier to catch up on a showContinue reading “Is a Four-Day Work Week in Your Future?”
All You Need is Love (Notes!)
Every year or two when I go through boxes in my attic, I stumble across some notes that bring a smile to my face. A quarter of a century ago(!) I worked for a summer camp organization, as a team leader and facilitator for camps on college campuses across the US and in Southeast Asia.Continue reading “All You Need is Love (Notes!)”
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”
During tragedies such as the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the famous advice for children from Mister Rogers to “look for the helpers” usually makes a resurgence on social media. It’s powerful advice for children overwhelmed by the images of disasters beyond their control; adults, too, can find it helpful and reassuring, although someContinue reading ““Won’t You Be My Neighbor?””
Don’t Have a Desk to Call Your Own?
Have you heard about the Portuguese island that “created” a village entirely for remote workers? If you’re waiting for a punchline, there is none – sadly for the digital nomads from around the world that moved to the island of Madeira, Ponta do Sol has been rife with unfulfilled promises and astronomical costs. And, ofContinue reading “Don’t Have a Desk to Call Your Own?”
Building Bridges Leadership 