People don’t like to be uncomfortable. I cannot recall the last time I had a conversation a leader where the subject of “difficult conversations” about performance did not come up as one of their most feared situations. Second to that is concern about telling people that “change is coming.” Meanwhile, we face the reality that … Read more
As of the moment I’m writing this, our first grandbaby’s due date has come… and gone. And my daughter is still (very) pregnant. In fact, she and Paul attended the out-of-town wedding for Kelly’s med-school roommate on her due date. Until the baby arrives, life remains normal…. Babies don’t pay much attention to deadlines and … Read more
Have you ever watched an auto race? Cars race around the track and race around the track at high speeds, and occasionally pull into the Pit where their Pit Crew come screaming into action. The car is jacked up on hydraulic lifts and instantly the crew swarm the car like ants on a sugar cookie. … Read more
Studies in the workplace have concluded that the best leaders hit or exceed what’s considered the ideal balance of positive interactions to negative ones. Well, guess what? It’s not just about the workplace! In this less-than-90-second video, John Gottman shares what he knows from two decades of studying personal relationships. (John is the guy who … Read more
“You can’t change other people. You can only change how you respond to them.” I first heard this life lesson from a mentor when I was a newly minted supervisor 30 years ago. At the time I was struggling with how to manage several very difficult personalities on my team. What I learned in that … Read more
Ken recently contacted me to share an article he thought my Happiness audience would also enjoy — on Smiles. Of course! Ken’s audience is nurses (www.nursingschools.net), so he’s really grounded his research in the medical world — proving that smiles are GOOD FOR YOU! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Everyone loves the quote “laughter is the best medicine,” and … Read more
Any emotion that you WANT to experience more can become more natural if you play the role, or practice it, more often. Let’s look at assertiveness. In assertiveness, you are able to stand up for yourself or your position from a place of confidence. When you practice assertiveness, you are more likely to get your … Read more
For the past 32 years I’ve been married to an amazing woman who has partnered with me in raising a great family, but who pretty much left me alone when it came to running my coaching and consulting business (except for balancing the books!). A few years ago, however, she started to pay more attention … Read more
I’ve been whining to my marketing mastermind group about how I can’t find the time to get all my assignments completed. I’m not the only one. And then Thomas sent us all a link to this video. OK, that’s a WHOLE different perspective. If you SAY it’s important, don’t make excuses.
A common concern I hear from my executive clients is that they have great difficulty with strategy time. The issue usually presents itself like this: “I can’t find the time to think when I’m constantly being interrupted.” OK, why are you constantly being interrupted? The response is usually a form of, “we have an Open … Read more