Pygmalion Effect – A Leader’s Attitude and Expectation Set the Tone
In the book, Extreme Ownership, Leif Babin (a U.S. Navy SEAL officer who was a SEAL instructor overseeing the Junior Officer Training...
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- May 22, 2019
Fully Engaged – When Great Days at Work Feel Like MAGIC
According to DecisionWise (2018), “Employee engagement is an emotional state where we feel passionate, energetic, and committed to our...
- Jan 1, 2019
Going Through Your No’s Before Getting to Your Yes
One year ago on December 20, 2017, I flew half way across the U.S. to interview for a position at a very famous tech company in northern...
- Nov 11, 2018
The Three S’s (See, Surround, Set) to Overcoming Failure
SEE: See mistakes as learning opportunities and see yourself not as a victim One of my former college students shared this: “I have...
- Sep 2, 2018
An “Action Bias” Can Be Counterproductive
In a Wall Street Journal article, Staats (2018) writes, “we have an action bias: We would rather be seen doing something than doing...
- Aug 14, 2018
Self-Actualization: Realizing Your Potential
“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’” -John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892) When I read...
- Jul 31, 2018
Self-Regard: Warts & All
I’ve been thinking a lot about emotional intelligence and the Bar-On Model of Emotional-Social Intelligence. According to the Bar-On...
- Nov 5, 2017
Conversation Killers: Interrupt/Monopolize, Minimize/Discount, Oppose/Argue, and Not Pay Attention
There are four types of people who destroy and neutralize a conversation dead in its track. These types can be distinct but often I find...
- Sep 10, 2017
Does The Physical Workspace Have An Impact On Creativity?
I was asked by a writer for my thoughts about physical workspaces (e.g., open office layout, green landscapes, expansive views, etc.) and...
- Aug 13, 2017
The Many Benefits of Coaching Employees
“Coaching is helping another person reach higher levels of effectiveness by creating a dialogue that leads to awareness and action.”...
- Feb 1, 2017
Reasons Why People Resist or Support Organizational Change
“Change can generate deep resistance in people and in organizations, thus making it difficult, if not impossible, to implement...
- Jan 4, 2017
Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE)
Much of the original research on Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) came from the field of sociology. Two sociologists from University...
- Dec 18, 2016
To Deceive Using Truthful Statements is Called Paltering
Deceiving Others By Using the Truth Paltering is “an active form of deception that involves the use of truthful statements to convey a...
- Oct 12, 2016
Don’t Waste Time Trying To Discredit Others
Whether in my personal or professional life, when I observe myself and others around me, one of the biggest personal and professional...
- Apr 13, 2016
Giving Feedback Is Easy, Much Harder to Accept, Learn From, and Apply It
About 15 years ago, I was enrolled in a counseling psychology Master’s program. It was quite good and I learned a lot back then and...
- Jan 1, 2016
Don’t Have to Put Others Down To Feel Better About Ourselves
[Note: This post was updated July 2020 for freshness & clarity.] One consistent and recurring theme keeps appearing over and over again...
- Jul 7, 2015
Job Crafting: Shape, Mold, and Redefine Your Job
In his book, Drive (2011), Daniel Pink wrote that one of the motivating factors for employees is having the autonomy over four areas of...
- Jun 1, 2015
Stop Telling People You’re a “Thought Leader” Because You’re Not
Is Thought Leadership Old Wine In New Bottles? There are certain words/phrases that irk me to no end — thought leader or thought...
- Jul 26, 2014
I Will Teach My Daughter Not to Be Afraid
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world...
- Jun 10, 2014
10 Life Lessons from Basic SEAL Training from Admiral William H. McRaven
For those unable to watch the video on my blog, you can watch it directly on YouTube (University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement...
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