I’ll admit that a daily practice of journaling is difficult for me. I have failed miserably at regular journaling, and I’m not giving up. (I am 2.5 years into my monthly gratitude spreadsheet, and that’s proving to be incredibly helpful in cultivating a positive mindset.) I have a journal that I’ve used for years, and I find reviewing that to be helpful and inspiring to do more. Why should you incorporate a journal into your life? The benefits are many, including reducing stress and anxiety and inspiring further growth and accomplishment. I love the way that journaling helps me to be the perso ..read more

You may have heard this before. Or you may have wondered, “Is this really true, or is this person operating on bias?” Getting tough feedback is challenging. It can be more so if you fall into the trap of assuming bias. Are people who give feedback biased? Of course they are. We are all biased in some way, and many of us operate with bias without realizing it. The question really isn’t “are they biased?” The question is what are you going to do based on this feedback. You cannot change a person’s bias, and you do have control over your own behavior and reaction. Reactions to feedback from a 360 ..read more

The organization has gone through massive downsizing. Or there have been lots of resignations. Or vacant positions just have not been filled. What do you do when you’re facing huge overload and you’re one of the employees who remain? Talk about it with your manager. Don’t assume they already know you’re over your head in work. You can tactfully discuss organizational priorities. Recognize that you can’t do it all, and have a conversation about what work gives the biggest payoff for team and/or organizational goals. Come with your own solutions and be sure to listen to the manager’s input. Set ..read more

I can’t think of anyone more well-versed in the art and science of remaining collected under pressure than nurses – those too-often unsung heroes working in a variety of medical settings. What can you learn from them to remain unruffled under pressure? Julie Cullen gives tips for remaining calm in Nurse Today. These include steady, calm movement that reassures your nervous system (and those around you) that everything will be fine. Another great idea is to remember this is not YOUR emergency. Yes, it is important, even critical. And it doesn’t help to step into the emotional sta ..read more

There are a few themes in my coaching, and for some of my recent clients, confidence has been an issue. Often these talented humans excel at work, and still remain unsure of their abilities and potential. Having confidence at work does not mean being arrogant or harsh. Confidence means that you are able to contribute fully to the challenges and opportunities your organization is facing. We need all hands on deck, now more than ever, contributing the fullness of each person’s capabilities. So how do you overcome issues of confidence. I love the advice given by Ann Howell’s How to Build Confiden ..read more

We are believers in the power of leadership development. That’s our reason for getting out of bed in the morning. And we have also seen in our two-decades-plus of working with people that it’s important for all growth to have a WHY. What we mean by that is, growth for the sake of growth is fine, AND the best scenario is recognizing the impact you need or want to have and tailoring your growth plan to achieve that. For example, Jose wants to be a stronger leader of the team. Jose recognizes that there have been times when the daily grind gets in the way of strong communication, clear accountabi ..read more

Organizations can be prone to misalignment and loss of focus toward what really matters. This happens when people – even with the best of intentions – concentrate on differing objectives. It is hard enough to maintain our focus as indviduals, let alone ensure that the organization is laser-like oriented toward a small set of goals (together, the organization’s North Star). Like voyagers since the fifth century, people need a constant by which to navigate. How do you ensure that your organization remains aligned and concentrating efforts on the right stuff? Humanergy, in the early days of its f ..read more

Back in 1974, Oncken and Wass wrote a Harvard Business Review article called, “Who’s Got the Monkey?” It used monkeys as metaphors for tasks or projects. It was well-received nearly 50 years ago, and the article remains a popular reprint today. The piece makes the point that all managers/leaders need to be crystal clear about who owns the next step and all aspects of work. While we may not be as comfortable today with equating monkeys with work, this is a useful metaphor that creates a visual that many people find helpful. Peter Quintana wrote a great article on this idea on LinkedIn in 2020 ..read more

Wishing you warmth, peace and joy, now and always. From your friends at Humanergy.   Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash The post Holiday greetings appeared first on Humanergy ..read more

The ABC Project is in trouble. Carmen is the leader of the area, and her direct reports are doing the heavy lifting to get the project off the ground. Carmen is frustrated that her boss, Celia, expressed concern over missing key deadlines. To make matters worse, when Carmen talks to her team, they say that they weren’t given the latitude to move forward. That’s why the ABC Project is stalled. This is a situation that unfolds when there is confusion about accountability, authority and responsibility. How do you prevent miscommunications, misalignments and delays? Understand the different roles ..read more