The focus of Act Happy Week is to educate the public about purposeful actions you can take to create chemical shifts in your body that drive Positive Emotions. Here is today’s exercise: Day 1: Smile On Purpose Smiling initiates a complex shift of muscles, breath, and body chemistry (you release endorphins!) that creates a more … Read more
Photo Credit: Startup Stock Photos Culture is defined in many ways: it’s the stories we tell about ourselves, it’s the way we treat each other and customers, and it’s often described as “the way we do things around here.” One of the core differences between bad/mediocre cultures and really good ones is the attention that … Read more
For the past 15 years much of our workplace discussion on Leadership has gotten sucked into the conversation about Employee Engagement**, focusing on the critical role that managers and leaders play in leveraging the heart and soul of the people on their team. We speak of leveraging the Engaged group, striving to better connect with … Read more
In this podcast from station WJCU in Cleveland (John Carroll University is my alma mater!), host DB Hegler leads a conversation on dealing with “problem employees.” The first part of the podcast is an interview with a Cleveland-based employment attorney who focuses on the legal dimensions of addressing or even preventing workplace issues. In the … Read more
I recently attended Human Resources Conference where the topic of performance appraisal came up constantly — in the keynote sessions as well as breakouts. The last speaker of the day pointed out this recurring theme: “What we’ve heard today is that everyone – employees, managers, and HR – hates the annual appraisal process as practiced … Read more
Happy, engaged employees are good for an organization. Research shows they are more creative, more productive, make better decisions, offer better service, and are more willing to go the extra mile. What’s more, happiness is as contagious as the flu, but it creates a positive vibe that leads to further engagement. To bring more … Read more
Are you already failing on your resolutions? Here’s why: The world often places obstacles on our path to happiness in life and work. But you know what? We often do a lot more to mess up our own happiness. I see this in my coaching clients all the time, and you are probably doing some … Read more
As the year turns, I hope your “Leadership Sense” is tingling with the possibilities for a year of growth and improvement. Besides the daily tweaking and problem-solving that is part of your role, consider spending part of your time looking at the long term and the underlying systems that create the outcomes you’re currently getting from … Read more
A client’s writing inspired this post. When I reach the end of a coaching relationship, I invite the client to reflect on what s/he is taking away from the experience, and what commitments s/he will make going forward to ensure their personal growth continues. Recently a client who is ending a year of coaching sent … Read more
You probably got your position because you were one of the smartest people on the team. Knowing much and being smart are certainly advantages to you and your organization. If you are leading a team, however, you create a lot more value for the organization when you bring out the best in others. To do … Read more