My first job at the university newspaper was to write the back page of the next edition. It wasn't what I'd signed up for. I’d agreed to doing layout. Not happy! Still, I felt obligated. I remembered seeing this mini-poster showing all the grammatical uses of the ‘F’ word. You know, noun, verb, adjective, adverb etc. with examples. I was a teenager, so all is forgiven. I blew it up to full-page newspaper size and took the risk. Next week it was all over campus. The risk paid off. I was … [Read more...]
Story of a cancer survivor, what helps (and what doesn’t)
This story of a cancer survivor is mine. I'm now 12 years free from breast cancer. Thank goodness. I don't think I can use words to do justice to the experience of having a life-threatening illness with treatment that nearly kills you (so it kills the cancer) and has horrendous side effects. So, when someone found out what I'd been through they emailed me suggesting that: it may be good to discuss how supervisors/employers/co-workers can make this horrifying experience … [Read more...]
This Is For You If You Hate Confrontation
You're in a great mood. You just won a new client and you walk joyfully into the office with a spring in your step. Betty is the only one there, holding the fort. You're grateful, she's great at her job and she's in line for a promotion. But her promotion prospects are at risk because she's super moody. And today is one of those days where your good mood, once again, is quickly soured. She looks up and gives you 'The Look'. From what you know of Betty, this is the ‘Ask Me What’s Wrong’ … [Read more...]
Motivation – 5 easy ways to motivate yourself and your team
Source: REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico Motivation. It's great when you feel motivated. And when you don't? Well, it's exhausting and stressful to find yourself pushing and pushing to get things done. If you've ever struggled to motivate yourself (or your team) to perform, then why not take a leaf out of the late, great Steve Jobs book? Thankfully, as Steve seemed to intuitively know, there is an easier way to get motivated. Motivate with a compelling vision If you are working on something … [Read more...]
Dream team: Learn how one leader created her own
Everyone wants to be part of a dream team. If only they were easy to create and maintain. Some years back I was so inspired by Maryellen, a great leader who was running successful hybrid teams before they were commonplace. She so inspired me then that I decided to repost it today. I hope you find it helpful. The original post: Today is a first. It’s called Tales of the Leadership Field. Featuring brilliant leaders out there in the field. I don’t mean the ones we all know about from … [Read more...]
Servant Leadership
Are you a slave to servant leadership? It isn't about giving and giving and giving. Here's an example of getting it wrong. Jane (not her real name) was at the end of her tether. She'd busted her guts to get everyone nice, new office furniture. Nearly everyone was grateful. And they let Jane know: Thank you, this is so much better. It feels good to come here now. It looks nice and is comfortable too. With one exception. Betty. As usual, nothing seems to please her. Instead, … [Read more...]
What to do when you’re being white anted at work
Turns out 'white anting' is an Australian term. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, the verb means 'to subvert or undermine from within'. What is White Anting? It's namesake, the wood eating white ant (aka a termite), can’t survive in the open. That's why you don't usually see any sign of these pests until it's too late. When you discover the serious damage they've caused. One of my coaching clients had this inkling she was being white anted by one of her peers. Please take that gut feel … [Read more...]
Looking for mini-me’s… unconscious bias at work.
Unconscious bias at work. Gender stereotypes The Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition was fabulous. He's a man who did not conform to the stereotypes... luckily for us. Remember those conical breast corsets Madonna wore on her Blonde Ambition tour in 1990? Unforgettable. And in this exhibition, what struck me most wasn’t the talking mannequins that were mesmerising and quietly disconcerting. Nor the impeccable craftsmanship and innovative design, and the fact that I wanted to take some of the … [Read more...]
