I’m standing on line at the supermarket behind a mother and her five year old son. Bored, tired, and cranky, the child wants out, as does the mother. The boy starts asking questions and for things. “No!” says the mother. “No” is the answer so many time that she is ahead of her son’s requests. Finally, in frustration she yells, [Read more…]

Time off gave me the opportunity to read and listen to more news and pop culture media than usual. The myriad of goal setting ideas is staggering. I have chosen a few I found interesting and doable. Try some and you will be well ahead of the curve. [Read more…]

Has someone IM’d you recently? I don’t mean someone down the street or in another region, I’m talking about the person sitting next to you. Is every “conversation” you have with your boss on e-mail? Gotten a text condolence note lately? (I did, no kidding, can’t say it was very consoling.) Have one-word answers [Read more…]

Sound golf advice. I can think of a few applications—fat heads often have trouble with finesse and close-ups; bigger isn’t always better and there is the right tool for almost every task.

When I think of applying the idea to challenges in the workplace, I am drawn first to bullying. Some time or another all of us have probably done a bit of bullying. For many people it is their MO. Are you a bully? Do you tolerate this type of behavior in [Read more…]

Who wouldn’t like to get more done in less time, have excess hours and energy to devote to family, hobbies, and rest? If you looked at the actions and habits of the average worker, you would wonder. We seem to be increasing productivity to levels formerly seen as impossible, lengthening our commutes and expanding our hours in the office at a price of 25-40% less sleep than our grandparents. Are we healthier or happy because of it, studies says “no.” [Read more…]

You’re always setting goals. In many instances they are set-ups for disappointment and a pre-determined sense of failure. Why? Because they are too narrow, too specific and not very intriguing or motivating. Lose 10 pounds – now that gets your heart pounding, yes? I don’t think so. It has to be you in that fabulous outfit looking healthy, trim and walking into the room and people complimenting you on how great you look, not a scale moving backwards. [Read more…]

There is a myth circulating in the workplace and neighborhoods. It goes something like this “Networking during (fill in the blank, Thanksgiving, Christmas, August, end of quarter, bad weather… ) is a waste of time because no one is around.”

Simple logic would tell you that can’t possibly be true. Not everyone is out of the office, on vacation, or out of the house. In fact, I find fewer people take leave [Read more…]

The other night I was watching an interview of two major players at Google Ventures. Google Ventures is the in-house “radical” venture group of the organization, the people who hunt for new ideas and people with ideas, and then invests time and skills with them with the hope of finding the next big thing. [Read more…]

When a loved one, friend, neighbor, or co-worker has a loss, most people feel compelled to say something. The question is “what?”

Having lost some very important people in my life as well as attempted to console friends and colleagues who have had to deal with death, here are my suggestions as to what you might say to a grieving person. [Read more…]

A friend just lost a parent, a co-worker’s sister passed away, the much beloved pet dies, or one other of the many life events that throw people you care about in a place of grief. What do you do? What do you say?

Having recently lost my husband, I experienced the kindness, generosity, and genuine sadness of others. I also witnessed the level of disregard, selfishness, and nosiness of which some people are capable. I’ll share with you “what not to say.” I don’t pretend to have all the answers and I am fully aware your needs might be different than mine. I also appreciate each of us has a different style of supporting. I offer my insights and experiences as suggestions and alternatives. [Read more…]