My most surprising discovery during the pandemic is the extraordinary sense of connection I feel with business colleagues around the globe, and it’s stronger than ever. I’ve participated in numerous Zoom meetings the past five months with two international groups I’m part of: the all-volunteer Global Facilitators Serving Communities and the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Certified
Employees who are used to working in an office environment have undergone an abrupt change to working from home the past several months due to COVID-19. Curious to learn how they were handling the absence of in-person communications, collaboration, and teamwork, I reached out to colleagues (executives and professionals in a variety of organizations where
I was recently reminded of a practical and low-cost way to help keep employees engaged in this stressful time. Surprisingly, I found it in an article written last year before the unthinkable happened. It’s easy and something everyone can do — bosses, business owners, co-workers, colleagues, partners; i.e., anyone you work with. It can be
[Note: I’m pleased to share this timely post from Matthew Fenton, a Chicago-based marketing professional and founder of Three Deuce Branding that specializes in brand clarity. Here he offers a fundamental strategy to uncover the brand values a business needs to survive and thrive in these challenging times. More on Matthew’s work can be found
Understandably, people who ask for advice may not always follow it. But how they listen and respond makes a difference in the outcome and its impact on others. This includes frustrating encounters with “askholes” — people who constantly ask for your advice, yet ALWAYS do the complete opposite of what you told them to do”
One serious consequence of the current pandemic is that many nonprofits are unable to rely on volunteers as a significant on-site resource. In Coronavirus & Volunteers: Your Guide for Managing Uncertainty, Tobi Johnson describes this challenging situation: “Leaders of volunteers must often balance competing priorities – the needs of volunteers, the needs of the organization, and the
[Note: When I wrote about the harm of ghosting at work, it focused on how the actions of prospective employees and HR can damage the employer brand. In the following post, well-respected authority on customer service, Chip R. Bell, addresses how ghosting can also damage the consumer brand when customers experience “intentional indifference.” This was originally
Incredulous but true. Here are several examples of the absurd-in-action from the executive suite. A colleague who works in sales shared that her employer is undergoing massive changes and consolidation. Besides reducing staff and increasing the remaining employees’ workload, management also lowered sales commissions while raising sales goals. At a staff meeting the head of
Besides the coming of spring, the month of March offers two little-known holidays. World Compliment Day – March 1st This global holiday “addresses the basic need for human recognition and appreciation. Nobody wins commercially, but everybody gains emotionally. And therein lies its power.” It’s easy to participate in “the most positive day in the world”
Connecting and engaging people in the workplace with LEGO® … just one of many fascinating topics shared in my video discussion with Smart Women Conversations’ host Yvonne DiVita, respected blogger, serial entrepreneur, and my former publisher who remains a dear friend. Yvonne launched Smart Women Conversations to “inform, educate, create laughter and share stories of