Giraffes aren’t very vocal creatures. In fact, giraffes are often silent, and when they do vocalize, it’s quite quiet, like humming or snoring. I’m not suggesting you take up snoring at work (but humming could be okay). What I AM suggesting is that there are benefits to being a little more silent and more selective
Giraffes can see close, far, and wide thanks to their large, bulging eyes. Their amazing eyesight allows them to see what is in front of them AND what is in the distance and around them. (Did you know giraffes can see their feet when they look straight ahead?) Imagine having giraffe-like vision in your personal
Giraffes are social. And when they socialize, they like to be informal and mix things up. Giraffes move into and out of herds; they don’t stick with one group or develop territories (known as cliques or ingroups and outgroups in the workplace). Think of giraffes as being socially-fluid. What do you do at work? Do you
Giraffes are odd looking. They are disproportionate with their long necks and comparatively teeny heads. Their necks are too long to allow them to bend over to drink without splaying their legs. They tower over all other mammals at about 15-20 feet. And the list goes on. YET, as odd or awkward as they may
What boundaries are we taught to respect throughout our lives? A quick brainstorm produced this list: Drive on this side of the dotted line. Obey the speed limit. Stay in your yard. Listen to your parents. Don’t swear at work. Don’t take what isn’t yours. Do what you were hired to do. and right now,
Let’s call her Lucy. She walked around work like she was everyone’s best friend. She took every opportunity to publicly let others know how exceptional she was at her job. She presented herself as the most creative, most productive, most energetic person in the office. She answered her phone, “It’s a great day in [insert
If you are perfect, stop reading. There is nothing in this article for you. On second thought, this article is probably more for you than it is for anyone else. (Because no one is perfect.) If you make mistakes, keep reading. If you struggle when coworkers screw up, keep reading. If you are fine working
As the last article in this series of The Importance of Asking Questions, I want to get back to basics. The basics of healthy, helpful conversation. I have become acutely aware of the number of conversations I have that are one-way conversations. The type of conversation that are primarily about the other person. The kind
Without knowing it, we disempower ourselves by placing limitations on our thinking. Our thinking reflects what we know AND what we don’t know. Inherently, our thinking is then limited. Imagine it like this. You are on a scenic drive through the mountains and everything you can see is directly in front of you. You see
For the past few weeks I’ve been writing about the importance of asking questions to connect the dots, solve the right problem, and seek understanding. What I haven’t written about yet is how to ask the RIGHT questions. I think its an important part, don’t you? Recently, I saw this brilliant graphic by Yulia Kosarenko
