The script for ER sat on a shelf for nineteen years before it got picked up and made into a show. A show that lasted for fifteen seasons. A show that picked up 116 industry awards. And launched any number of careers. And it sat for 19 years – very close to having never been. How many other shows are still sitting on a shelf? Better yet – How many of your ideas are sitting on the shelf? It’s worth…
My most challenging interactions play out a lot like this. I’m a fixer. I want to get in and fix it (or if I can’t, I want to figure out how to motivate others to do it). As a result, this video called to me for two reasons: 1) It’s a reminder that we need to Listen More – sometimes, the conclusion we draw is not shared. Consequently, Empathy is best when we are not trying to insert our opinions…
We all need a way to deal with irrational feedback. I love how a group of Creatives in Ireland formed Creative Catharsis to handle that kind of feedback. They created hilarious posters featuring some of the ridiculous client feedback they had received over time. Some of these will be familiar if you’ve ever been a Creative. When you implement, you’ll want to create an outlet for handling the irrational elements. Creative outlets, like the one in Ireland, will not solve irrationality, but they will keep you sane….
“The grass is always greener” is a common phrase leveraged to combat employees fleeing a company. Often, that phrase is used to help employees understand that they may have an inflated perception of their new job offer. Like, beer goggles, but for jobs. It turns out it’s an actional Syndrome. If your employee is showing a “grass is always greener” rationale for leaving their job, there is actually another approach worth considering. What’s your Water? Many core aspects of one’s…
Sometimes you have it. And sometimes you don’t. Whether you present to your team or executives, or customers, there will be some failures. There will be days when you walk out of the presentation, and every part of your body sinks. In some cases, the pain is much earlier (during the presentation) or much later in the form of harsh feedback (well after the presentation). How do you handle that feeling? How do you take feedback – whether your own…
You’ve just been promoted into management – Congratulations, you’ve made it, right? You can just sit back and let everyone else do the work. Ummm. No. Aside from the fact that very few people actually want to be in middle management – it is now about the possibility of using your influence to benefit the organization. And it really doesn’t matter whether you’re now CEO or the lowest tier of management possible – there are a few inevitable truths about…
As a remote leader for the last 8 years of my career, I haven’t had the learning curve that some leaders find themselves on right now. Transitioning into a remote leader does require a re-tune. Organic moments in the office don’t happen unless you make them happen. And unless you have a sixth sense that crosses the space-time continuum, then you have to know what to focus on to do that. Forbes released a visual guide on five key things…
I really can’t stand team-building exercises. I always feel like it’s forced fun. And I’ve been through so many team activities from pasta making to ax throwing to go-kart racing; I feel like I have done it all. Are our teams any closer because of them? I have no idea. So when I heard we were going to do a virtual team meeting with another team-building exercise, I was thinking, “Here we go again.” And when I was told I…
‘Sort of’ is such a harmless thing to say. Sort of. It’s just a filler. Sort of. It doesn’t really mean anything. But after certain things, ‘Sort of’ means everything. Like after, ‘I love you’ or ‘You are going to live.’ — Demetri Martin The language you use can help you or harm you at work. The words you choose, the phrases you adopted along your journey, the types of things you choose to speak about – all matter. Do…
I once believed that for me to be great at my job, others had to be bad. Like it was a competition among my colleagues. I see it in others, too. I see it in a new staff member. He oozes this idea of greatness. But it’s a trick. Him being great has nothing to do with me. Or anybody else. And me being great has nothing to do with him. Or anybody else. We can both be great. Others…