Savoring and Rumination Part 3: Building a Conscious Savoring Practice
In Part 1 of this series, I introduced savoring and rumination as two sides of the same cognitive-emotional coin. In Part 2 we explored three strategies to reduce the damaging habit of rumination. Now in the third, and final, installment of this blog series I’ll share some ways to practice “conscious savoring”. While rumination comes […]
Becoming a Non-Anxious Leader
We live in an age of anxiety, and it is contagious. One of the most common self-defeating patterns I see in the leaders I coach is a failure to distinguish anxiety from legitimate urgency. You may be asking yourself: What’s the difference? Here’s how I define the two: Anxiety is an emotional state — often […]
Part 4 – Leading Better Meetings: Identifying Problem Behavior
People don’t hate meetings because they are inherently horrible. They hate meetings that are poorly led – especially when it comes to tolerating problematic behavior. I define “problem behavior” as a pattern of participation, often unconscious and habitual, that distracts from the purpose of the meeting and undermines productivity. How often do you see the […]
Are You an Over-functioning Leader? Part 2: Understanding Why
In Part 1 of this blog series I outlined “over-functioning” in the workplace and invited you to assess whether you may be attempting to help in ways that are not-so-helpful. We also explored some of the subsequent costs to you, your people, and your organization. Why do leaders over-function? Most leaders who over-function have been […]
Are You an Over-functioning Leader? Part 1: Looking in the Mirror
Several years ago I served on the board of directors of a non-profit organization I co-founded. Fueled by my passion for the organization’s mission, I would often be the first to volunteer for a project and was by far the most enthusiastic and prolific fundraiser. My impulse to immediately jump in made it easy for […]
Creating a Culture of Appreciation
Many of us work in organizations with high-achievement cultures and are ourselves driven by achieving meaningful goals. However, there is a shadow-side to the high-achievement mindset: First, it often focuses on perceived deficits – where did we fall short? Second, those of us who are achievement-oriented are prone to quickly move on to the next […]
Do You REALLY “Get” Them?
If you are going to lead – truly lead a team – there is one thing your people must believe and say about you; “my leader gets me”. This phrase is shorthand for: You know what motivates them to show up each day. You seek to understand and affirm their feelings and perspectives. You take […]
Ten Ways to Be an Exceptional Facilitative Leader
In our work and volunteer lives, meetings tend to get a “bad wrap”. But, bringing people together in person – and virtually – is still the most powerful way to accomplish shared goals. When we participate in meetings, we want the time spent to feel important, productive, and energizing. After gathering with others, we want […]
Dancing With Surprises
Several years back I had the opportunity to work with a co-op founded by a group of artists who had all formerly experienced homelessness. I was invited to facilitate a strategic planning meeting involving the entire co-op membership. We met in their rented warehouse on Skid Row in Los Angeles. One key question facing these […]
Making the Case for Change
When it comes to organizational change, sometimes it’s hard to know how to begin. How do you assess if people are ready? How do you identify potential resistance? How can you motivate people to commit to a new direction? How might you engage them in shaping the future? People resist change for many reasons, including: […]