We’ve all been there. That point in a critical business project where the outlook appears grim. Even though you planned out the project, you engaged your stakeholders, and you analyzed what you thought were all the risks, but unforeseen challenges arose. As a project manager, it’s your job to rally your team. So, how do you accomplish that without appearing overly optimistic?
There is a lot of conversation on social media (and in coffee shops) about the latest Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. Ours is a nation divided. Divided by ideals, when the mission of this country is clear...liberty and justice for all. The early settlers and founding fathers came to America fleeing persecution of their ideals, namely their freedom of religion. They established a nation of principles, the preamble states it clearly: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." Our nation was founded on the principle of sacrificing for just beliefs. Of standing up (or sitting down) for what you believe in. And the recent Nike ad is promoting that ideal..."Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything". As a Christian, I can relate. Studying the early church is a history lesson in when the belief was justified, but the sacrifice was heavy. Lives and freedoms were lost...
Even the most disciplined people find times in their lives where they drift away from their goals. Life is consistently inconsistent, and it's those people who catch themselves before they drift too far off course that excel and achieve their goals. I especially notice this when it comes to health and wellness. Over the course of my adult life, I've participated in several 5k and half-marathon races. During the training seasons for those events, I have found myself laser focused [...]
When I was in college, I worked at a pet store in the mall, and I fell in love with a cute little chameleon. I wore my hair in a bun on top of my head at the time, and I would place him on my bun and he'd hold on while I walked around the store greeting customers (talk about your conversation starter). I got a kick out of placing him near my brown apron and watching him change [...]
When my boys were young, they loved to climb up and down each other...isn't that just like boys? If they weren't climbing, they were balancing or just rolling on the floor. With four of them, there was no shortage of playmates, and my husband and I enjoyed countless hours of watching (and participating in) their playfulness. It created a bond that could never be broken. On January 11, 2014, that bond was tested. After 3 battles with cancer in 3 [...]
I was guilty of finishing this sentence incorrectly; the common way: If you want something done right, do it yourself! But that is a sure-fire way to end up overwhelmed and frustrated, surrounded by demoralized people. I grumbled it in the kitchen to my children (and my husband) and I said it to more than one colleague at work. Ouch! Thankfully, I learned not only to not say this out loud, but to not believe it in my heart. You [...]
When I was in the fourth grade, I was the new kid (again!), and this time it was close to the end of the year, so I wasn't going to bother making new friends. Well, to my surprise, my parents bought me a 64 pack of Crayola Crayons! This made me an instant hit in the classroom, and one girl, Esther, always wanted to borrow my crayons. The problem was, she kept breaking them! One day, with palm sweating and [...]
It’s one thing to call yourself “inspiring”, it’s another to be recognized by a local periodical as such. Like any “inspiror” (OK, that’s not a word), my motivation is to help people have hope in the possibilities of life. To have hope that their last challenge won’t take them out. To show them that life has seasons, and some of them carry some really ugly weather, but that with faith, hope, and love, they can weather that storm. So I [...]
One of the challenges seasoned change leaders have is entering a new environment and still being respected as a leader. This can come as a result of a re-organization, a job change, or life as usual for consultants (we're always the new kid on the block). The first thing any new person to a team must do is LISTEN. But the new kid will hear a lot of noise, so below are the critical factors you should listen for when [...]
I love the old adage "What you focus on grows". It speaks to investing our time and attention to the things that matter. And in return, you'll get dividends. Most times, people intend to focus on the important relationships, tasks, and projects in their lives, but it can be difficult. There are so many things vying for our attention, competing for our energy and focus. This can be especially frustrating when we talk about goals. Making goals is important, but sticking to [...]
