We are in uncharted territory in these COVID-19 times, but can still learn from the past. The last World Pandemic we had was the Spanish Flu in 1918. So, I thought I would interview my two grandfathers who were born in the 1890s and lived through this. What can we learn from their experiences? My paternal grandfather, M. E. Sheehan, essentially invented the gig … [Read more...] about Lessons from the Spanish Flu Era
Resilience
Have a Mindful Day
Would you like to make better decisions? Have healthier relationships with co-workers, family, and friends? Lower your stress and blood pressure? Remain more focused in this very distracting world we navigate each day? If you answered “yes” to any of these, then I encourage you to check out Laurie Cameron’s book, The Mindful Day. Laurie is a former consultant … [Read more...] about Have a Mindful Day
A Better Approach to Grief
As a Manager, what do you do when a work colleague loses a loved one? You’re uncomfortable just reading that, aren’t you? I’m uncomfortable writing it. A recent article in Harvard Business Review* suggests that we need to rethink how we treat one another at work when a loved one dies. In the view of the authors, most Managers simply leave the grieving colleague alone … [Read more...] about A Better Approach to Grief
Leverage Positive Feedback
As recently discussed in this blog space, we all vividly remember negative feedback we receive – and it can be tough to deal with. But what about positive feedback? All too often we just say “thanks” and move on when we receive positive feedback. We kind of discount it. This can be a lost learning opportunity. One of the most important things we can learn about … [Read more...] about Leverage Positive Feedback
Have You Been “FeedSmacked” Lately?
Sometimes it comes out of the blue, perhaps in a meeting from a senior leader everyone respects: “That is the worst, most thoughtless idea I have ever heard.” Ouch! Other times it may be in the dreaded performance review: “The input I am getting on you is that you are manipulative and don’t care about others.” Whoa! Whether you think the source of the “FeedSmack” is … [Read more...] about Have You Been “FeedSmacked” Lately?