In our work, we are having many discussions about the value of diversity. There is clearly a belief that diversity is a good thing, but many people don’t know exactly why. So, we wanted to provide you with some new research. We’re at a time in our nation where there’s much division, anger, and fear. One of the areas of significant debate is the value of racial and ethnic diversity. So, it’s exciting to see this new research in…
David came into the room and seemed almost depressed. He said that he’d met with a colleague and the colleague had told him that it was hard for him that David has it “so easy in life.” David is a smart, articulate, handsome man who can wear just about anything and look like he walked out of the men’s magazine, GQ. He has a warmth about him that endears him to others, and he brings great insight to his company meetings. …
Over the last two weeks, we’ve been talking about the power of questions: The Right Questions Can Change Your Life and The Bones of a Great Question. Our articles have sparked requests from some of you asking if we could give examples of questions to ask. So, today, we’re doing just that. We’re sharing some great examples of questions that you can use to create engaging and connecting conversations. We’ve put them under a range of headings but don’t get stuck…
Last week we talked about how The Right Questions Can Change Your Life. As you might imagine, given our belief in questions, we’re always trying to figure out the right ones to create engagement, ownership, and passion. Inviting these into your conversations brings about collaboration and partnership which is transformative in work, family, and community relationships. So, what goes into figuring out the right questions? Get clear about your goals for the conversation Most of us are moving so fast we…
In our roles as consultants and coaches, we’ve come to understand that finding the right question in a conversation with a leader, a team, or even an entire organization can be a game changer. The right question grabs people’s attention, it helps them see and think in new ways, and it demonstrates genuine interest in their wisdom and perspective. Let’s go through that list in more detail. The right question: Grabs people’s attention. So often when we’re in discussion, we…
At Carpenter Smith Consulting, we’re passionate about supporting you in creating success and satisfaction in your leadership, your work, and your world. And, to do that, we know that you need to take care of yourself. No self = no success or satisfaction. So, this week we want to encourage you to read this thought-provoking article in the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology, Life-Saving Relationships by Kirsten Weir, March 2018, p 46 – 53. The author does a great…
This is Linda writing to you today about something that recently happened with me. Last week, I shared with the executive assistant at a client’s office that, “This morning, I hate everyone!” The EA’s response? “I do too, this morning!” As I was sharing this experience with the team at CSC, I laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t hate you guys . . . yet.” Again, we all laughed but recognized that there are days when…
In the USA it’s Labor Day, a time each year when we, as a country, recognize the contributions that workers have made to the success, strength, and well-being of our country. Our last few posts have been focused on the challenges people face when working. Last week, we offered some coaching in “It’s All About Teamwork”. Since that post we’ve heard from a number of you asking what the word teamwork even means in our current work world. So today, we…
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about leadership, and how to handle a situation if you become labeled the problem, and then how to stay engaged and not take others’ actions and reactions personally. Today, we’d like to continue the conversation with some thoughts about the importance of teamwork. While personal talents and individual contributions are vital elements of organizational success, your ability to engage collaboratively on a team, and contribute to a successful team outcome is…
Last week, we talked about how to handle a situation if you become labeled the problem. We heard from many of you that similar scenarios had played out in your lives and that you were hurt by the experience. So today, we’re expanding last week’s post to talk more about this issue. We know it doesn’t feel this way, but it’s important to remember that most of the time other people’s actions and reactions are not personal to you. Other…