Work, success, and meaning at every stage of your career
A recent Wall Street Journal article is titled “Stop Asking ‘What Do You Do.’” Writer Joanne Lipman says the almost-exclusively American conversation opener is a holdover from our Protestant work ethic roots. But for those who may be going through a transitional phase (like a layoff) or who are choosing differently (like a stay-at-home parent) … Continue reading What Do You Do?
Arthur Brooks, writing for The Atlantic, says that compliments are an important part of how we communicate with each other. They’re a big part of the positive remarks that boost the self-esteem of the receiver and keep work and personal relationships warm and productive. Relationship experts gauge the future success of couples by the ratio … Continue reading Compliments that Matter. BTW, I love your shirt.
Writing for Inc. Magazine online, workforce performance expert Henna Pryor made up a term that is not only poetic, but useful for any leader. She says “birdsong leadership” is a way to make your employees feel safer and become more productive. She writes, “I was listening to the birds on my back porch last week … Continue reading Lead Like a Bird
In this post and this post, I wrote about Katherine Morgan Schafler, who has authored a book that’s changing my life. In The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power, she frees up perfectionists to lean into their perfectionism as long as it’s doing no harm (more on that in future … Continue reading The Procrastinating Perfectionist
In a previous post, I wrote about Katherine Morgan Schafler, who has written a book that’s changing my life. In The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power, she frees up perfectionists to lean into their perfectionism as long as it’s doing no harm (more on that in future posts.) Schafler … Continue reading The Parisian Perfectionist
(Cambridge Dictionary) Perfectionist; /pərˈfek·ʃə·nɪst/ noun. A person who wants very much to get every detail exactly right. (My version) A person who needs to get everything exactly right. Every time. All the time. For years, I’ve been asking the wrong question. I’ve been told that my perfectionism wasn’t healthy. It was a bit…obsessive. A bit…too much. A bit… annoying. So I have … Continue reading Perfectionism is my Superpower
There’s one interview I’ll never forget. I was hiring for a business services associate position. All the candidates we saw were polished, professional, and educated, and they were easy to talk to. The last interview of the day was with a woman in her 40s who looked great on paper and better in person. After … Continue reading Recovering From Being Fired
When you ask someone what makes a good leader, plenty of qualities come to mind. Confidence, authority, gravitas, fairness, and empathy are a few I’ve heard recently. But even more important than how a leader presents themselves is how they think. Writing for The Big Think.com, Donna Wiggs cites psychologist and science journalist Adam Grant, author … Continue reading Leadership Thinking
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
If you’ve ever been assigned to a business project, you’ve probably heard of a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses (both internal factors) Opportunities and Threats (both external factors.) In an online article for SmartBrief, Denise Lee Yohn suggests you perform your own SWOT analysis to uncover new insights and help you become your … Continue reading Your Personal SWOT Analysis
Your Work, Your Way 