No WIFI
I spent most of the last 10 days in the wilderness of Vancouver Island. Where there is no WIFI. (No – or very limited – cell service, either). The no WIFI constraint engendered two noticeable changes in the adults. First,…
A Canada Haiku
Canada is flawed. And we need more Canada. Kindness keeps us warm. *A Happy Canada Day Haiku from a proud citizen who embraces the paradox of Canada being an awesome work in progress.
When Losing is Winning
Simone Sinek wrote a pretty good book about the infinite game, which explains how “winning” in work and life is different than winning at a board game or a sport or a spelling contest. When winning isn’t zero sum –…
Productivity
If you want to trigger me, answer “things are really busy” when I ask what is new and interesting at work or what problems you are solving today. Busyness is not the same as productivity. Full calendars, constant messages, and…
A Vibes Haiku
Count what counts, wisely. Counting. Data. Insights. Vibes. Vibes are data, too. – A vibes haiku because, in the absence of quantitative data and analytical reasoning, a lot of the decisions we make are vibes-based; and that’s okay.
Why You Should Have an End of Work Ritual
Lately I’ve been struggling with time management. Following a recent promotion (mine) and a recent leave (an awesome manager who is having an awesome baby), I temporarily have a lot of people are reporting to me and the complexity of…
Why You Should Laugh at Yourself
What if I told you that laughing at yourself might be the most underrated leadership skill nobody teaches in business school or the campus career centre? Let me paint you a picture. You’re in a team meeting. Someone makes a…
A Culture Haiku
The way things get done. Work rituals, policies. Seeking cohesion. – A culture haiku that highlights how culture isn’t just “the way things get done around here”, but also how the employee and/or community experience is shaped with strategy and…
Everyone Needs a Highlight Reel
A highlight reel is a curated collection of your most meaningful moments. Accomplishments, breakthroughs, praise, uncanny achievements, talents-on-display, and concrete examples or stories of the impact you make should all be on your highlight reel. Your highlight reel could be…
Nostalgia
Nostalgia is good for grounding us in values and shared stories. Research by University of Southampton psychologist Constantine Sedikides, Joost Leunissen, and Tim Wildschut shows that nostalgia bolsters social connectedness, strengthens optimism, and helps us weather disruption with a sense…