Why and How to Become More Generous
Being generous to others can be surprisingly good for the giver. You may have even heard about the research showing that generosity can benefit our physical and mental health. According to the white paper linked above, “Giving social support—time, effort, or goods—is associated with better overall health in older adults, and volunteering is associated with delayed mortality. […]
Constructive Ways to Avoid Communication Gaps
Every day presents a new chance to either communicate clearly, or to stumble into confusion, conflict, and hurt feelings. One of the biggest sources of communication conflict lies in the gap between what we say, and how that communication is received by others. In this dangerous gap, the impact we intend can be distorted, as […]
Balancing Your Leadership Presence
As individuals we tend to lean one of two ways in how we relate to others. Some of us lean towards high connection, and are very good at developing and focusing on our relationships with others. People at the extreme end of this personality type may lose their identities in making sure that others are […]
13 Questions For Year-End Reflection
As the year comes to a close, it’s an excellent time to take stock of our experiences in 2020, and consider what we want more of in 2021. Self-reflection is one of primary ways we can gain insight into ourselves, and is the first step on any path to learning and evolving. I watch people […]
Staying Connected From a Distance
Successful businesses and organizations have made ballet-star-worthy turns this year, pivoting en pointe with virtual huddles, team meetings, retreats and conferences. We are getting a lot out of these, but they can’t always slake our hunger to be together—to celebrate our wins with a meal, to have an ad hoc hallway conversation with a colleague […]
Hard Work of Acceptance
Don’t we all want to be accepted and understood for who we are? And to feel safe enough to share what we think and feel without fear of judgement? I think we are all striving for this acceptance and safety in our work and our lives. What we may not realize is that it’s hard […]
Bringing Leadership To Family During Pandemic
At work, leaders feel a responsibility to inspire, support, and align their teams. If yours is one of many families spending lots of time at home together during the pandemic, you may find yourself needing those same leadership skills in your family relationships. If we tend to be in a CEO role at home, we […]
Six Actions Working for Leaders Right Now
With a pandemic at hand, plenty of things have gone wrong. But as I work with my clients, I also notice some things that are going right as leaders work to strengthen their organizations. Leaders are taking actions and initiating changes that will improve their businesses, not just during difficult circumstances, but into the post-pandemic […]
What Meaning Can We Make Today?
Over the last couple of weeks, many of the conversations I’ve been having with clients have led us to an important topic: the ways we are struggling to make meaning today, knowing that our future is no longer something that is promised. Of course, the future never is promised, but we all had plans for […]
Three Things That Can Block Our Empathy
Most of us would like for others to understand, recognize, and share in our feelings, and it can be demoralizing, lonely and painful to experience another person’s lack of empathy. In business, this can affect employees, and can also lead to a poor understanding about what customers might need or want. So how do we […]