Work, success and meaning at every stage of your career
If I suggested that you lead like a Samurai warrior, you might be a bit alarmed. Especially if you’ve watched too many corny movies. In a Fast company article by Amanda Yello and Lori Tsugawa Whaley, Whaley says that the Samurai code of conduct was actually designed to create a space for benevolent leadership. She writes, “Benevolent … Continue reading The Art of Bushido Leadership
It’s been a busy few years. We’ve lived through the Great Resignation (workers quitting in droves after the Pandemic), the Big Stay (workers hunkering down in their jobs after things normalized), and Quiet Quitting (staying, but doing the absolute minimum to keep from being fired. Now we have the Big Yawn (my words, not theirs.) … Continue reading The Big Yawn
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. Her book is intended to help you get into “story thinking,” using stories as tools for persuasion in your personal and business life. One of the most important stories you can … Continue reading Why You Should Tell (True) Stories about Who You Are
If you were born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, you are lucky to be born in the Year of the Dragon. It goes without saying that the Dragon is the most glamorous and powerful sign of the Chinese zodiac. (For contrast, I was born in the Year of the Dog. No glamor … Continue reading 2024 is the Year of the Dragon
Annette Simmons is the author of Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. She says that humans have used storytelling to communicate since the beginning of time, and today is no different. Her book is intended to help you tell stories that are more … Continue reading Tell Me a Picture
Almost every team has one: the negative personality whose poison is starting to affect everyone. Whether it’s snide comments in team meetings, passive-aggressive information withholding, or acid emails, a negative team member can quickly cause irreparable damage to productivity, comradery, and, eventually, retention. But containing – or removing – a toxic team member can be … Continue reading Don’t Let Negativity Spread
A recent survey conducted by HR consultancy Gartner of nearly 3,500 respondents found that 50 percent of candidates accepted a job offer between May 2022 and May 2023, backed out, then started working for another employer. SHRM’s blog says among nearly 2,000 respondents who recently started a new job, 47 percent said they were still … Continue reading 50 Percent of New Hires Change Their Minds
In a great post, The Eblin Group refers back to an ancient method for building leadership capacity in your staff. Large organizations simply don’t have the ability to provide all the answers from the top down, they say. It’s critical to teach your employees how to think through problems on their own. The master of … Continue reading Asking Good Questions to Get Better Results
“I’m afraid being a jerk isn’t against the law, even if we wish it could be.” That’s a quote from yours truly when I worked as an executive for a regional nonprofit organization. I sometimes heard from employees outside my division, asking for advice on whether they should file a formal grievance about their boss. … Continue reading Being a Jerk is Not Against the Law (even if we think it should be)
There are two kinds of safety leaders are responsible for in the workplace. Physical safety is one of them: making sure that employees’ health and wellbeing are important priorities (the pandemic changed what used to be a low priority in most settings to the primary issue in almost every industry.) Workers also want to know … Continue reading Feeling Safe at Work
Your Work, Your Way 