On mental toughness. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” ―Thomas Jefferson “It is the business of little minds to shrink.” ―Carl Sandburg “Strong minds suffer without complaining; weak minds complain without suffering.” ―Lettie Cowman “Argue … Continue reading Maximum Maxims
Leadership Power Tools: Removing Pebbles
Muhammad Ali once stated that, “It is not the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it is the pebble in your shoe.” As the recent pandemic surges have waned a bit, we have an opportunity to look back to find the “pebbles in the shoes” of our teams, as a group and as … Continue reading Leadership Power Tools: Removing Pebbles
Leadership Power Tools: Trust
Maintaining an emotionally healthy workforce has been a difficult challenge for leadership over the last two years. Many of the emphasis on avoiding burnout and traumatic stress has been at the employee level, often in the form of reminders to exercise better self-care and build resilience. There is much more that can be done to … Continue reading Leadership Power Tools: Trust
Leadership Power Tools: Listening
Leadership, like carpentry, is made easier and more effective using power tools. Instead of circular saws and impact drivers, the leader leverages specific skills to better the outcomes of the enterprise. These “power tool skills” are used to support, encourage, strengthen, and make better the experience of being a part of the team. One of … Continue reading Leadership Power Tools: Listening
Resilience Through Social Connection
When going through difficult times it is easy to let our social connections suffer. Letting these connections weaken can interfere with recovery from stress. What can we do to maintain healthy social connections in stressful passages in life? First the benefits. Maintaining healthy social connections has been shown to have several well-being benefits. It can … Continue reading Resilience Through Social Connection
Are You Benefiting from Gratitude?
It is the "thanksgiving Season." this is a great time of the year, and the focus on thankfulness is a huge lift for many. Yet it is odd that we need a season of the year to remind us to be grateful. We all have a great deal for which to be grateful every day. … Continue reading Are You Benefiting from Gratitude?
Leadership: Empathy from Starbucks
Who would have thought one could look to Starbucks for a power tool to improve leadership? Yet it was Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, who summed up the importance of empathy in the workplace in his book, “Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul”: “Don’t embrace the status quo. Find new … Continue reading Leadership: Empathy from Starbucks
Strengthen the Brain
When a person has experienced traumatic stress in childhood or as an adult it can change the architecture of the brain in unhelpful ways. This is because traumatic stress changes neural pathways in the brain, making it easier for the brain to interpret normal stimuli in abnormal ways. This rewiring can make the brain respond … Continue reading Strengthen the Brain
Take Your Meds Outside!
Tools for tough times - Get outside to build your good side. Check out these super strategies for shedding stress and increasing resilience and wellbeing. Move naturally – moving naturally by walking, biking, swimming, or going for hikes can improve health markers in a person like blood pressure, heart-rate, blood chemistry, sleep, and weight Moving … Continue reading Take Your Meds Outside!
Finally Friday!
Finally Friday – Lighter fare in the form of great quotes on life, great illustrations, humor, and occasionally, art. And today, spiritual quotes and, of course, my dog. My dogs (L to R) Abby, now deceased, and Jackson. You can find some posts about lessons I have learned from Jackson if you poke around my … Continue reading Finally Friday!
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