Author: sybil

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Engagement Training & Development

Foundation for a Decent Workplace

Whether you’re building a new organization or fixing a dysfunctional one, here’s a good place to start.

Bill of Rights for the Ideal Workplace

  1. You have the right to be treated with respect and the responsibility to respect others.
  2. You have the right to be treated fairly and the responsibility to treat others fairly.
  3. You have the responsibility to respect the rights and needs of others.
  4. You have the right to a work environment that is free of distractions.
  5. You acknowledge that change is difficult and necessary.
  6. You acknowledge that errors are often the symptoms of a larger problem, and not the problem itself, and work to find better solutions.
  7. You acknowledge that employees are part of the solution, not the problem.
  8. You acknowledge that while blame is easy, finding the right answer is hard.
  9. You acknowledge that finding the best answer often requires everyone being involved.
  10. You acknowledge that while customers come first, they may not always be right.

Adapted from The Three Legged Table: Why Every Employee Matters by Brian James.

[Image credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash]

Categories
Current events Engagement

Remember

… what life was like five years ago when the pandemic started?

In a very short time, our lives changed forever.

Here’s one important lesson I learned from the experience: “A crisis can be very clarifying. When you have emerged from a crisis you learn to cherish what really matters.” Scott Cochrane

While we’ve learned to live with COVID-19 (thanks to advances in medical/pharmaceutical science), we continue to face challenges in our chaotic world.

That brings me to another important lesson I learned during the lockdown: the importance of self-care that’s reinforced in asking these questions:

  1. What am I GRATEFUL for today?
  2. Who am I CHECKING IN ON or CONNECTING WITH today?
  3. What expectations of “normal” am I LETTING GO of today?
  4. How am I GETTING OUTSIDE today?
  5. How am I MOVING MY BODY today?
  6. What BEAUTY am I either creating, cultivating, or inviting in today?

These questions are helpful in reinforcing what matters: caring for one’s self and others who may be struggling these days.

Originally posted online during the pandemic as “Daily Quarantine Questions” (source unknown), the questions are timeless.

[Photo by Anastasiia Krutota on Unsplash]

Categories
Current events Engagement

News Got You Down?

Photo by 愚木混株 cdd20 on Unsplash

“What fresh hell is this?!”

That’s what I ask myself almost every day when I wake up to devasting news.

Airplane crashes, wildfires, floods, mass shootings, economic challenges, job layoffs, fears for personal and family safety, government upheavals, wars, etc.

How are we supposed to cope with so much grief and anxiety?

What I’ve found helpful, besides surrounding myself with supportive people, is revisiting “A Guide for Emotional Recovery: Fifty Things You Can Do When There is Nothing Else to Do”? It’s the subtitle of “A Light in This Dark Valley” by Gilbert Brenson-Lazan and Maria Mercedes Sarmiento Diaz.

Initially written to help victims of a catastrophic event, this invaluable guide was updated several years ago and is useful for anyone in need of “survival, recovery, and growth.”

The article, available in English and Spanish, can be found in GFSC’s free online library. I’m proud to be a part of GFSC (Global Facilitators Serving Communities), a volunteer facilitator network that provides materials, methods, and mentoring to help communities in crisis.

When you’re on GFSC’s library web page, check out other helpful articles in the library that includes emotional first aid; resilience; anxiety, stress, and grief management; and crisis intervention and leadership.

[Image credit: photo by 愚木混株 cdd20 on Unsplash]

Categories
Engagement

How to Improve Your Workplace

It’s easy and something anyone can do: bosses, business owners, co-workers, colleagues, partners; etc.

It can be used with any employee, whether they work remotely, at a company locale, or in a hybrid situation.

And it’s applicable any time, any season.

Are you ready?

Here it is:

“Tell someone how grateful you are that they took something annoying off of your plate, stepped up when you needed them, or just made work a little better. Whatever it is, be as specific as possible. It might feel small, but this tiny nudge towards gratitude is incredibly powerful. It will ripple throughout your organization. And it will make work better for you and for the people around you.” Laszlo Bock

[Image credit: Photo by Ava Sol on Unsplash]

Categories
Engagement Tribute

Two students decide to start a nonprofit …

No punchline … just an amazing and inspiring story of two young people who could not have imagined how successful they’d be with their shared dream.

In 2012, cousins and fellow Moravian College students, Shane Burcaw and Sarah Burcaw, co-founded Laughing At My Nightmare (LAMN), a nonprofit with the same name as Shane’s popular humorous and poignant blog about living with a severe form of muscular dystrophy. Their goal was “to spread laughter and provide support to others living with similar conditions.”

I was initially drawn to LAMN because I had a cousin who had muscular dystrophy, and I’ve fallen in love with how this nonprofit evolved to honor disability and inclusivity. It does so by providing free adaptive equipment and assistive technology, as well as college scholarships, to members of the disability community — “empowering abilities and transforming lives.”

LAMN recently reported it earned the 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar), the highest level of recognition for nonprofit accountability and impact.

According to Shane and Sarah:

“Twelve years ago, when LAMN was just a dream, we knew little about running a 501(c)(3). But we were determined to create an organization that would change lives through laughter and empower people with disabilities by restoring comfort and independence through equipment grants.

“The Platinum Seal represents our commitment to transparency, financial responsibility, and measurable impact. It reflects our mission, strategies, and the incredible work we accomplish with your support.”

Congratulations, Sarah and Shane!

[Image credit: Ian Schneider on Unsplash]

Categories
Training & Development

“Flawsome” is Awesome!

I admit to being a perfectionist.

The good news is I’m getting much better at reviewing my workshop feedback and no longer stressing over the occasional 1/2 to 1 percent of participant evaluations that have been mediocre or less than favorable.

This is partly due to allowing myself more grace when I know I’ve done my best to prepare and deliver a session for a client.

It’s also due to learning about the Japanese practice of kintsugi that my friend and former publisher, Tom Collins, introduced me to several years ago. This art form involves “repairing broken pottery by sealing the cracks with lacquer and coating them in gold dust. As a result, the repaired piece becomes more beautiful and valuable than the original.” In other words, Tom helped me to understand that being “flawsome” is awesome.

That’s why I’m happy to share the new book, “I Am Perfectly Flawsome: How Embracing Imperfection Makes Us Better” co-authored by Tom Collins and Michele Molitor.

Their book explains the basis of perfectionism and explains how it endangers our mental and physical health resulting from living with self-imposed pressure and anxiety, depression, feeling “less than” when not meeting expectations, and low self-esteem, etc.

Building on this foundation, the authors offer practical tips to address perfectionism, fear of failure, and imposter syndrome so that we can embrace the benefits of being flawsome. Its valuable content is formatted with margin space for side notes, references, quotes, and the reader’s notes. Each chapter also ends with questions for consideration “to help you start living Flawlessly.”

“I Am Perfectly Flawsome” is worth reading and sharing. It’s also the perfect gift for any student, co-worker, or family member struggling with perfectionism.

“Perfection is merely an illusion, put forth by those trying to achieve it.”
Michele Molitor

[Image credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay]

Categories
Engagement Tribute

Coping with Grief?

“I believe we are alone in our pain but never in our suffering, as long as we connect with caring, compassionate people.” Sybil F. Stershic

I learned a lot about the grieving process via special counseling after losing three immediate family members in a short time, and I’m still learning.

Since losing another beloved sibling a few years ago, I found an online support group that’s helpful. It takes place in the form of an Unhurried Conversation hosted by Grief Support Specialist, Kathy Murri.

Note: an Unhurried Conversation is a safe “go-with-the-flow” organic conversation in which people speak uninterrupted in a safe space and listen without judgment. Participants take turns sharing what they want, when they want, and if they want.

In her Unhurried Conversation on Grief and Loss, Kathy welcomes anyone who:

-has lost someone close

-is taking care of someone with a terminal illness

-finds themselves out of a job or relationship.

We share struggling with feelings of sadness and anger … dealing with anticipatory grief, ambiguous grief, and/or grief-shaming … navigating new identities as a result of loss, etc. Kathy reminds us that grief involves adapting to a change in expectations: who are we now and what do we do as a result of our loss? We hold space for compassion for ourselves and others in this process.

People from all over the world share their struggles and find comfort in this open, compassionate community Kathy has created. Some participants are new and some are semi-regulars like me, who attend as needed.

If you or someone you know is trying to cope with grief and loss, please consider attending one (or more) of Kathy’s monthly Unhurried Conversations on Grief and Loss held the first Saturday of the month.

[Image credit: Pexels from Pixabay]

Categories
Engagement

There’s No “I” in Employee Engagement … or is There?

It depends.

My answer is “no,” considering you can’t have an engaged workplace in a culture of management Inertia.

Employees may fully engage initially, but their enthusiasm and energy get chipped away over time due to inattention by management and little recognition of their achievements. Once engaged doesn’t mean always engaged when employee value is given lip service.

My answer is also “yes,” when management Intention and action are in place to support an engaged workplace. I’m talking about leaders/managers who proactively foster a culture where employees know their work matters and is valued.

Bottom line: effective engagement cannot co-exist with management Inertia. But when management is Intentional about engaging employees, it’s an entirely different situation.

Which “I” word have you experienced in employee engagement?

[Image credit: Pete Linforth from Pixabay]

Categories
Engagement Training & Development

Career Lessons from the Wizard of Oz

Among the many life lessons found in this wonderful film, here are my professional takeaways from the major characters.

Dorothy Gale: In her journey on the yellow brick road, Dorothy faces various twists and turns with serious obstacles to overcome. It’s a perfect metaphor for a “career path” that is anything BUT a straight line to a destination dream job/career. (Fortunately, we’re not at risk to run into a bad witch with a minion of flying monkeys!) As with Dorothy’s experience, however, we’re also likely to encounter opportunities for self-discovery while sharing the adventure with people we come to value that we meet along with way.

Glinda the Good Witch, The Wicked Witch of the West, and the Wizard: Employees don’t get to chose the bosses they want to work for, and we naively presume that everyone in a position of authority is smart, competent, and capable of leading/managing effectively. The reality is you may end up working for managers who are good, those who are mediocre and hide behind a curtain of power, or those who are toxic. Whether you find yourself with a Wizard or a Wicked Witch, it’s important to respect their authority — even if you don’t respect them personally — for as long as you’re able to endure them.

The Scarecrow: His journey ends with being awarded an official degree, but there’s no end to seeking knowledge. On-the-job training and continual learning — formal and informal (e.g., reading, networking, professional development, etc.) — are necessary for growth.

The Cowardly Lion: You can’t lead when you’re paralyzed by fear. “Fake it ’til you make it” isn’t an effective strategy for the King of the Jungle or anyone in a position of power. We continually learn confidence through trial & error and building on our failures with encouragement from others. As Conan O’Brien shared in a commencement speech, “[Don’t] be afraid to fail … whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction …”

The Tin Man: He comes to learn that having a heart is key to a fulfilling life. Philosopher and writer Elbert Hubbard said it best: “Do work with your whole heart and you will succeed – there is so little competition.”

[Image credit: Ray Fragapane on Unsplash]

Categories
Engagement

Meet the “Odd Couple” of Employee Disengagement

I’m talking about Dean Vernon Wormer and Rodney Dangerfield.

They came to mind after a conversation with a fellow business professional (FBP)

Me: How’s it going?

FBP: Not so good. We’ve talked before about how my department’s work isn’t really valued here. Yet they need me because I’m the only one with expertise and skills in this [functional] area. It’s frustrating.

Me: I thought the situation was improving.

FBP: I get compliments on my work, and the end result is acknowledged but not the effort or energy that goes into it. I like the company and enjoy what I do; yet there are times I’m not really inspired.

Me: Or engaged?

FBP: That, too. But it isn’t all bad. After seven years, I finally got a promotion.

Me: Congratulations, that’s great! Did it come with a salary increase?

FBP: No, just a new title. And I was told not to tell anyone about it, no internal announcement or news release.  It’s what I call my ‘double secret’ promotion.”

FBP has a great sense of humor and we laughed about this.

It sounded to me like something you’d get if you crossed Dean Vernon Wormer with Rodney Dangerfield,  a combination that doesn’t bode well in any organization.

Well-performing employees whose work isn’t respected and supported find it hard to stay motivated and engaged.

[Photo by Valerie Bosch on Unsplash]