I am working with several coachees at the moment, and one area that is a common focus, particularly for women, is self-advocacy. This topic can be problematic for people, especially those of us who prefer our work to speak for itself. When is it appropriate to make our needs, wants and accomplishments known, and what is the best way to do it?
Continue reading “Advocating for yourself”Habitual badness
Many of my posts concern themselves with people management and leadership, topics I think about a lot. This one is a bit more personal, and I’m not quite sure where it will end up. It has to do with the nature of habit, the difficulty of maintaining good habits, and how easily we slip into negative patterns.
Continue reading “Habitual badness”Find and fix problems, not symptoms
I’ve had my share of medical interventions over the last ten years – sometimes, I feel like I’ve had more than my share. My experience with the medical practitioners I’ve interacted with is that they tend to focus on the symptom the patient presents with. That is what they treat, particularly as that is often their specialisation. A knee surgeon will look at the problematic joint because that is where the patient reports the symptom. That makes sense, right? Doesn’t it? What does this have to do with the broader work and life sphere? What if this is the wrong approach?
Continue reading “Find and fix problems, not symptoms”Why managers must enable thinking
Our lives at home and work are full of distracting noise. We surround ourselves with activities and gadgets that actively discourage thinking. This lack of space for thought is often compounded by an unrelenting series of tasks and meetings in a work environment. As I continue to work on my management skills, one area of focus that has echoed for years in my brain is the need to help others develop insights from their experience. I firmly believe that this should be a primary focus for all managers. So how do we do this?
Continue reading “Why managers must enable thinking”The Art of Asking Good Questions
It has been said that assumption is the mother of all f**k-ups (or failures, in more polite company). This statement, ironically, is an assumption itself. However, it is true that it is easy for us to assume we know something. Unfortunately, this kind of thinking leads to all sorts of biases in action – confirmation bias, recency bias, and others enable us to fool ourselves. And while it is easy for us to fall into this trap, it can be simple to avoid as well – by using the right questions to check ourselves.
Continue reading “The Art of Asking Good Questions”New Year, Same You?
When is a door not a door? When it is a cross-dimensional portal to a realm populated by hideous creatures (tip of the hat to Marvel and Lovecraft fans). Or when it is ajar – I never quite remember. When is a New Year not a new year? When it is part of a continuum of blah and meh, such as many people have experienced during the pandemic. Many of us try to pin so much on the start of a New Year, but the reality is we can choose change and growth at any time.
Continue reading “New Year, Same You?”On seeing and being seen
I’ve been thinking a lot about perspectives recently. I’ve also written before about the value of different perspectives from a leadership point of view. But, lately, because of something lovely that someone did for me at work, I’ve also experienced what it’s like to be seen.
Continue reading “On seeing and being seen”