I’ve heard the word “wow” twice recently.
1) “Wow! Thanks for calling me back!” Someone called and left a voice mail; he wanted to meet for coffee to visit about the computing support services his company offered. I called him back an hour later, and I think he was surprised I called back at all.
Four-way stops are easy, right? Stop, then take your turn after everyone else has gone. Is it a tie? Person on the right goes first. Easy. No problem.
Does everyone totally adhere to The Rules of the Four Way Stop? I bet they think they do. But you’ve seen these…
In an earlier post, “Instead of…” was presented as an alternative to saying “Don’t.” “Instead of” forces you to come up with an alternative action, which is usually good.
However, if time is critical, or it’s not all that consequential, or you can’t come up with an alternative, try this:
“Resist the temptation to…”
It works best for quick thoughts that you might usually start with “Don’t”
“Don’t use the side door.”
“Don’t call her so soon.”
“Don’t staple every doggone thing.”
“Don’t leave the lights on in the storage room.”
The brilliant folks at Manager Tools–specifically, Mark–have recommended this book highly for years. I read much of it a while ago, and recently picked it up to re-read it. In 300 words, here’s why it’s worthy of attention; read at least chapters 1, 2, 16, and 20. (Those chapters recommended by Luther College professor Schweizer — … Read more
Frequently, people ask me that question. Those who ask are usually witnessing me in a professional situation; if they saw me after the alarm goes off, there’s no way they’d ask that! But it’s true- if we lead, we have an obligation to give those we serve our best, and that means maintaining optimal mental … Read more
Have you seen productivity dip while creating a positive atmosphere? There’s a likely reason, and a solution.
So much
A few weeks back, I was at a presentation of Janyne Peek Emsick, and she reminded us of a great quote from Karl Lewin:
To know,
and not do,
is to not yet know.
Have you ever explained how to tie your shoes? Better yet, was there ever a time that you tried tying shoes simply based on a verbal description of the process? You had to DO it to get it, right? That’s what Lewin is getting at.
A coping strategy when things “drive you crazy” at work or home:
Take a moment to consider the
How are the New Year’s resolutions coming? How about any commitment to self-improvement?
A helpful idea that’s quite simple (it almost seems silly to write about it) is the “sticky-note” technique.
There are scientists and psychologists who report that the most powerful expression in the human repertoire is the smile. When there is work to be done, and we’re “all business,” we might forget the power of the smile. Not just to transmit our happiness, but to disarm tension and settle nerves at tough times. We’ve … Read more