About a year ago, I paused Thin Difference. When I started this blog, the first reason was to begin writing. The second reason emerged as I began writing, and it was to support and encourage our next generation of leaders — Millennials and now Gen Z. Fast forward a decade, and I just completed my last formal class in an interdisciplinary leadership doctorate program. The next step is to complete my dissertation in practice, which my focus is on social enterprise leadership and moral courage. A few weeks ago, I launched my professional website – Jon Mertz.com. In many ways, my new site is an ev ..read more

Without a doubt, Facebook fails in upholding truthful standards. Maybe they are incapable of verifying political ads, and perhaps their approach is incomplete in labeling what is reliable, leaving open to interpretation what is. Laws need to change to hold companies like Facebook accountable for better ethics. Blogging falls into a similar situation. Who holds bloggers accountable? Of course, readers are one way, but the same is true for Facebook and news organizations. Success is ignorance, especially with many social media platforms. Bloggers are responsible for what is occurring, too. Wheth ..read more

There are two things that are true for all of us. Either you are in a season of change, where things are shifting, and you are making new adjustments. Or you will soon be in a season of change. It’s one or the other because life doesn’t stay the same. Pessimists label this as the chaos of our world. Optimists will say every day offers a new opportunity to grow. But either way, we all need to get used to change. Navigating Inevitable Change Right now, change is all around me. As I look out my window, the leaves are turning bright shades of red. More significantly, my family is about to change ..read more

I’ve been contributing to Thin Difference for a little over two years now. In that time, I’ve grown immensely — grown as a writer, as a professional, and as an individual. I developed a new appreciation for the craft of writing (and just how difficult it is) as well as for the myriad views and opinions of the other contributors on the Thin Difference team. Thin Difference will be pausing after this month — for how long, I’m not sure — and as such, I’ll no longer have a platform on which to publish my views, observations, and reflections. I’m sad about this, but I knew it had to end eventually ..read more

Polarization grows. In 1996, Pew Research found only 20% in each political party viewed the other unfavorably. Today, the number is more than double this percentage. We see this polarization in a friend’s Facebook post or a Twitter exchange. Too many view certain issues with a fixed mindset, and it causes a “stick it” to the other side mentality. It is unhealthy. Polarization is different than disagreement. With the first, we segment ourselves from those unlike us. With the second, we can discuss issues and either agree to disagree or find common ground. Disagreement risks taking things person ..read more

Recently I had lunch with a friend. We met at a café and sat outside in the sunshine. It was a beautiful day. My friend was catching me up on her new job and life in general. She had just taken a job at an organization that not only would challenge her professionally but one that aligned with her belief system. It was cause for celebration. We met while working at an organization a few years back. She left after less than a year and I, well, it took me about four years to see there was no growth. (I can be patient to a fault sometimes.) We were discussing some of our old co-workers’ new work a ..read more

How do you make the dozens of interactions you have each day more meaningful for the other person? What can you do to make sure they remember your conversation as one of the brightest moments in their day? This is something I feel incredibly ill-equipped to answer. But a recent conversation with a few friends exposed some interesting principles that I’ve tried to embrace lately. We were discussing some of the most meaningful conversations we’ve had in the past few years, attempting to pinpoint what made them valuable. After a while, we noticed a few common themes behind the interactions that w ..read more

Guest Post by Jane FinkleHow You may not be a glib small-talker who enjoys publicizing yourself on a billboard for all to see. You may also struggle at the idea of promoting your admirable achievements and personal qualities. In today’s work world initiative is rewarded, speaking out is cheered, and taking action is applauded. For an introvert, this reality can leave you walking in an extravert’s shadow. How Introverts Can Command Attention Introverts can step into the limelight with confidence if they appreciate their strengths, and rely on what comes naturally. Recognize as an introvert your ..read more

As a kid growing up in Southern California, I went to the beach a lot. Southern California beaches are famous for their beauty, the high cliffs with expensive homes that surround them, the (very) cold Pacific Ocean water, and the waves. The waves can be hard to navigate, even for the most skilled surfers. The biggest challenge is getting into the ocean and past the point where the waves are breaking. It’s the place where you see a wave build into its highest point. In a few moments, it’ll cascade right over you and in the process sweep you off your feet and underwater. That middle spot is not ..read more

In my industry, the workload can often be a bit intense. While it’s not always, or even regularly, the case, there has been a fair share of late nights. Deadlines and client expectations shift, and sometimes you have to stay a couple of hours late for the good of both the company and your team. Despite those late nights, I actually have fun when I’m working, even when I’m working late. A good amount of laughs and plenty of memories have come from some of the late nights I’ve spent with teammates working toward a deadline. I understand that this is a bit odd. I’ve spent time thinking about what ..read more