Before COVID-19 created a seismic shift in how large companies work, many of those same companies were investing heavily in creating more engaging and playful workspaces. Gyms in workspaces had become more common, but there was an increasing trend for workplaces to include amenities like pinball machines, ping pong tables, outdoor lounge areas and more. TheseContinue reading “Creating a Sense of Belonging in Your Physical Workspace”
Category Archives: Weekly Tips
“What If…?” – Seeking Nuance and Kicking the Tires
“What if…?” has become a powerful and oft-used question over the last pandemic era – perhaps more than at any point in our lifetimes, as we’ve pondered the many changes that COVID could bring. I recently heard about a March 2020 article discussing our collective cultural responses to the pandemic in three terms: a blizzard (our initial short-term ‘stayContinue reading ““What If…?” – Seeking Nuance and Kicking the Tires”
What’s Your Team’s ‘Closing Ceremony?’
How often do you reach the end of a team or solo project that has taken hours, weeks, or even months, and move straight on to the next thing? If this is common for you, is this invigorating and motivating? For some of us, it is – we get momentum and forward motion that kick-startsContinue reading “What’s Your Team’s ‘Closing Ceremony?’”
The Fosbury Flop and Raising the Bar for Gold
Watching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, I have been struck over and over again by the way these games intersect with our everyday lives in the workplace and in our communities. Chief among these, of course, are the important conversations taking place about mental health and self-care, and the disproportionate pressure placed on female athletes of color to performContinue reading “The Fosbury Flop and Raising the Bar for Gold”
The Olympics and MI Theory
A few weeks ago I referred to the Good Work Project and the work of Harvard professor Howard Gardner. The work for which Gardner is most known – the Theory of Multiple Intelligences – is always worth taking a look at, and seems particularly relevant during the Olympics. The Olympics provides a dazzling display of athletes using a mixture of naturalContinue reading “The Olympics and MI Theory”
Using People-First Language for Dignity and Respect
Academia and business are different worlds, with different goals and day-to-day work. And yet, after working at Harvard for 15 years, I find that a lot of the work that resonates with clients most comes from the academic world. Recently I was reminded of the concept of “people-first language” by a Black student, who postedContinue reading “Using People-First Language for Dignity and Respect”
What Does “Good Work” Mean Anyway?
You may have seen some of the recent articles about the ‘giant game of musical chairs’. Huge numbers of workers are leaving/changing their jobs as workplaces around the US are reopening. Perhaps you’re even one of those people who’ve chosen a new job or a whole new career path. While we’re living our day-to-day reality we don’tContinue reading “What Does “Good Work” Mean Anyway?”
Being A Signal Booster – Amplifying Others’ Voices
How often have you read or heard about inequality, marginalization, or hate crimes against an identity group of which you are not a part, and been left wondering “but what can I do?” If your own life experiences are different than those experiencing these acts, it can be easy to miss the full context and scope; toContinue reading “Being A Signal Booster – Amplifying Others’ Voices”
“CW” & “TW” – What They Mean and How You Might Use Them
When last week’s Building Bridges Leadership email arrived in your inbox and you wondered what the “CW” meant in the preview text, you aren’t alone. Or you may have noticed a growing number of articles and social media posts using “CW” or “TW” at the beginning, followed by a brief phrase describing trauma of someContinue reading ““CW” & “TW” – What They Mean and How You Might Use Them”
Juneteenth, Black Wall Street, and Honoring Complicated History
A few weeks ago – May 31 and June 1 – brought the centennial of the Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst single incidents of racial violence in American history. Mobs of White residents, many of them deputized and given weapons by city officials, attacked Black residents and destroyed homes and businesses in 35 squareContinue reading “Juneteenth, Black Wall Street, and Honoring Complicated History”