How to be a uni-tasker, not multi-tasker
Even Fox News has joined the popular “liberal” press to warn of the dangers of multitasking. (See its 12 Reasons to Stop Multitasking Now.) Yet, knowing the downside of multitasking and stopping the behavior are two different things, especially in the workplace....
Say “no” in “yes, and…” VUCA world
The improv world wants us to say “yes and….” Yet, essentialists advise us to say “no” to everything that’s non-essential. How do you strike a balance between these two camps? Trying to do both simultaneously is like playing the game of tug of war with yourself. That...
Help the economy; improve your communications!
Bad writing is a drag on the economy. Author and Harvard Professor Steven Pinker emphasized that point in his recent Wall Street Journal essay, The Source of Bad Writing. His arguments resonate with those of us who regularly slog through muddy messages…try to decipher...
Plant seeds of praise to improve performance
Our brain hungers for recognition and praise. When we hear “good job”—especially when we aren’t expecting it—we get a hit of dopamine. That’s the “feel good” chemical our body produces. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, as we’ve studied in my applied neuroscience...
Stop polluting; avoid “bad asks”
After my last blog post on the culture clash of “experts” and “idiots”, I had some explaining to do. My referring to “Let’s do lunch” and “We want to hear from you” as “fake asks” was too harsh for some Charleston folks. To paraphrase one individual: “What if I’m...
Culture clash of “experts” and “idiots”
After six months of living in Charleston, SC—my first time residing in the Deep South—I now realize I keep hearing the same “fake ask.” Different speakers have delivered it in person at more than half a dozen venues. Just as troubling to me, I didn’t even notice the...
5 tips to stay relevant in a VUCA world
“Can we talk?” Yes, the catchphrase of the late pioneering-comic Joan Rivers, a master of both comedy and reinvention. Not until her sudden death had I considered what a great role model she was for our VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous)...
Don’t will yourself to succeed; adjust your situation and environment
The behavior of two employees has become both a blessing and a curse to their leaders. As one of the leaders explained, the two employees admitted that they’re working outside of the office as much as they can because they don’t like being around another employee in...
Lead like Spandex
What do leadership and Spandex have in common? Both are privileges you earn, not rights you have. Regarding Spandex, just because you can wear Spandex doesn’t mean you should. As for leadership, just because you enjoy the status of the position doesn’t mean that you...
