Sustainability gets a lot of attentions these days… and rightly so. As a society, we’re bringing greater consciousness to the preservation and endurance of the environment, energy, and more. Yet, there’s one precious natural resource that rarely gets the same attention. And for too many people, it’s reaching dangerous depletion levels. How sustainable is the » Read More
I’ve been conducting training on manager/employee communication for years. In one class a few weeks ago I heard the same phrase over and over, and realized it holds the key to a breakthrough. When it comes to thinking about initiating a discussion about a touchy subject, inevitably I hear some version of, “What I don’t » Read More
Over the past 20+ years I have witnessed a repeated and troubling pattern that occurs far too frequently. The recurring pattern I’m referring to is when organizations choose to settle for a “silver bullet” solution. With the hope of quickly getting rid of a problem, many organizations are blindly adopting a “cookie-cutter” approach without asking » Read More
One critical habit to address in reducing workplace stress involves your productive and non-productive use of time. How you manage your time is directly correlated to your stress levels. Some stress is normal. In fact, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety states that stress is often what provides us with the energy and » Read More
Writing a lot of words on a subject gets easy. Often you can simply write and write and (at least I) think that you’ll eventually say something important. I’ve often said too much. It might have been earlier in my career when I was selling or even more recently with my teenagers when their eyes » Read More
“A ‘squeaky wheel’ isn’t the highest priority project. It’s the loudest or most noticed. In many organizations, it gets the grease, while projects with greatest potential to bring about business results get delayed or set aside.” This quote, from the book Everything’s A Project, is playing like a mantra in my thoughts. We focus on squeaky wheels because they are irritating, not because they are important. We want the irritation to go away. But oil isn’t the answer.
Recently, I was working through an issue with another person. They were distressed over the results of a process that affects both of us. I helped to create the process. I have authority to change the process if necessary. And I have knowledge of the system to troubleshoot and fix a fair number of problems. » Read More
In the course of your day as a leader you are faced with many decisions. Some come in emails, some in inquiries, and some in meetings. Some you have time to consider, for some you will rely on input from others, and others you must make immediately. There’s no question, leadership requires decision-making. The decisions » Read More
After being on my own as a small business person for seven years, I recently contracted with a smart, talented young woman to assist me with day-to-day tasks, graphic projects and schedule management. The decision was not an easy one… I tend to be a private person and I need a certain amount of “mental » Read More
“Other men will make other violins, but no man shall make a better one.” Antonius Stradivarius
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