reverence

Are You Believing in Your Own Vast Potential?

December 6, 2011

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.
- Martin Luther King Jr
I was going on as usual the other day about my belief in the vast potential of human beings.  And [...]

Read the full article →

The Trap of “Not Enough”

November 23, 2011
Thumbnail image for The Trap of “Not Enough”

I read a great article yesterday about how we define “enough,” and how it colors so many aspects of our life.
Though the article was not Thanksgiving-related it helped remind me that being caught up in what I lack distracts me from being grateful for what I have. And there is so much to be grateful [...]

Read the full article →

Humans: Are You Getting More Respect Than You Need?

September 13, 2011
Thumbnail image for Humans: Are You Getting More Respect Than You Need?

Many years ago a colleague leading a training class asked us this as we started, “Who here can say they are getting more respect than they need?”  Can you imagine a world where that was the case – getting more respect than you need?  Is that possible?
And in my singularly focused way, can you imagine [...]

Read the full article →

Treating People at Work Humanly – part 57 (She Just Won’t Get Off the Subject…)

August 23, 2011
Thumbnail image for Treating People at Work Humanly – part 57 (She Just Won’t Get Off the Subject…)

Yes, I said “humanly,” not humanely.  Humane treatment to me means the minimum standard, such as providing breaks, water and bathrooms.
No, I’m challenging you to take it a step further and go beyond biological needs, to higher-level human needs, such as the need to be seen, to know somebody has your back, to know there [...]

Read the full article →

Human Capital. How Inspir…zzzzzzz

August 9, 2011
Thumbnail image for Human Capital. How Inspir…zzzzzzz

We as managers often use the term, “Human Capital,” without a second thought.
A financial term, I understand the need for it and yet it puts us in a potentially harmful mindset, objectifying those who are employed to get work done —also known as human beings.
Not only can objectifying be harmful from a human dignity standpoint, [...]

Read the full article →

As a Leader, Can We Count on You?

June 1, 2011
Thumbnail image for As a Leader, Can We Count on You?

Featuring poem, “For a Leader” by John O’Donohue
I wasn’t much of a leader yesterday. It totally got by me that I missed my weekly post and email distribution.
It might not be a big deal to you, but continuity, reliability and people knowing how they can count on me is a big deal — and in [...]

Read the full article →

Why “Posing” at Leadership is Sort of Like Being an IRS Automated Menu

October 20, 2010
Thumbnail image for Why “Posing” at Leadership is Sort of Like Being an IRS Automated Menu

I called the IRS today to ask about the status of a refund I’m due, for an amended return for 2008. Do you know that there is not a selection in their automated menu for that? Duh.
I heard SO many permutations of options, but alas, my concern was not one of them. [...]

Read the full article →

Leaders: Stop Being So Responsible

October 19, 2010
Thumbnail image for Leaders: Stop Being So Responsible

I want to admit right up front,  when I was a corporate employee, I was mouthy.
Several years ago I was meeting with my boss about me potentially becoming a supervisor.  He started telling me what he liked least about being a supervisor.
He said, “giving people bad news,” because it was just so [...]

Read the full article →

Managers: What Are You Putting Up With?

October 17, 2010
Thumbnail image for Managers: What Are You Putting Up With?

What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? George Eliot
I was on one of my typical rants a few weeks ago with a colleague. I was trying to convey how employees today are depleted by the increasing rate of requests that seem to be 1) the [...]

Read the full article →

Posturing is Not Leadership – “Make It Make Sense to Them” Repurposed

October 16, 2010
Thumbnail image for Posturing is Not Leadership – “Make It Make Sense to Them” Repurposed

Last week, my colleague, Jennifer V Miller asked us to contemplate this thought from Tom DeMarko:
“Leadership needs to be distinguished from posturing.”
Posturing, posing, pretending – whatever you call it, not only does it not look good, but it can create a significant dent in your credibility and your employees’ willingness to follow your lead.
The thought [...]

Read the full article →

Small is the New Big at Work

March 29, 2010
Thumbnail image for Small is the New Big at Work

My new Facebook buddy, Anthony McCann recently shared an article from TimesOnline.com, titled, “Small is Beautiful in the New Capitalism.“  Now, granted the article is about small business and entrepreneurs, but I think larger corporations can learn something from it too.
“If I’m going to produce something, it should do something really good,” says fashion mogul, [...]

Read the full article →

Q&A Continues – 2010 – Best Year Ever??

January 7, 2010
Thumbnail image for Q&A Continues – 2010 – Best Year Ever??

My good buddy and fellow freak flag flier, Joe Gerstandt, and I occasionally exchange Q and A posts.  We embarked on this as an experiment and I will claim this as one of the most successful for 2009.
Joe has a list on his site titled: Big Brains, Fat Hearts and Warm Souls – and [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries