Additional points of wisdom from Prague. Your job is NOT to be Wallpaper. Whatever you’ve been given, use it. Show up. Be you. The world needs all the help it can get! We still believe the deep expertise and planning are the keys to success, but in a VUCA* world, flexibility and diverse thinking … Read more
My focus on six-word wisdoms last month generated much positive reaction, quite possibly because our attention spans have shrunk to under nine seconds – less time than it’s taken you to read this sentence aloud! Here are a few more, for fun: Ask, “In what ways might I?” You’ve been trained your entire life to … Read more
I love to play with tight language, which is why Haiku has always been my favorite poetic form (17 syllables and rigid rules, yet infinite possibilities). I also love the brutal simplicity of six-word essays, a format over which I obsessed in high school (see https://www.sixwordmemoirs.com for more) Since January I have attended 28 … Read more
Yes, You Can Get Ahead Without Losing Your Mind! I got this question from one client, but it’s a question I hear frequently. If this resonates for you, please share! Q: I want to move up in my organization, but in this culture you’ve got to move fast and always be producing. It’s very stressful! … Read more
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? When I was a kid, this question always pulled me into a philosophical mindset, and I can remember many conversations and/or debates working it from both a logical and emotional point of view. What I most remember about those sessions is that we’d often end in either … Read more
A Story About Leadership I’m currently working with three clients who, in different ways and for different reasons, are working to improve their organization’s Performance Management systems. The three cultures differ dramatically, as do the issues that need addressing. Yet a common issue has emerged at all three: we need to do a better job of setting … Read more
In January many people create new goals for their work and life, most of which focus on achieving a metric, e.g. starting or stopping, completing or letting go, or making progress in a specific direction. They are about DOING (Or NOT Doing) Something. There is a place for DOING goals. Life is filled with projects … Read more
Part One: Learn to Sneeze Several weeks ago the muscles in my lower back staged a revolt, making it impossible to sit, stand, walk, or lie down without enormous pain. Every time I’m just about over it, something simple trips the spasms again and I’m back to hobbling — one time it was putting on … Read more
Every year I create a plan for my business. I usually start with the numbers, then build my strategies, then finish with narrative reflection (past year accomplishments, lessons learned) and goals. This year I felt the itch to change my approach, and with the help of my coach turned my process upside down. First I … Read more
John O’Nolan via Compfight Ah, you expect so much – of self and others – on the job. How much of the stress you experience comes from trying to juggle too many roles, goals, and projects simultaneously? Take a hard look at your current goals. As a human being, your maximum capacity is four to … Read more