The first project I was assigned as a young engineer was intended to bring about a massive amount of change to an industry that didn't particularly like change. I recall being mentored by engineers who kept their best information in a "tally book" in their back pocket. That would be the equivalent of Google docs today! The undertaking I was embarking on was going to digitize and standardize invoicing for the entire company...but first, people had to be taught how [...]
A couple of months ago, I attended a book launch and I won the door prize which included a T-shirt that said: “I’m booked”. That clever play on words has stuck with me, and with summer upon us, has given me something to ponder. If you have children, chances are you signed them up for a summer reading program to keep their minds engaged. I have done this for years with my kids and enjoyed watching them dive into A [...]
If you're anything like me, you like things done right, on time and under budget. I can still hear my dearly departed father-in-law saying "well, ok, Ms. Engineer" as I attempted to get Thanksgiving dinner in perfect order. Operating in excellence is something to be proud of and something that's needed in our workplaces, families, and communities. But as I grew as a servant leader and as a mom, I came to appreciate the oxymoron of being an imperfect perfectionist. I [...]
We know that we are all part of an eco-system – whether that is an organization, a family, a team or community. We all have a role to play in a bigger organism. But do you know your role? And do you truly value it? Do those around you know it and value it? There are lots of different ways we can categorize ourselves (ethnicity, gender, personality, gifts, talents), but one of the most useful is our behavior style. [...]
Growing up, my aunt would ask my cousins and me "Are you part of the problem, or are you part of the solution?" Have you ever been asked this question? Even as a child, I knew that if the answer to this wasn't "SOLUTION", then I was in trouble. We all knew what was next: the statement of the problem and how WE could solve it. This method of questioning was a long-standing family secret (and my aunt will tell [...]
I don't know about you, but I'm so glad Spring is here. And while I look forward to the warmer weather and the sunshine that it brings, that's not why I'm so happy about it. Three years ago, my husband and I suffered a tragic loss: our oldest son died from a rare form of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma (yellow is the ribbon color for Sarcomas). And because his passing was in January, these past few years have started [...]
We’ve learned that effective communication should come from the heart, and I wholeheartedly believe that (no pun intended). When trying to motivate, inspire or even just relay a simple message, speaking with compassion is usually the best way to go. I still remember how profound it was when I heard a conference speaker say that our EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient) is just as important as our IQ (Intelligence Quotient), and some thought leaders say it’s even more important. It wasn’t [...]
Ahh, the new year. For my family and me, New Year’s Day is a time to enjoy family and black-eyed peas. It marks the end of the holidays and all the celebratory eating that seems to come with it, and it marks the beginning of new challenges. Over the Christmas/Winter break, I tend to rest, read, binge watch, and spend time with extended family. (there's nothing like a game of Taboo to get the blood flowing!) Then, I end the [...]
The end of the year is upon us, temperatures have dropped, stores are filling up and so are our schedules. People are focused on closing out projects, wrapping up obligations and meeting the added demands of holiday stress. To maximize the potential of the people in our charge, compassionate leaders need to consider a few points while navigating their teams through this season: Make room for extra Life I always tell my project management students and clients to “make room [...]
I discovered cruising in 2005 after going with family to celebrate a milestone birthday (it was my uncle’s 50th). We went on a 5-day cruise out of Galveston, TX on the Carnival Ecstasy and at first I was nervous and worried that I’d be bored. It was just the opposite. This itinerary made two stops; one in Cozumel, Mexico and then Progress (also Mexico) and we had a blast. It was my husband and our youngest son who was just [...]
