We all experience different cultures at work. Often, those cultures are a cause of frustration. Every time we face frustration, the way we think about it, not the event itself, determines how frustrated we feel and how effectively we respond. Most people are unaware that they continuously and unconsciously answer the question, “Why am I frustrated?” You Read More
In my last blog post, I promised actionable steps on how you can take personal responsibility for improving your own communication behavior. A good start is by following the acronym, LISTEN. Look interested – Get interested. Give your full attention to the speaker. Look them in their eyes (don’t stare) and truly listen to what Read More
Did you know that of all workplace problems, communication is the most frequently cited as a complaint among workers–employees and managers alike? How many on the following list apply to you? 1. While communicating with others, you appear distracted by texting, picking up and straightening your office, or fiddling with other duties and responsibilities. (The Read More
Many years ago, there was a man who lived in a small town with his wife and two children. He had heard of a place called Paradise that he wanted to visit. It was a place of peace and harmony; a place of comfort and care. Each morning, as he ate his breakfast, he dreamed of Read More
Over the last few weeks, I’ve received calls from managers who want help fixing a “problem employee”. The verb “fix” means: to mend or correct something. The implication is that the employee is broken and needs repair. What I have discovered in these situations is that it is not the employee who is broken, but Read More
Occasionally, people complain about how often others fail to follow their instructions. I was having coffee with a business colleague and he was telling me how frustrated he was by the fact that some members of his team don’t report for work on time. He remarked, “No one ever had to tell me to be Read More
Earlier this week, I attended an event where we examined failure. This is certainly not a topic that is often discussed. As we were talking about it, someone mentioned to me the old adage, Inch by inch, life’s a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard. When we think about goals, they can seem big Read More
Earlier this week, I had the privilege of facilitating a discussion with a group of supervisors from various companies on “Time Mastery”. When I present on this topic, I share Stephen Covey’s time management matrix. I have the group identify activities that fall in each of the 4 quadrants. (If you aren’t familiar with this matrix, Read More
As an EAP, we respond when disaster strikes – the death of an employee due to a traffic accident, suicide of an employee, serious injury from an industrial accident, an employee receiving a life threatening diagnosis are just a few examples of the situations that we have been called upon to help employers. We know having Read More
If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you know I enjoy reading. Last weekend, I downloaded a new book to my Kindle app – The Secrets Leaders Keep: Insightful Stories And Provocative Questions That Unlock The Hidden Secrets To Winning Big In Business And Life by AmyK Hutchens. One of the stories Read More
