While many want to make self-care a priority, they're not sure how to make it a reality. In a busy world that's full of challenges, taking time to improve your physical and mental health may seem impossible.  Recently, I surveyed my LinkedIn connections for their thoughts about self-care. Let's go through the surprising results and [...] The post How to Make Self-Care a Priority appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

In a world where technology is everywhere, should your smartphone be banned in meetings? Meetings are a place where lively discussions are supposed to happen, leading to major decisions. Does the smartphone interfere with that productive process? Recently, I polled my LinkedIn connections on the topic and found there's support for several different strategies when [...] The post Should Your Smartphone Be Banned in Meetings? appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

Thanking a business referral is something most people want to do but they don't know how. If you do nothing, then you risk turning off a profitable pipeline of goodwill.  Let's brainstorm several options that can give you a system for saying, "Thank you," to those who help you get business. These tips also will [...] The post Thanking a Business Referral appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

If you're a leader, do you know why employees hate your employee recognition program? There's a good chance your program started off with good intentions but now has become a turnoff.  The reason is that people may feel like they have no chance of ever winning the award. As a result, something that was supposed [...] The post Do Employees Hate Your Employee Recognition Program? appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

Learning how to answer colleague complaints is an important skill that can help you enrich your career. Keep in mind that often the other person is just confiding in you and realizes there's little you can do to solve the problem.  But that doesn't mean you can't help them and silence may feel like a [...] The post How to Answer Colleague Complaints appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

If you work at a business that has just been acquired, then it's understandable if you're nervous about a merger. A lot of uncertainty comes when new ownership takes over.  Often these deals happen in secrecy, so they come as a big surprise. What should you do next? I asked my LinkedIn connections for their [...] The post Nervous About a Merger? appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

A good way to get work done faster and improve your work-life balance will see you solve procrastination with deadlines. In many cases, wanting to do a good job with projects is important. But are you spending too much time on certain things, in the pursuit of perfect, where the extra effort does little to [...] The post Solve Procrastination With Deadlines appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

If you're a leader, then understand you will be judged on responding to an unexpected challenge. Some sort of problem will emerge, you likely will have little control over it, and yet you'll be expected to find a path out of the challenge. Do you have the skills to make this kind of fast adjustment? [...] The post Responding to an Unexpected Challenge appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

Celebrate episode 700 of this podcast with a story about why you may need to redefine impossible. When faced with an unexpected challenge, do you find yourself immediately throwing in the towel and saying, "It can't be done."? What if, in those moments, you were selling yourself and others short? Join me on stage, at [...] The post Redefine Impossible appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more

For businesses that have been around for a while, it's important to consider if you're old or experienced. The two are not always the same and you need to understand the difference. If your business is just old, then trouble might be down the road. Find out what makes something old, still relevant, in this week's [...] The post Old or Experienced? appeared first on Ken Okel ..read more