BLOG: Management Skills, Leadership & Productivity Tips

14 Aug, 2018

6 ways great leaders make time for reading
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6 ways great leaders make time for reading

High-performance, Leadership, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, stress

6 ways great leaders make time for reading

By Ann Gomez|2020-06-10T19:16:04+00:00August 14th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, stress|0 Comments

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.

1 Aug, 2018

The shocking ripple effect of uncivil emails (and 7 ways to avoid this effect)
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The shocking ripple effect of uncivil emails (and 7 ways to avoid this effect)

Email, High-performance, Information Management, Management, Resilience, stress, Teamwork, workplace culture

The shocking ripple effect of uncivil emails (and 7 ways to avoid this effect)

By Ann Gomez|2023-03-30T19:27:04+00:00August 1st, 2018|Email, High-performance, Information Management, Management, Resilience, stress, Teamwork, workplace culture|0 Comments

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.

18 Jul, 2018

Time for a Team Email Charter?
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Time for a Team Email Charter?

Email, Information Management, Management, Management Effectiveness, Productivity, stress, Teamwork, Time Management, workplace culture

Time for a Team Email Charter?

By Clear Concept|2020-06-10T19:17:43+00:00July 18th, 2018|Email, Information Management, Management, Management Effectiveness, Productivity, stress, Teamwork, Time Management, workplace culture|0 Comments

Email is a powerful communication tool but like all good things, too much can turn downright onerous. From excessive reply-alls, to messages inappropriately marked as urgent, to convoluted requests, a small amount of email abuse adds up to a tremendous drain on a team. Is it time for your team to sign a Team Email Charter? Read on for some suggested email policies to ensure your team is using this valuable tool as efficiently and effectively as possible.

3 Jul, 2018

Dear Stress: It’s not you, it’s me. We need to break up.
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Dear Stress: It’s not you, it’s me. We need to break up.

High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, Resilience, stress

Dear Stress: It’s not you, it’s me. We need to break up.

By Ann Gomez|2018-08-06T17:43:43+00:00July 3rd, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, Resilience, stress|0 Comments

A Harvard University survey confirms a good deal of our happiness depends on how well we manage stress. Ready to end this toxic relationship? Here are 13 ways to make the break.

1 Jun, 2018

10 simple (but inspiring) ways to reduce email volume
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10 simple (but inspiring) ways to reduce email volume

Email, High-performance, Information Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, Schedule Management, stress, Time Management

10 simple (but inspiring) ways to reduce email volume

By Ann Gomez|2021-04-28T17:29:57+00:00June 1st, 2018|Email, High-performance, Information Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity, Productivity, Schedule Management, stress, Time Management|0 Comments

You probably know this already but you may be getting too many emails. If this resonates, you are not alone. Email is a powerful tool and it can make life easier but when your inbox continues to grow despite your best efforts to whittle it down, it can become a source of unnecessary stress and anxiety. Thankfully, we have ten simple but effective ways you can reduce email volume, take control of your inbox – and leave some room for inspiration in your day. Read on to learn more.

8 May, 2018

7 signs you won the mentor lottery
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7 signs you won the mentor lottery

High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, mentoring, workplace culture

7 signs you won the mentor lottery

By Ann Gomez|2020-06-10T19:27:41+00:00May 8th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, mentoring, workplace culture|0 Comments

Formal mentoring programs are becoming more prolific in the corporate world. Theoretically, this is a strategic way to accelerate skill development. But as we all know, theory doesn’t always translate into results. Some mentors are frankly better than others. As a result, certain lucky employees are blessed with having won the equivalent of the mentor lottery. Their mentor is a unique blend of a champion, challenger and collaborator. How do you know if you are one of the lucky few with one of those infamous mentors? It’s relatively straightforward to determine – ideally, your mentor does most (better yet, all) of these seven things. Read on to learn more.

9 Apr, 2018

What’s your score? Why you need a personal scorecard
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What’s your score? Why you need a personal scorecard

Goals, High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity

What’s your score? Why you need a personal scorecard

By Ann Gomez|2020-06-10T19:21:37+00:00April 9th, 2018|Goals, High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, Personal Productivity|0 Comments

I’ve learned the important things in life and at work are far too important to leave up to chance. Sounds obvious but in truth, this is what many of us are doing when we set goals and don’t regularly review them. Reviewing our goals is how we maintain focus, momentum and stay true to our key priorities. Yet the busier we get, many of us tend to bump this important but non-urgent task. Now, I’ve got a one-page personal scorecard to keep me and my goals on track. Are you ready to create your own personal scorecard? Read on to learn more.

6 Mar, 2018

5 lessons for a winning mindset from Olympic athletes
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5 lessons for a winning mindset from Olympic athletes

High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork

5 lessons for a winning mindset from Olympic athletes

By Clear Concept|2018-03-06T18:00:19+00:00March 6th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork|0 Comments

We all face challenges and set-backs. But what sets us apart is how we handle our stress. Olympic athletes are no strangers to pressure. Many spend their entire lives training for their events. Clearly, physical training is crucial. But athletes also recognize mental toughness is a key differentiator among the best of the best. Thankfully, this mindset isn’t simply something you’re born with or not. It can be developed over time and is within reach for all of us. Read on to learn more about the mental strategies elite performers use to stay at the top of their game.

17 Feb, 2018

Olympic inspiration: The power of connecting
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Olympic inspiration: The power of connecting

High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork

Olympic inspiration: The power of connecting

By Clear Concept|2020-06-10T19:32:08+00:00February 17th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork|0 Comments

Productivity drops when we don't feel connected at work. Connecting with others is a fundamental human need - and an integral quality of a high-performance team. We can see the value of fostering connections in all elite performers, and a great example is the gold-winning performance of the Canadian Figure Skating Team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

16 Feb, 2018

Olympic inspiration: Knitting under pressure
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Olympic inspiration: Knitting under pressure

High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork

Olympic inspiration: Knitting under pressure

By Clear Concept|2020-06-10T19:32:50+00:00February 16th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Resilience, stress, Teamwork|0 Comments

I love watching the Olympics because t is incredibly inspiring to watch people perform at the top of their field. There are many lessons we can learn from high-performance athletes about thriving in stressful situations. Here is a great example of how one coach "keeps things light" before competition.