There is a Hindu proverb that compares the development of our character to the waves and sandbars on a lake. Wave after wave builds up and shapes the sandbars. Over time, however, the interaction between the waves and sandbars reverses. …
How often do you deal with interruptions at work on a given day? If you are like most of us, you have no idea, you just know that it’s a lot. Professor Gloria Mark at University of California, Irvine, conducted…
The best outcomes of confrontation are always associated with an honest and straightforward approach from the start. Confrontation anxiety or a flawed inner narrative about the other person’s motive for the behaviors we’re confronting may tempt us to begin with…
Some behaviors are undesirable and require confrontation. That’s true. But what is not necessarily true are our assumptions about WHY the person is behaving this way. And failure to check that about ourselves destroys this process before it gets started….
Into every life some stress must come! Things go wrong. Disappointment happens. Setbacks occur. Relationships get rocky. Conflicts pop up. Plans get derailed. Progress gets stopped. We make a mistake. Work gets undone. It’s going to happen. When those things…
While roaming the fairgrounds at the Iowa State Fair when I was a young teen, I was fascinated with a family that was offering elephant rides for five dollars. I found a spot in the shade and watched the elephant…
Long ago a little boy named Arthur became orphaned at five years old. His elderly aunt and uncle heard of his plight and journeyed three days through the thick forest to take him back with them and raise him as…
One of the core competencies of all management is the ability to delegate effectively. In fact, failure to do so, in almost every case, means failure at your job. Many new managers must overcome resistance to delegation, and reasons for…
When Thomas Edison was developing the light bulb reporters gave daily updates on his progress. One day, after several months and hundreds of failed attempts to find a material that would stand up to the heat generated by the current,…
Victimist Body Art? Victimist thinking is becoming commonplace, routine, and even expected. I was amazed the first time I saw a tattoo that read “Born to Lose.” I have observed lately that this belief has become all too common. I…