The stories we tell ourselves have a profound impact on who we are. They affect how we shape and perceive reality. Consider the power of your thoughts and the words you use in the stories you tell yourself. "I'm nervous." "I'm tired." "I'm stressed." Not happy with the plot line? Maybe it's time to change your narrative.
It seems everyone is short on time these days. We are running at turbo speed and yet it still seems there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. Not surprisingly, we are all on alert to spot low-value time sucks we can eliminate from our days. Idle chit chat is often considered an easy target. On the surface, this vague chatter appears to be a waste of time. Time to reconsider? Here are six reasons why (seemingly) aimless conversations are a productive and meaningful contributor to our satisfaction at work.
Positive interactions with our colleagues not only drive productivity, they also make us enjoy coming to work. While healthy relationships may appear to be a bonus, in fact, strong interpersonal bonds are the foundation of a high-performance team. These three conditions help us build healthy relationships.
Don't underestimate the power of small steps in leading us to our big goals. Breaking big tasks into smaller, attainable steps is key to getting started. Once we achieve some early success, our momentum grows and this leads to meaningful progress. Whether we are preparing for a big presentation, undertaking a home renovation or trying to be more fit, here are 6 reasons why small steps are the best way to tackle our big goals.
With the holidays approaching, gift-giving (and shopping) is on the top of many to-do lists. If the purpose of gifts is to symbolize our love and appreciation, what if we could show this appreciation in a more heartfelt, authentic and direct way than a store-bought gift? Want to take the lead in creating a more grateful workplace? Here are 11 simple acts we can use to convey our gratitude - without buying anything.
What kind of team do you have? If you’re one of the lucky few, you are part of a high-performance team. A group of people who work well together is the biggest predictor of team success. And working with a wide variety of top performers is one of the greatest predictors of your career success. High-performance teams also make work, and life, a whole lot more fun. But what exactly is a high-performance team and what are they doing to help people thrive? Here, we share 3 core tenets embraced by all high-performance teams, and invite you to take our 2-minute quiz to rate your own team's strengths and opportunities.
As leaders, we like to believe we know our team really well. But do we? Even the best leaders may have blind spots worth exploring. Ever wonder what your team is longing to tell you? Here are six truths your team wishes you knew.
We know delegating is key to success as a leader. But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes our team members are simply too busy. Adding anything more to their bursting plate could prompt them to run screaming in the opposite direction. This is often when we think, “I might as well just do it myself.” Yes, once in a while, it is helpful to model team solidarity by doing tasks we would rather delegate. But this should be an intermittent approach to trigger action. Use these five strategies to avoid the pattern of doing it all yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be the one left running from your team.
From Oprah to Warren Buffett to Bill Gates, there are countless examples of highly successful people who invest heavily in reading. Reading does so much more than expand our knowledge. Research shows reading can combat depression, make you more confident, empathetic, and a better decision maker. Reading also helps to prevent stress and dementia and improves overall life satisfaction. While this is incredibly inspiring, it can be a challenge to read on busy days. So, how do busy people find (or, more appropriately make) the time for so much reading? Here are six simple strategies even the busiest person can adopt.
A recent study shows people disengage from their work when they receive uncivil emails, then sadly, bring this email stress home and transmit it there. How can we protect ourselves from reacting so strongly? Modelling great email etiquette ourselves is a powerful way to positively influence others - and resolve this problem. I recently shared this, and other email etiquette strategies, on CBC Radio and I’ve compiled them here for you. These are helpful for us as senders and receivers.
