While it is not the first time, I was recently approached by a nation wide company looking for professional development services at fire sale prices. Why this came as such a shock was because this high profile company is known for both it’s rapid growth and for it’s formidable profits. Yet despite a growing chorus…
In business, as in life, pernicious myths abound about what it takes to be a skillful leader. Perhaps the most common and odious one is that if you were a really capable leader you’d be able to figure out on your own whatever problem you were faced with. Sadly, many corporate training programs reinforce this.…
Underlying most personal or leadership development efforts is the need to change some aspect of the way you do things. Whether it be learning to engage your team more effectively or improving how you handle difficult situations, some form of doing things differently on your part is par for the course. If you’re like many who venture down this road of self-awareness and growth, you may well underestimate just how difficult behavior change can be…and that can set you up for failure.
It seems almost counter-intuitive. Routine is usually associated with boredom. In reality though, an underlay of routine in your day will spark your creativity muscle. Having routines can help offset the anxiety and fear that often accompanies the uncertainty of the creative process. Routines, or ‘rituals’, as Jonathon Fields writes, can serve as “certainty anchors.”…
Are you easily distracted? If you are like many (and myself) keeping a tight focus on the task at hand can be a challenge. Oh look, a bright shiny object… In his research on mind-wandering, Matthew Killingsworth shows how losing focus on the job reduces both happiness and productivity. In fact, it appears that about…
You’ve worked hard all year. And what a year it’s been. The economy warming and cooling, increased competition and longer hours. So why not reward yourself with some really cool tools to help you optimize your life? Here’s a top 10 list of fresh and leading edge gift ideas to help you be at the…
All too often I see new hires and those recently promoted thrown to the wolves, so to speak. Beyond a perfunctory introduction to their new office or responsibilities, frequently, little else is provided. As a result, many are left dazed and confused, don’t feel welcome, and may even start looking for a new job. While the reasons underlying this sad scenario can be many, I see it happening all too often because of a lack of time.
Maria storms into work. She smacks her purse down on the desk and heads down the hall in search of her first cup of coffee of the day. We can tell that she’s already had a bad morning. We’ve been in her shoes and guess her mood is not going to change today.
I’ve just recently returned from an amazing, invitation only, creative solutions event for organisational development professionals held in Hong Kong. The concept, a pilot program called Brains on the Beach, brought together top consultants and game changers from across the Asian & North American Pacific Rim to compete to solve a business challenge. It was…
Employee First…Shareholder Second? I’ve always believed, with the odd exception, that leadership and organizational culture are two sides of the same coin. Whether staff is engaged or not is a reflection of the priority they are accorded. Too often in North America, the maniacal focus on short term quarterly shareholder value all but assures that…