One of the more challenging aspects of being a human is that we have the ability to cognitively understand the need to change and what needs to happen to bring about a change, but we struggle with practicing the behaviors that will actually sustain the change. Often, we hope that change will occur without us actually changing. Ah, humans. We are a funny species. We tell ourselves that because we understand that we need to change and because we understand…
One of the things we regularly remind our clients is that everything is a communication. And by that we mean, everything. What you wear, how you stand, how fast you talk, what your eyes do as you listen, how quickly you return a call or email, how you set up your office… you get the picture. And, that means that if everything is a communication, so is silence even though you may have believed it is a lack of communication. As…
Here we are once more, on the brink of a New Year. We are entering this New Year having just experienced a heart-breaking end to the old. And yet, we would encourage you to look forward with commitment to growing in your ability to love and be connected – to yourself and your sense of purpose, to your family and their success, and to your world and its commitment to caring for all people. In George Valliant’s new book,…
Here we are again – it’s the holidays. We are already being bombarded by ads online, on TV, in the paper, on buses, even in bathroom stalls to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales. Buy, buy, buy and you will be happy. But what we know is that consuming does not make us happy. It provides us a sense of satisfaction for a moment and then we are on to the next thing looking to feel filled-up. …
We had a different post prepared for today, but in light of the tragedies in both Oregon and Connecticut, it seems important to devote this week to the power, and importance, of your leadership to the healing of our world. There is, in each of us, a leader. We urge you to bring the leader in you forward and offer your voice to help build and maintain healthy: streets, neighborhoods, communities, friends, co-workers, and family. By bringing…
There was an advertisement on the radio recently and they opened by saying, “No matter what’s happening in the world, your world is still happening.” We don’t remember what they were trying to sell but we did think that the statement captured an important nugget of truth. Often, as we work with leaders, of all walks of life, they will say things that diminish the importance of their stress, their pace, their health, in short, their lives. …
It’s that time of year again, when you will likely be invited to holiday events, see friends and family in celebration of the holidays, or you may participate in a community effort to help those in need. As you connect with people, whether you haven’t seen them in a while or are just meeting them, it’s an opportunity to teach them who you are and what they can trust about knowing you. In the product world, that is…
While we may not always know it, we are all hard-wired to want to be seen and heard. It starts immediately upon our entry into this world and if you ever doubt it, just watch a young child in a restaurant engaging most of the diners within 10 feet and getting them to smile and make faces for them. Being seen and heard is so important to our physical and neurological growth that babies that are not smiled at and…
People often seek executive coaching when they are stuck in a particular way of doing something or thinking about something that no longer works for them. They are, as it were, seeing the world from a perspective that isn’t moving them forward or connecting them with others in ways that they believe is best. We recently met with a VP of IT who described being irritable, angry and short with family and colleagues. He was focused on all that…
Last spring, we had the privilege of being in Rwanda, Africa for 3 weeks. It was striking to see how much the people of Rwanda had to work with one another just to live – because in Africa, it is work to live. It was stunning how hard it was and yet the harshness highlighted the joys that can be found daily in life and human connection. Here at home, we meet with people all the time who do just the opposite, they…