Today my wife and consultation business partner, Jocelyn, shares her thoughts on CHANGE as she waits to hear the surgical outcomes for our daughter. I’ve been privileged to sit in boardrooms with C-level (CEO, CFO, CIO) leaders as they discuss upcoming or ongoing changes. It’s our job to advise them on change communications and engagement…
Category: Leadership
A Time to Listen
As a professional speaker, I know how to project my voice. You’ll hear me from across the room. And when I write, I’ve been known to get edgy or even drop the F-bomb to keep your attention from waning. Suffice it to say that during my 50+ years of communicating as an Italian-Irish man, I’ve…
Burnout & the Post-Crisis Crisis
Today, I want to address an issue you may face as more people return to work after the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis: Employee Burnout! Many employees continued working throughout the peak of the COVID-19 crisis in environments that put them at risk of infection. Some of them have served on the front lines…
Superstars & the Post-Crisis Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis won’t be resolved in a day. As more businesses reopen, owners and leaders may find that employees returned to work with some greater challenges than they had just a few months ago. Today, I want to address another issue you may face as the COVID-19 stay-at-home order is lifted and more employees…
Addiction and the Post-Crisis Crisis
Today, I will discuss another issue you may face in the COVID-19 crisis, as employees return to work with FULL-BLOWN ADDICTION ISSUES. Some of your employees had a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) before the crisis began–drinking heavily or misusing medication after work yet functioning the next day. But due to the crisis, they may have…
Perspective Is Everything: Surviving Crisis
Every perspective you see on Facebook, faux news, real news, Dr. Anthony Fauci, or Brad Pitt playing Dr. Fauci on television is just that: a perspective. And don’t worry: I’m not a pandemic expert, so I don’t have $.02 to share on COVID-19 data or models. But I do know a thing or two about…
Mental Health and the Post-Crisis Crisis
In the last blog, I wrote about the NEWLY WOKE EMPLOYEES, those working without long commutes and having rediscovered the joy of time with their families. Today, I want to talk about another issue you may face in the COVID-19 crisis, as employees return to work (or even continue working in current stay-at-home conditions): mental…
Preparing for the Post-Crisis Crisis
COVID-19 has evolved into a pandemic the likes of which have not been seen for a hundred years. And as difficult as this crisis has been on the physical and emotional health of people across the globe, it’s also creating an economic crisis. Trying to balance physical safety with economic rebuilding, some companies are reopening…
COVID-19, Meet James Stockdale
COVID-19 has focused attention of people across the globe. The scary news reminded me of James Stockdale, a nearly-forgotten American hero, and how he approached fear, isolation, and uncertainty. Stockdale Didn’t Lose Hope On September 9, 1965, Stockdales’ A-4 Skyhawk was shot down over Cambodia by friendly fire. Seriously injured, he was taken prisoner by…
Got Empathy? It Matters…and It Can Be Learned
What Is Empathy? Coined in 1909 by German psychologist Edward Titchener, empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It means putting yourself in the shoes of another to feel what the other person must be feeling. Empathy can take on 3 forms: emotional, cognitive, or compassionate. People with emotional empathy…
Fueling Your Power with Meaningful Downtime
Scanning various social media outlets recently, I read several posts from people saying things like, “I’m so tired!” or “What a LONG day!” Fairly universal feelings, right? Comments underneath these posts were mainly suggestions on what kind of alcohol to go drink. None of the suggestions told people how to get refueled by investing in…
What Makes Individuals and Leaders Grow?
There are 3 things that foster exponential individual and leadership growth: new life experiences, intellectual curiosity, and “what if” questions.