Be the leader you’ve been searching for. Why not you? Why not now?
It’s easy to complain about a lack of leadership – in our workplace, the community where we live, or our country. It’s easier to sit in the stands and criticize than to be a player on the ice. Complaining is a way to keep ourselves safe so we don’t have to do the work required […]
Replacing Perfectionism with Being Human
I’ve spent a good deal of my life trying to be the best at everything I do – at school, in sports, in my work – in every part of my life. While this drive for perfection has led to the achievement of many goals, it has also contributed to much tension and stress in […]
Leadership is not always easy, but it’s worth it.
Here are a few ways that indicate you are doing a good job as a leader – even when it feels like you may not be. Connection. People initiate a connection with you. They come into your office. They reach out to you. They seek your advice. Initiating connection is an indication of trust. Results. […]
Simple Art of Living
Nellie McClung is regarded as one of Canada’s most prominent suffragists, helping to grant women the vote in Alberta and Manitoba in 1916. In my library I have a book written by Ms. McClung, published in 1930, titled Be Good To Yourself, personally signed to my grandparents. Here’s a quote from page four: “We are […]
Burnout, Leadership, and the Tyranny of the Transactions
Every job has a transactional aspect and a transformational aspect. The transactional aspect deals with such issues as budgeting, planning, performance management, and administration. The transformational side of management is about inspiring, connecting, mentoring, and visioning. Every job has both of these components. Even in the case of a grocery store clerk, the transactional side […]
We all have blind spots
Despite our sincere efforts to be a good leader, we all have blind spots – behaviors that are harmful to our leadership and we are unaware of. And because we don’t see them, we just keep managing the demands in front of us, with our blind spots leaving a destructive wake. Just as there is […]
The Power of Accountability Partners
For the past forty years, I’ve been helping people make changes in their life. Rarely, if ever, do I see lasting change without support and some accountability from others. It’s just too easy to drift back to familiar patterns and habits when we attempt to make changes on our own. Years ago I came across […]
Leadership – Connecting Is At The Core
Life depends on connections, and the quality of your life depends on the quality of your connections. Every system depends on connections. Circulatory systems, nervous systems, organizational systems, ecosystems, family systems. You name it – it’s about connection. If you can’t make a connection, not much else matters. All the people in my life that […]
How To Help A Team Member Who’s Experiencing Anxiety
Recognizing when a colleague or employee is struggling with mental health challenges can be vital to making sure they get the support they need in a timely manner. Helping them to work through anxiety in a caring way is also better for productivity. Employees who feel respected and supported are more likely to thrive in […]
What’s The Difference Between “Value Statements” and Real “Values?”
A senior manager recently told me how her boss criticized their work to a contractor she had hired without speaking with her first. Because the values in the company included respect, open communication, and collaboration, she respectfully approached him about her feelings and a proposed plan of action going forward. He abruptly dismissed her, saying […]
