If you are a manager or leader, and you feel disappointed in a person or team’s performance, belittling and browbeating simply will NOT work to increase long-term performance. You may get short-term improvement, but you will not get sustainable change. In fact, you’ll have the opposite impact. You’ll undermine trust and kill motivation, potentially driving […]
Recently I was listening to Good Life Project podcast by Jonathan Fields. The topic was on taking social risks, and in his podcast, he recounted a story about a time he took a social risk and the positive impact that it had on his life. During his story, he mentioned the natural orientation of […]
Recently I was listening to Good Life Project podcast by Jonathan Fields. The topic was on taking social risks, and in his podcast, he recounted a story about a time he took a social risk and the positive impact that it had on his life. During his story, he mentioned the natural orientation of […]
In the pursuit of mastery, we often find ourselves immersed in the nuances of tradition and protocol. But what if true mastery lies not just in knowing the rules, but in having the audacity to break them? As I reflect on the journey of mastering any craft, I’m reminded of the profound truth that innovation […]
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had conversations with people about their work where they are bothered by something, want something to change, have an uneasy feeling about something, or outright feel something unethical is happening, and yet when pressed, they offer things like, “it’s above my paygrade to say anything”, “that’s someone […]
Yesterday I introduced the concept of “Competently Courageous” (an idea coined by James Detert in his research on risk). But you ask, HOW do I become COMPETENTLY COURAGEOUS, especially if I want to ensure ethical behavior that aligns with strongly held values and beliefs? An intentional step that you can begin to develop TODAY is […]
Has anyone ever said anything that rocked you to your core?Several years ago I was having a conversation with a colleague. I made a comment about an effort we were working on, and they looked at me and said (with a not-so-kind tone), “NOTHING is ever good enough for you!” I was so taken off […]
A few days ago, I introduced the idea of being “Competently Courageous” (from James Detert’s research on risk-taking). This means that you can learn skills that help you take more frequent and more effective risks on your path to living and leading courageously.Another tool you can add to your risk-taking toolbox is to develop plans […]
When my kids were little, there would be an occassional tantrum. I always chose my battles carefully because not every hill was worth dying on. In fact, I would use that language with them, “…this is a hill I’m going to die on, and these gloves are going on your hands because it’s freezing outside”, […]
A few years ago, my family adopted a kitten from our local shelter. We didn’t know much about her background, but she came to us from a foster home that had treated her for an eye infection. I can only imagine that she had a difficult first few weeks. She was not an overly affectionate or trusting kitten, […]
