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Development
Too Much Brain
I recently heard a stand-up comedian claim that his brain is a jerk. He said his brain has all it needs to make him feel good—the happy hormones and electric neurons, the synapses and lobes and cortices—but it doesn’t function as advertised. It makes him think dark thoughts and worry about everything. It makes him…
Simplify
I have a sign over the desk in my home office that says, Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. It’s part of a favorite Thoreau line: “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, not as a hundred or a thousand.” Simplicity is one of my…
Auto Stop – A Reminder to Breathe
New technologies (and new ideas) often take me by surprise. In 2015, I was driving home from the dealership with a brand-new car, riding high on that feeling of perfect freshness. I saw a red light and coasted to a stop. Right on cue, the engine cut out; right on cue, I panicked, thinking my…
Vision – Vibration – Space and Action
Everything in our lives starts with vision – the possibility thinking regarding what could be. It could be as grand as President Kennedy’s vision of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely,” or as simple as having a good day. Visioning awakens and energizes us to what is possible, and I think…
Together We Stand (and yell)
For my regular readers, you know I am interested in and sometimes write about human motivation as it relates to leadership. An understanding of what motivates us and why we choose to lead (and conduct many other activities and behaviors) can assist us in developing and improving. Underneath that interest in motives is simply a…
Underutilize
I’ve been testing out an intuitive feeling regarding resource utilization in organizations –the feeling that most people are underutilized. I can hear the rumblings already from those who are feeling both overworked and overwhelmed, but that’s the point. While some people seem to get rewarded for good work with more work, there are many in…
Not Another Resolution
Like many people, I need to be inspired to make a change in my life. Sometimes the change is a pain I want to avoid or remedy, and often it is something I want to improve. I am something of an inspiration junkie, so I make change best when I am inspired by something or…
Grow Them or Buy Them
A question that many growing organizations wrestle with is whether they want to grow their leadership team from existing staff (internal candidates) or source new talent (external candidates) with demonstrated leadership experience. There is understandably a sense of mutual loyalty and value in providing existing employees with opportunities for growth and development. However, sometimes leaders…
Risk
/risk/ A situation involving exposure to danger Recently a friend asked, “What risks are you planning to take over the next year?” I thought about it for a moment and realized this was one of the most profound queries I’d had in a long time. Planning to take risks seems counterintuitive to my safety-seeking personality,…
Intersection Observations
Have you ever approached a 4-way intersection simultaneously with three other vehicles? It happens to me sometimes at an intersection near my home. It’s the type of intersection that has four stop signs and no traffic light, and when four vehicles arrive at the same time, there is often a moment of observing the other…