01.02.2020
Words Matter
Words matters: I have to OR I get to? I had to get up at 4:50am to get on a 6:50am flight. I tend to resist commitments that necessitate setting my alarm before 5am. However, it was my choice and I opted for a night at home rather than a late flight the night before.
12.11.2019
Go the extra mile – with leftovers
I was impressed with the food at an event I helped to facilitate a few weeks ago – it was delicious and there was a lot of it. On the first day, I noticed that there was far more food put out than consumed and the leftovers were cleared by staff at the venue. After leaving I wondered what happened to the uneaten food.
28.04.2015
While I wait for my calling
We can do no great things; only small things with great love. --Mother Teresa. I feel fortunate to be able to work with talented people and to be involved in projects that are resulting in positive change. At the same time, I am open to the possibility that there might be something else I could be “called” to do. Are there different ways I could be supporting others, challenging myself and having a bigger impact?
10.04.2015
What am I missing?
It’s a frustrating feeling – we are in the midst of a conversation with our boss, our co-worker, our partner and it’s going off the rails. We can feel it happening, we want to avert it and yet somehow we just can’t put our finger on why we are butting heads. What do they see that I don’t? Why don’t they see it as I see it? What am I missing?
25.02.2015
The Only Constant is Change
“Life is all about change” – John Reesor, commenting on voluntarily giving up his driver’s licence and car at the age of 90.
12.02.2015
A Lesson From Flying
Anyone who has been on a commercial airplane has heard the familiar message in the emergency procedures briefing: “In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, the oxygen masks will appear. Put on your own mask first, and then assist others.” As a parent and as someone who generally likes to look out for others, to be asked to look after myself first always strikes me as a bit of a selfish perspective. However, I know it is a legitimate and important step. If I pass out from a loss of oxygen, I will not be able to help anyone else at all, and I will be a burden to others.
What makes people want to work together? If there were a formula, it would be easy to continually create the conditions for smooth-functioning teams and highly efficient meetings. We could collect three people with x trait and two people with y trait, call them a team and – presto bingo – a high functioning group. If only it were so simple.