How much thinking should I do for my people?
I will continue under the assumption that you want to tap into the creative possibilities of our species rather than treat people like unfeeling machines.
Don't Make Ties that Bind; Make Ties that Build
Outstanding leaders make sure every team member sees the vision of what they are building together and how each person is making an important contribution. How do you know if your people feel connected?
The Charge of Learning to Lead from a Management Posting
The demands of planning, organizing, scheduling, producing, and measuring can leave managers with little time to develop so-called soft skills.
The Encouragers
"I remember being a lot more engaged at his age," he thought. "I loved baseball from the first day Dad bought me a whiffle ball, plastic bat, and red glove. How can I get Jake to love ball?"
The Pruning Resolve
Expert gardeners prune a third to a half of a healthy rose bush so it can explode with exquisite blossoms. What should we prune?
Making an Impact: The Children's Advocacy Center
CAC of Smith County provides a variety of services to care for children who have suffered abuse – any kind of abuse: sexual, physical, emotional, environmental. It is a tragedy they are so busy.
How to Avoid Making People Mistakes
All leaders make mistakes. Most important decisions have to do with developing and deploying talent. Do our people feel engaged and committed? Here are some tips for avoiding people mistakes.
Mental Health & the Messy Desk
I deluded myself into believing: cluttered desk = brilliant, creative mind. I would occasionally do research to find pictures of people like Einstein digging out from a paper avalanche with the help of red-coated search and rescue workers. See.
Find Joy in Work. What Did Solomon Mean?
Does Solomon’s instruction mean to find work that makes you happy, or is it to find out how to be happy in the work you are doing…or both?
Let's Listen to Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin was a great, wise sage. Here are a few of his aphorisms with my comments about the journey to unleash our talents.
Taking Optimism for a Test Drive
Research proves that optimistic, positive people are happier and live longer. Learned optimism is an idea rooted in positive psychology. It involves developing the ability to see the world from a positive point of view.
Two Questions to Uncover Your Passion
Is weaving passion into work a privilege of the wealthy or an indulgence for the retired – or are we all created to find deep fulfillment in what we choose to do? These are questions Dr.
The Science of Reaching Goals
I recently listened to a couple of interesting podcasts on The Huberman Lab hosted by Dr. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.
Play and Create
Mary and I went to the Grandparents’ breakfast early this morning with Rivers and Rhodes. There was energy to spare, and we loved seeing smiles galore and hugs from devoted teachers.
A World of Fulfilled Potential
As best childhood friends, Brian and I had a lot of adventures. We were opposites in many ways—I played sports; he was scholarly—but chasing side-splitting guffaws was a shared avocation.
“Because You Inspire Us.”
My lovely wife, Mary, organized a family event. We all met in Dallas and enjoyed time together that culminated in a very nice, leisurely brunch at the Music Hall before seeing the iconic play Les Misérables.
Culture, a Human Petri dish
The Petri dish is named for the German biologist, Julius Richard Petri. It is a shallow glass cylinder used by mad scientists to culture cells.
Have You Reached a Verdict?
I recently had the privilege of jury duty. Never convenient, it is, however, a small price to pay for citizenship in this great country.
Stewardship at Work
What pops into your head when I say “Steward”? Perhaps you think of a memorable wine steward (sommelier) at a fine restaurant. Or, you might think Stewardess, the outdated term for a flight attendant.