“Rumor has it you got advisor of the year. Congratulations.” This was a sterile email I received from my boss in 2008. I still wonder why my boss didn’t walk the 50 feet from her office, to my office, to personally congratulate me on this statewide award. Well, I actually know why. I worked in
Completely drained and in tears, I realized I had been doing a terrible job setting boundaries. My time was no longer my own because every time someone needed me I said, “Yes”. It wasn’t that people intentionally violated my boundaries, it was that I was teaching them do it, allowing them to do it. I
Grad school was no picnic for me. Not only was I required to conduct research and write a 63-page thesis (not including the appendices and references), I had to pass a 4+ hour comprehensive exam that required citing sources. It was A LOT of work AND totally WORTH IT! Years later I still find myself
I’m seeing it, hearing it, and feeling it. I’m guessing you are seeing, hearing, and feeling it too (even if you don’t think you are). We can easily point to current events like the election, COVID-19, social justice movement, Supreme Court confirmation hearings as reasons for our stress-laden communication. Yes, it has been a difficult
Last week I wrote about how to vocalize LESS often, and I had a lingering feeling that I needed to address the reverse: vocalizing MORE often. WARNING–jumping to the conclusion that this lesson is only for people who need to speak up more (a.k.a. the introvert) is inaccurate. Even the frequently vocal persons out there
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 have two gaits: fast and slow, or more specifically galloping and walking. Their bodies move differently for each. When galloping, both front legs move at the same time and both back legs move at the same time. When walking, the legs on the same side of the body move together. Giraffes know when to
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
