Assume Everything

We all know the saying - to assume is to make an ass out of you and me. And try as we may to avoid it, we all take our turn as the donkey. And we'll all be the donkey again before we die. Many times. Se la vie. Mea culpa. So why do we …

The Nature of Change

What do change and hiking have to do with each other. Well, attach your 'biner and let's explore.

No Place Like Home

You know the story. The Scarecrow had a brain. The Lion had courage. The Tin Man had a heart. Dorothy had a home. Sure, they had to battle some witches and flying monkeys before they realized it, but hey, who hasn't? Classic tale of navigating life. My Wizard appeared in 2015 as a recruiter for …

Culture Clash

Culture. The very word makes my neurons dance and synapses explode like the Shanghai night sky during Spring Festival. Thank you, Soc 211, for introducing college me to the field of Sociology. Thank you, Northwest Airlines, for carrying young me to exciting destinations. Thank you, Margaret Mead, for inspiring me to follow in your footsteps …

Finding Strength

There is so much pressure to be in a constant state of growth mindset. Constantly develop your weaknesses, they say, or you're somehow failing at life. Learn an instrument. Eat healthier. Be less self-critical. Draw better boundaries. Be more adaptable. More focused. More helpful. More discerning. More assertive. More vulnerable. Let things go. Challenge the …

Teaching Helplessness

Picture this: It's a hot summer day. You're on the beach and it's your turn to order ice cream. Finally. "Oh, yum, I'll have the butter pecan. Two scoops. Wait, no, the moose tracks. Single. In a waffle cone. Say, is that strawberry cheesecake? Yeah, that sounds better. Hold on—you have gelato?! Lemon, please!" There's …

AAR, Mateys!

An AAR is a great tool when used effectively. Used ineffectively, it becomes another blame game that corrodes morale and true collaboration. 

Ready…Aim…Fire!

Why do change efforts fail? Misalignment with vision? Lack of leadership? Poor planning? Weak WIIFM? (That's, What's in it for me?) Let's see...<opens textbook>...yep. All of the above. That's okay, you know the methodology. How to be an Influencer and Change Anything. How to overcome the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. So you create a …

Breaking Bad (Habits)

Where do we pick up our bad habits? Parents? Older siblings? Influential friends? Maybe, but I'll offer another—teachers. Yes, I said it—teachers. "Ok, class, your assignment is to write a 5,000-word essay." <collective groan> Well, esteemed teachers, it is my opinion, therefore, that you are, solely, though perhaps unjustly, insomuch as responsible for one of …

Prepare for Launch in 28…14…7…1…

You just got the email. A new, exciting software change is coming to your organization...SOON! The email probably touted benefits of the new software in a succinct bulleted list: Accelerates our digital transformation. Enables anytime, anywhere collaboration. Offers new features and enhanced security. Yep, that's pretty standard language for what we in the biz call …