When we are forced into situations out of our control, stress can rise rapidly. At first, it may have been an unexpected event – being quarantined at home, shifting to working from home, and for those with kids, having the kids home past spring break. But as the situation continues, not only is there uncertainty as to how long it will continue, but each day the curve rises instead of flattens leads us to believe this is going to be long-term. The truth is we don’t know how long this will continue, but it’s still going, and we’re all going stir-crazy! Naturally as we are cooped up and tryin ..read more

How many of you have been focusing on social media right now? I’ve seen lots of great posts during this time with COVID-19.  Tons of funny memes, or helpful posts about how to make our lives easier during this very trepidatious time.  Many businesses have really stepped up to offer free online resources to help us through while we work from home, get used to a slower lifestyle, and spend more time with our loved ones than we ever have!  While this all sounds good, it’s massive adjustment guys. It’s important to acknowledge that. You have to wonder though – with people being on social media n ..read more

Have you ever wondered why decision making is so hard? It’s because we cloud our head with logic, and therefore making a decision becomes more convoluted than it needs to be. Consider your personal life.  You may need to decide where you’re going for dinner tonight.  Let’s say you’re going to dinner with a group of people.  What is the first thing we ask each other when deciding? Usually it’s “what do you feel like eating today?” Suppose I say, I feel like Greek food.  Now, so many logical factors go into that decision, including, does everyone going to dinner like Greek food?  Where are the ..read more

Flexible work arrangements have been on the rise, and it’s no surprise that more and more, employees are looking to work with employers who support work-life balance and flexibility. In fact, employees are more likely to join a company with flexible work options versus a reputable company with limited or no flexible options. (Check out more information on this here). Interestingly enough, one of the barriers to implementing flexible work arrangements is the corporate culture. In particular, when organizations have a non-flexible work approach, it is that much more difficult for that environ ..read more

Personality assessments can be a great tool for employers, especially during hiring stages. They are helpful in providing background on an individual’s strengths and communication styles, as well as whether or not the candidate may be a good fit for a role based on their work preferences. For example, if you’re looking for someone who is highly analytical, an assessment can help to determine if an individual would actually enjoy doing an analytical role – thus allowing a better predictor for retention.     However, one of the pitfalls of using assessments is the manner in which they are us ..read more

Early in my career and especially in my HR world, I heard a lot about networking and its importance. I was never a fan of the term networking. I’m a proud introvert (but I bet you wouldn’t know it!) and networking events would clean me out of all the energy I had. I feared large social events – where do I stand when I don’t know anyone?  How do I approach a conversation?  How can I make this not look awkward? I am amazed to say that I have really started to love networking and may I say, getting pretty good at it. As I have made more meaningful connections throughout my career, networking h ..read more

Did you know that Rubiks Coaching was featured on the Top 50 Vancouver Blogs? Give us a like and follow our blog to get the latest and greatest insight on leadership tips! Delegating is tough indeed. If you really think about it, the art of delegation is a combination of letting go and not feeling like you’re dumping work on someone else.  Many leaders tell me they hesitate to delegate because: The employee is not doing the task the way the leader would. The employee appears to be procrastinating or “slacking off.” The employee is stuck but won’t admit they don’t know what they’re doing ..read more

Last week, I went for a stroll through Ikea.  I absolutely love Ikea, something about the beautifully organized state of the showrooms makes me feel so relaxed, probably because my house is a disaster.  But, I do digress. As I was walking through those gorgeously laid out spaces, my mind started to unwind and I realized two things that can make a difference in anyone’s day: 1. Go back to the basics – identify the problem. On this particular day when I went to Ikea, my mind was shot.  I couldn’t think, I was tired, overwhelmed, and did not know where to start.  My work was overwhelming, my ..read more

When I managed teams in the past, I asked my staff how they felt after we had any performance-related discussions. They said two things that made me a very happy manager: The feedback was not a surprise. The feedback is consistent with what I have shared with them at every monthly one-on-one meeting. And they left smiling. Hallelujah! Providing feedback to your employees around their development without it being a surprise is not overly complicated. Here are 5 easy steps you can implement to create kick-ass development plans: 1. Have an initial “get to know you” meeting or one-on-one Duri ..read more

Outrageously good that is!   Soft skills, people skills, engagement, human resources, coaching….all these areas are the foundation for helping people – the most valuable resource in organizations – yet very difficult to measure.   Over the past decade, the Human Resources field has evolved immensely. However, just as with technology, HR continues to be viewed as overhead or administration. And given the increased focus around people, their development, and their wellness, organizations are challenged with needing to make the investment in Human Resources, while translating the return on tha ..read more