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Humans are amazing pattern matching machines!
We especially focus on anything which makes us feel endangered – our reptilian brain takes over before we even notice it’s happening. Or can think through it.
But why is that a problem?
Read the rest of this entry »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 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 »Work sure feels like a burden many times.
But you have a lot more control over this than you might think. You see, the pressure you’re feeling comes not from the many demands on your time, but on how you respond to those demands.
I’ve learned this lesson when I suddenly had a big life disruption and hand to “check out” from my work tasks. And you know what? The world didn’t fall apart.
Read the rest of this entry »This is a great time to celebrate springtime in the northern hemisphere.
And it makes me realize that I tend to accumulate stress over time. Lots of actions to take, decisions to make … so maybe it’s time to take a fresh look.
That’s what weekends and holidays are for, right?
Read the rest of this entry »I’m an analytical guy, and I feel most comfortable when a I have a plan that pulls together. I’d like to think that this is an asset for my various leadership roles.
However.
The absolute best vacation our family ever had was when we had three weeks, a campervan, and no agenda except to show up at the Sydney airport on a specific day. The sense of freedom was unbelievable.
Read the rest of this entry »This is a great time to get your mind away from the craziness.
Sure, not for everybody. If you’re in retail, it’s likely things are still intense. Or maybe you’re connected to year-end activities.
Nonetheless, there’s always the need to step back and let your body and mind heal from all the stress. If not now, then hopefully soon.
Read the rest of this entry »There’s a new discussion popping up in various European countries and Australia. It’s about establishing a right for employees to completely disengage from their work.
No phone calls. No texts. No emails.
In the US, we pretty much get it for hourly workers. But for salaried? Our culture tends more toward expecting – sometimes demanding – complete accessibility. But it depends on the organization’s culture.
Read the rest of this entry »Some of us think about making repeatable processes, others don’t. I’m in the former camp.
You see, it can drive me crazy when I see something that’s repetitive and boring and could be made more efficient. I guess it’s the engineer in me.
Making a process isn’t the same as automating. For instance, I have my beginning-of-day routine which includes checking my calendar, email, app notices, and texts. It’s pretty straightforward, and within 4-5 minutes I feel like I’ve got my head around what the day’s going to look like.
Read the rest of this entry »Too busy for that right now, gotta run!
This seems to be our normal state of affairs, right? And if we’re not actually too busy, we just say we are to escape having a conversation.
Talking. With real people. About real things.
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The Values-Based Business 