It seems like it would be great to be from the south, and not just for the biscuits. Why? Mainly because of people like Dr. Phil. When he says something like, “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge,” we all just shake our heads in agreement, “Yup, he’s right.” “Foundations are built, they don’t just build themselves.” - Kim LaFever If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, that’s what I would say to anyone working in a team setting today. It’s as true … [Read more...]
August 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Power to the People - It's Not A Generational Gap “To Give Anything Less Than Your Best is to Sacrifice the Gift.” – Steve Prefontaine Last month we talked about Millennials in the workplace and debunked a few myths. I also promised to continue the theme and focus on the other workplace generations this month. Since then, I realized that it's less about generational gaps and more about making ALL employees a central focus because most people want the same thing from work: to be … [Read more...]
August 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Recently I went to Vegas to speak at an HR Strategy a conference. I was so zero chill about this trip because: Well, it’s Vegas of course, YOLO (You Only Live Once) If I hadn’t accepted the gig it would have led to a major FOMO (Fear of MIssing Out) Okay, okay, some of you probably have no idea what I just said and others of you are probably laughing your ass off because I’m totaling destroying your slang. For a short glossary of terms, scroll to the end of this … [Read more...]
October 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment
“Hey, do you have a minute? I want to run something by you. But, it’s really important that you keep this confidential.” “Can I talk to you about something? I’ve got this situation going on but this has got to stay between you and me.” People tell me things. All the time. Despite the double dog dare secrecy, most of the things people tell me aren’t gossip or trade secrets. It’s way worse than that because they share their grisly details of conflict, miscommunication, … [Read more...]
August 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Why do some teams fall apart under pressure, when other teams overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and keep getting stronger? It’s not just about the people. Teams stacked with great talent often still fail to get past major challenges. And having a strong leader isn’t enough either. To deliver truly outstanding results, your team needs a culture of sustained engagement. What is engagement, and why do I need it? Engaged employees are fully involved in and enthusiastic … [Read more...]
July 10, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Raise your hand if this has never happened to you: you see a picture of someone from high school online and think, “Wow, what happened to Bob*? He looks like an old dude now!” Maybe this says a lot about my age, some deep-seated shallowness, or an inability to feel social shame. I’m hopeful it says more about perception. Perception is our way of understanding or interpreting something. It's our mental impression and the stories we make up about the way things are. It gets a lot of … [Read more...]
March 24, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Want to be more influential and a better leader? Get clear on your purpose. Ready to stop quitting your job all day long while "technically" still working there? Same answer: find your purpose. Getting clear on your purpose only takes 10 minutes. Ask yourself some questions: What did you especially love doing when you were a child, before everyone told you what you should or shouldn’t like or do? What have been two of your most challenging life experiences. How have they … [Read more...]
September 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Joseph Campbell once said, “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Reading a quote like that takes me to a mythical place, somewhere lofty, and expansive, where I wonder what it would be like to make a BIG difference to an entire company, country or all of humanity. And then my email dings, and I snap back into the present and I start to think about a different kind of heroics. The kind I hear about with certain types of clients … [Read more...]
August 20, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Milk-Bones. Frozen fruit pops. Italian soda. Gluten-free crackers. That's all it took for me to “misplace” my husband at the supermarket recently. Shopping doesn't tend to be a team sport for us. But one day after golf recently we stopped by the store for a few things. For most of the trip we were side-by-side and in lockstep. But then, as we neared the end of our list, we went our separate ways: me to get fruit pops and him to get the Milk-Bones. And that’s where the problems … [Read more...]
June 15, 2015 By Leave a Comment
What would you do if you had 200,000 more dollars to spend this year? I know what I would do. I’d buy that little house we saw in Mexico last week - the one with the rooftop Jacuzzi. And, I’m pretty sure that’s not just the tequila talking. $200,000 is one of those funny amounts. It’s not BIG money; most people couldn’t retire on it. And maybe it’s not a lot when you are talking rooftop Jacuzzi. But, it’s A LOT of money in just about any other circumstance! And … [Read more...]