Recently, I was faced with a moment of choice. I was with a group of friends, and the topic of a colleague we all know came up. In the past, I have joined the group in what was essentially a gossip session about this person with whom we all have a challenging relationship. But I have made a commitment to …
The Myth about Emotions
Myth: All emotions will fall into a category of either “good” or “bad.” A lot of professionals I’ve met believe that feelings like excitement, love, and joy are “good” emotions, but emotions like anger, sadness, and jealousy are categorized as “bad.” Truth: Emotions are neutral. They are signals from our body or mind. They are an internal, personal response to …
The Connected Team
Teambuilding. Team Bonding. Team Spirit. You’ve heard these terms before. You may have invested money on events for your team to create these things. It may or may not have been worth the money. So, should you be paying attention to and investing money in these things? That depends. I’m seeing a lot of uncertainty in the workplace right now, …
Who’s in Your Boat?
My recently retired colleague, Judy Kay Mausolf, used three categories to identify levels of employee engagement and attitude. Identifying which ones you have on your team (and which one you are operating as yourself) can be helpful in determining how you will reach your goals. Imagine your company as a large boat, navigating the ocean of business with all of …
Something to Look Forward to
A few years ago, one of my business coaches, Mark LeBlanc, gave me a piece of advice as I was creating my strategic business plan: Always have something you’re really looking forward to on your calendar, even if it’s months (or even years) away. He contended it would help to balance my energy on the days when life and work …
Your Best Investment in 2026
According to Gallup’s research on workplace engagement, there is one statistic that should impact where you invest your training dollars in 2026: Poor managers are responsible for 70% of employees being disengaged in the workplace. That number deserves attention. It means the difference between your most productive employees and your least productive is one thing: their manager—not the mission statement, …
The Magic Confrontation Combo
Raise your hand if you love conflict or confrontation? I frequently ask that question in groups I speak to and teams I coach, and usually one or two people will raise their hand. These are typically people who love a challenge or, in some cases, love “the fight” as they see it. Nothing wrong with it, just not how most …
So That
Sometimes, people will do things because they have to even if they don’t really want to, often to avoid a negative outcome. Teenagers will put their seat belts on, not because they want to or because they feel it will keep them safe but so they won’t get a ticket. A team member adds one more thing to their daily …
Mining the Gold in Every Complaint
I truly believe I am a naturally positive person, but, even so, as hard as I try, it’s difficult not to complain from time to time about something. I found out just how hard it is a few years ago when I read the book The No-Complaining Rule by Jon Gordon. It was a good, short read about how much …
Legacy
Today would have been my mother’s 85th birthday. Sadly, she died unexpectedly 10 years ago. Her birthday always brings back a flood of memories which seem to accentuate how much I miss her. My mother left me with many lessons and moments of wisdom, but, as I celebrate her life and her impact on mine this week, a very specific …
