Confession time: I owe North Dakota an apology. About six months ago, in light of the economic pressures on government employees, budget cuts and downsizings, further calls for their jobs or at least slashing their pensions, I wrote a satirical “Shrink Rap” ditty called “The Reorg Rag.” It started: It can’t happen here, I haveRead… Read more »
That the term “synergy” keeps showing up on my mental radar and calendar is not surprising. But yesterday, I experienced the “mother nature” variation. Meandering along the banks of the Chagrin River, 20 miles east of Cleveland, I stepped off the heavily wooded path at the confluence point of two streaming tributaries. Walking along aRead… Read more »
Starting a “Gentoring” ™Program: Barriers to Bridging the Generational-Digital Divide – Gen Xers and Millennial “Hot Buttons” In the first two segments of my Gentoring essay, a) the concepts of Gentor ™ and Gentoring ™ were introduced (“Gentoring” ™: Building a New Mentoring Role for Bridging the Generational-Digital Divide or “Don’t Be Afraid to PetRead… Read more »
As I open this essay, please forgive an immodest turn. Upon reading or hearing one of my edgy or catchy phrasings, for example, the title of my book, Practice Safe Stress, or a motivational mantra, such as, “Do know your limits and don’t limit your ‘No’s,” I often receive some verbal or nonverbal sign ofRead… Read more »
Part I introduced three necessary transition stress interventions for engaging an audience on “The Reorg Rag” ™, that is going through transitional crisis: 1) “Bring Your Inner Clint Eastwood” – demonstrate a readiness to empathically and assertively handle audience anger or angst, 2) “Warm Up and Cool Down the Audience” – through healing humor andRead… Read more »
Based on work with a variety of organizational and corporate clients, Part I outlined three necessary transition stress interventions for engaging an angry and anxious audience caught in a rough and rocky reorganizational sea change. (Email [email protected] if you missed Part I.) The foundational interventions were: 1) “Bring Your Inner Clint Eastwood,” 2) “Warm UpRead… Read more »
This past week I led programs with Metro-DC city and county government agencies that are in the throes of reorganization: a) the quasi-private/city government agency is anticipating major overhauls and upgrades to their information processing systems which may result in significant job restructuring and redesign, as well as possible job loss, b) the county governmentRead… Read more »
I’m preparing for a major offsite event with the Command Teams of the 1st Cavalry/Ft. Hood, TX. I’ve been asked to explore new (for me) conceptual territory — Generational Diversity. More specifically, the Army wants me to provide some fresh ideas and exercises for “Communicating with the Younger Soldier.” To oversimplify matters: how can theRead… Read more »
I was reading Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World, when I realized that Ghandi really knew how to give great career advice! Who thought that his virtues might also serve us well in our careers? How often have you discovered that some level of cynicism has crept into your way of approaching your career,Read… Read more »
On the first weekend in March – mostly sunny weather, briskly seasonal temperatures without the customary roaring and “marching in” mountain winds – we had our first Busy Women’s Retreat at the serene, scenic Blue Mountain Retreat Center, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Maryland (near Harpers Ferry, WV). The Blue Mountain RetreatRead… Read more »