My boss asked me to complete the report ASAP. So, I did. I completed it after I finished the other five things I was working on. When I emailed the report to my boss, she asked me. “Wow! What took so long??” There are two things wrong with that exchange of words. One, I was
It was a tough conversation to have with my boss. I told her that I didn’t feel my talents were being used in the best way and that I had more to give, more to contribute to the team. I gave examples of how I could do more and grow my skills. She nodded her
Leaving parts out. Withholding information. False statements. Stretching the truth. Hiding details. Misrepresentation. Spin-doctoring. You may not mean to communicate distrust, but are you doing it by accident? Your communication gives all sorts of clues. If you want to express sincerity and build trust do this with your communication: KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR NOSE.
Tom came to work on time. Showed up to meetings. Did his work. Met deadlines. Took his breaks. He was dependable. Predictable. Shut his computer down with 5 minutes to spare. Left work on time, not a minute later. Didn’t create trouble. Kept his ideas to himself. Then he quit. Have you worked with someone
Divorced parents. Deserted by mother who had addiction and mental health challenges. Moved out of Dad and Stepmom’s home before senior year in high school. Mom at 19 years old. Abandoned by the father. No child support. Dependent on food stamps to eat and medical assistance for healthcare. Married at 22. He left for someone
Closed door. Hushed voice. Gossip. Cornered in an office. Put on the spot. My coworker unloading their annoyances about our coworker. I’m the newest person on the team. Expected to take sides. Slippery slope. Placed between a rock and a hard place. “Conflict is inevitable, but combat is optional.” ~Max Lucado When I came across
Ambushed. Heat rising from my neck to my face. Heart beating faster. Brain on overdrive. Panic. Smile through clenched teeth. “Stay confident self.” Answer the question. Admit you don’t know and say you’ll find out and revisit it in the next class. Answer the same question again. Admit you don’t know again. Answer that question
Patched to correct a lazy eye underneath a pair of glasses held together in the corner with tape. Bad perm. Worse hairstyle. Freckled face. Overly energetic. Overly talkative. Awkward. Barked at by boys when I walked down the junior high hallway - insinuating I was a dog. This explains me when I was young. Or
It was March. The lockdown in Minnesota began. Each day I felt the sting of another client cancelling a training. My calendar was quickly changing from a beautiful sea of green indicating confirmed client engagements to a stark white grid. Panic. Sadness. Hope. Confusion. Peace. Anger. Pessimistic. Optimistic. My emotions ran the gamut. I expect
Closed doors. Rumors. Disappearance. Whispers in corners. Widespread panic. What was happening!?! It was 2001 and the company I worked for was laying off employees. People were given boxes for their belongings, then they were ushered out. Poof! They were gone. The worst magic act ever. This memory came to mind when I read leadership
