Once upon a time, “Multitasker Extraordinaire” was the big, shiny badge we all wanted to wear. We thought we could be super-human, combining conference calls with writing a report while reading some juicy online gossip. Or watching TV while spending “quality time” with our family. And now add smartphones to the mix… and we can’t […]
Certainty is highly prized by our brains. So much of what we do and say is aimed at creating certainty for ourselves, or projecting an aura of certainty for others to see. We often avoid uncertainty, because it can activate the threat-avoidance part of our brains. The problem is usually not the uncertainty itself, but
Why we need to ditch certainty and embrace uncertainty Read More »
There’s a simple truth in life that I have encountered too many times to count… If I want to be any good at anything, first of all, I have to be willing to be bad at it. Learning and skill development are processes, not instant-gratification. So, instead of giving up on something if I don’t
If you want to be good at something, first you’ve got to be bad Read More »
There are many factors that go into creating success, from talent to resources to committed action. One-off successes can be achieved relatively effortlessly – but ongoing, sustained success takes thoughtful leadership and careful management. And recognition is a golden opportunity to turbo-charge success and make it sustainable over the long-term. The sad thing is that
Recognition – how to turbo-charge success Read More »
So much has been written about work-life balance, but there are a number of problems with the concept. Work-life harmony offers a framework that acknowledges there is no one-size-fits-all approach for people and situations. Definitions Before we go any further, let’s look at some definitions: Balance Balance requires us to know the relative “weight” or
Work-life balance or work-life harmony? Read More »
I love my work. I love the flexibility to choose my hours and the interesting and fun projects and activities I get to do for my clients. But I was recently reminded that passion doesn’t excuse us from needing to look after ourselves. We still must actively choose to balance effort and ease, labour and
Burnout or balance: which will you choose? Read More »
If you’re like me, you have sat in countless training sessions or performance reviews being told to identify your weaknesses and develop strategies to compensate for or overcome them. Did anyone ever tell you to focus on your strengths? It seems to be a totally foreign concept in most workplaces. But focusing on strengths will
Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses Read More »
It starts with that familiar sinking feeling, as we scurry around trying to do the million things on our mental “to-do” list, and instantly think of another twenty tasks to add. Or we stare at a blank page, too stressed to know where to start writing a list of everything we have to do. Either
Seven steps to turn your “to-do” list into an “achieved” list Read More »
Respect for all people is foundational to my personal values and my business philosophy. I believe that every human being is worthy of respect. And I have seen time and time again that respect produces results.
Respect – a foundational value Read More »
We live in a culture that worships talent as the path to success. Have you heard people describe someone at the top of their game as a “freak”, a “genius”, or a “natural”? Or heard their performance described as “effortless” or “magical”? We come unstuck when we believe that natural talent is the key to
Success – what matters more, talent or hard work? Read More »
