“Happy Black History Month!” Sometimes white people tiptoe around saying that. Wish you didn’t have to say it? Well, think about how black people feel. They probably don’t want to say it either. They probably wish that we learned about the history of everyone in this nation including African Americans. But nay, as a country we have failed to teach …
Guide Towards Career Fulfillment, Not a Stupid Job Title
As people professionals we often are tasked with helping guide our candidates and employees towards the right career paths. Often I find people are either chasing job titles or pushed into career development plans that they may not even be passionate about. One quick example – employees who strive for management positions when they actually don’t even like people. Many …
Talk to Difficult People Using… Science!
I was recently asked to give a presentation regarding how to communicate with difficult people. It’s a lofty ask. There are a multitude of ways to do this, and the probability of getting it right is pretty slim. I find that the best way to do this is to employ the good old Scientific Method. Think back to your 5th …
It’s Not Me, It’s You
People are going to leave your organization. Sure, you can say that they left because they found a new industry, they found their passion, or they just got bored. You can brush it off and refuse to take a look at the ins and outs of your business and benefits. While there will be a certain amount of folks who …
I’m An Impostor!
This one is going to feel like a therapy session. You’ve been warned. Read it anyway, because if you are successful professionally, you have probably fallen victim to the same affliction that 70% of us have – Impostor Syndrome. It sucks the success right out of us, robs us of our confidence, and tells us that we don’t deserve everything …
Don’t Drown! Rules For Success circa 1987
When I was a child in Maine, we lived on a lake. My parents were very conscious of the dangers regarding children and water, and so there were often conversations about how to stay safe. Four water safety rules still stand out. First, learn how to swim. We were swimming without a flotation device out to our float by the …
Creatively Critical and Critically Creative—A Different Way of Thinking
I recently had a wonderful conversation with a colleague who was asked to create a training program for our organization that would teach and foster “Critical Thinking”. The request makes perfect sense. We want to nurture the minds of our workforce so they are able to think critically. Or do we? Do we need more Critical Thinkers? Or, do we …
Talent & Vomit: An Analogy
I hope that everyone’s holiday was better than mine. I spent Christmas night curled up on the bathroom floor at my parents’ house. I had food poisoning. I spent 36 hours basically replaying that scene from Bridesmaids. It is comedy gold, until it happens to you. I still don’t know how my body was able to find that much content …
Let Me Buy U A Keystone
Ever heard of a Keystone Species? I’ll give you a hint, it is completely unrelated to that inexpensive beer that you drank in college. It’s a bio term first introduced in 1969 by Robert T. Paine (not the guy who will Buy U A Drank). The term was coined in 1969, but you could argue the concept goes back even …
It’s Your Fault They Raised Their Hand
You’re sitting in a meeting full of intelligent people (or, at least, people who think they are intelligent). Creative juices are flowing, the conversation is rocking, opinions are being shared, and discussion gets heated. Everyone is taking turns talking, sometimes speaking over each other or cutting people off, but damn – things are getting done. The flow is happening. This …