There are people who touch our lives and make a difference. We know it at the time. We value the relationship and know they’ve had an impact. But maybe we weren’t able to see exactly what they were doing at the time that was making such a difference. That was my experience with Pastor Joe. [...]
I’ve never been known for my hair. In fact it’s been a struggle most of my life and I even remember my mother apologizing that I “got her hair” – that stung! But on occasion as I put away the blow dryer I’m satisfied with the reflection in the mirror. Recently I had one of [...]
So every May we celebrate our Mothers. We tell them how much we love them and show our appreciation. As a mom, it’s a day I’ve always enjoyed - and honestly feel as if I’ve earned! I work hard all year long to support my family and make sure our household runs smoothly. So having [...]
I often hear about teams that don’t work well together. A leader or manager will tell me about team members that don’t get along, or someone who’s not “pulling their weight” and it’s causing problems on the team. Certainly there are team members who can be disruptive – and other times it’s the team leader. [...]
Where do leaders come from? And how do people become good leaders? For a few it just happens. They have natural talents and abilities - they are inquisitive and self-reflective - they have high emotional intelligence. But for most it’s because an investment was made in them. Someone took an interest in them, guided them, [...]
On a recent visit to an ambulatory surgery center with my daughter I found myself curious about how “current” the surgeon was on the procedure she was about to perform. It was evident that state of the art equipment had been installed in the pre-op suite. A roll across the forehead takes one’s temperature. A [...]
The dreaded performance review! There are very few managers or employees that look forward to performance reviews. But maybe that’s because they are focused in all the wrong places. Instead of focusing on the past – looking back at last year - shift your focus. Focus forward! Where is the organization headed? Where is your [...]
Most everyone I work with is looking to improve their communication skills – and for most of us it’s effort worth making. How effective we are in our work and personal lives is often a factor of how well we communicate with others. So what to do? Step outside of yourself! Rather than thinking about [...]
I have always viewed being able to touch my toes as an indicator of my flexibility. And occasionally I’ve worked hard enough to be able to place my palms on the floor. Recently I’ve thought that this same level of stretching and flexibility is exactly what leaders need to be doing as they lead their [...]
All goals are not created equally. And no two employees are the same. So how do you establish goals that both challenge an employee and motivate them? When creating goals for your staff, go further than just making them SMART goals – consider their DiSC style and what drives them, as you create goals this [...]
