Windows to The Soul #46 Eye contact. For some it’s easy, for others, it’s uncomfortable. I was working with a team today learning about communication. We did a brief exercise which involved one minute of eye contact. Nothing more, simply eye contact. Once completed, the participants discussed their experiences. It’s always interesting to hear the range of what’s occurred for…
The Right way to Resolve Conflict #45 Conflict. No one likes it; some provoke or evoke it, and some avoid it like the plague. The word itself triggers people and causes a reaction; often protection, defensiveness, or counter-attack are the methods. We brace for it and nervously laugh or fidget when it is present or needing to happen. It can…
Choosing Hope #44 I was going to bed just now, as I am consciously working on getting 6.5 hours of sleep each night. I’ve got a few minutes before that will be too late. I jumped out of bed, because this message was nagging at me as I was attempting to relax for the anticipated rest. And I couldn’t do…
Becoming Mindful Together #43 I do the Whole Life Challenge every 6 weeks. I started in 2018, so I’m on my 6th round of participation on a team. If you’re unfamiliar, you can check it out here. It’s basically 6 weeks of becoming mindful in 7 habits. I have a love/hate relationship with the challenge. What I love: “Playing” with…
3 Lessons From a Work/Vacation Clarity Break #42 Though I will likely write more about Pearl Harbor and the Memorials, I thought it would be too heavy and for those uninterested, would alienate you entirely. As I like to say, when you create the space, you have the space to create. Lesson #1 – When you are ready to be…
Reflections from Pearl Harbor #41 Some of you may not want to read this, it’s a different type of post. It’s a recap of our visit to the USS Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor which was a sobering experience to say the least. Thoughts of all who’ve served, as well as my Dad and brother (who were both in the…
Here’s to the Crazy Ones #40 Possibly my favorite quote and one of my favorite ad campaigns ever is Apple’s “Think Different” campaign. Visit the YESS! offices, and you’ll see every one of the campaign posters I’ve been able to collect, which I treasure. I’ve read this quote to leadership teams, my family and groups in trainings I’ve led. It’s…
Great Leadership Requires Vulnerability #39 When you’re on an island in the middle of the ocean and you realize Mother Nature would decimate you with just one storm, that’s vulnerability. Knowing you’d be helpless when the storms rose and approached the shore, you realize your power is limited. It’s limited to your choices, your options and the number of flights…
Knowing is the Booby Prize #38 If you’ve woken up at 2am with your brain running and your to-do list building, if you sometimes feel more like a fire fighter than a leader, if you’ve ever missed a meaningful event last-minute with family or friends because work was chaotic and you were the only one who could “fix it,” then…
Something to Look Forward To #37 It’s amazing to anticipate the future and then enjoy it. Sometimes, you’re looking forward to an event: a vacation, dinner with a love interest, an anniversary, a movie, concert, time alone, reading a good book or anything else you don’t have the luxury of doing often. It puts your present mindset in a space…