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Twenty years ago I used to think that many problems in the workplace were fundamentally communication issues.
I’ve refined my thinking since then.
The problem with this mindset is that the solutions seem obvious: More communication. Clearer communication. Stronger communication. But the fact is that we’re incredibly over-communicated these days, and it’s overwhelming and stressful.
Read the rest of this entry »I love it when a plan comes together.
But here’s the problem: How often is your perfect plan disrupted by reality? It seems that surprises always come up, whether good or bad.
Your job as the leader is to help your team navigate through that mess in real time.
Read the rest of this entry »A common mistake is to send someone to a class, then throw them right into using the information.
Makes sense, right? Just-in-time training!
The problem is that there may be entirely too much pressure on proper execution on the first try. You may not want million-dollar decisions relying on a newbie’s skill without some kind of safety net.
Read the rest of this entry »Tomorrow is election day in our area, which got me thinking about why having a choice is so valuable in being motivated.
No doubt you’ve heard that you can steer children towards a good decision by giving them the choice of two alternatives, both of which are acceptable to you as the parent. It works well, and with adults too.
Because having a voice in decisions matters. That’s important in our society and in the workplace.
Read the rest of this entry »I learned some years ago that the brain treats social danger the same as physical danger.
When you’re threatened by the bear, your heart rate and breathing will increase, and your muscles will tense up. Your body is preparing you to escape or fight if need be.
Well, the same thing happens when somebody insults you. Or you’re preparing to hear bad news from your boss. Your body doesn’t know the difference, and it’ll take a little while for the rational part of your brain to calm you down.
Why is this important?
Read the rest of this entry »What does it mean to truly be committed to something?
In the workplace, we let the concept become very slippery. We ask people to commit to a deadline, and try to hold them “accountable” for that, but despite that many things don’t get done on time or done properly.
So let’s take a moment to step back and look at the concept of making a work commitment.
Read the rest of this entry »Our entire society feels very tense, very broken right now.
So what can we do, as individual leaders and travelers on this earthly journey?
Read the rest of this entry »“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” — Mother Teresa
In our culture, leaders tend to focus a lot more on results than taking care of yourself. We’ve pretty much learned that taking care of your team will help bring good outcomes, but what about self-care?
It feels selfish.
But realize that driving for results also leads to burnout, as you run your body and mind into the ground in an effort to achieve ever-better outcomes.
Read the rest of this entry »I grew up in Colorado, which means I really enjoy the variety of seasons that we have. We’re now moving from the heat of summer into a more subdued, introverted time. I look forward to seeing snow-capped peaks again.
It turns out that everything goes through seasons: jobs, projects, relationships, even lifetimes. And even though we often strive for stability, changes are good too.
I’m thinking about each of my clients, who are each going through their own version of change. Many times it’s not at all clear what the next step is going to look like. That’s when our conversation can be extremely valuable.
Read the rest of this entry »I’m convinced that each of us has been placed in this world for a particular purpose. And what we do in this world is to find that purpose and then fulfill our role.
In a religious context, some might refer to this as “God’s mission” or “our God-given gifts.” Or in secular language, it might be the “chosen mission” or “strengths and talents.”
Use whatever works for you. What makes this distinct is that it’s deeply personal and not just following what people expect of you. Or even what education you got or what your job is.
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The Values-Based Business 