A good portion of Sunday last weekend was invested in roadside clean up – the Adopt a Highway Program is active in Montana, where I live, and I’ve long wanted to participate in the effort. Citizens getting involved, to support the work of part of our social fabric (road systems) as we know it boosts … Read more
If you want to be connected, if you want to feel connected, then you get to make the first move. It’s simple: 1. Smile 2. Wave 3. Open or hold the door 4. Invite someone else to go ahead of you 5. Express gratitude and appreciation to someone else 6. Give someone a compliment that’s … Read more
It just hit me this morning:One reason that burnout is prevalent and persistent is the incorrect focus of PASSION before PURPOSE. Here’s an example.I work a good deal with the remarkable IDD/Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities world leaders.They’re continually battling and trying to reduce burnout within their teams. They do a LOT of deeply good work, … Read more
“Hey, Ginger It’s nice to hear from you. Your session was definitely a highlight! Making CONNECTIONS with others who do the same job was AWESOME! And for the record, at the last breakfast, eating with new people, someone broke the ice asking What’s your zen?!” This is part of a message stream in LinkedIn with … Read more
Last week I was working with a manager + director cohorts and we focused on Willingness. The Connector’s Mindset, POW, includes Willingness. It’s the W in POW – Positive Objective Willing – that helps us set our mind and go about the business of being a better human. Since warm up’s are good for mental … Read more
Optimism. What are you optimistic about? This simple and humble bracelet was given to me by a team member of UHI/ UMPQUA HOMES, INC. last year, at their annual leadership retreat I get to facilitate and help lead. It speaks to the IDD / Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities community and profession. It speaks the cultural … Read more
When you think of who you are, what words do you choose to describe your fine self? Are you generous? Stingy? Superdupercrystalclear? Uncertain? Kindasorta on some things, notsomuch on others? The way we describe ourselves is part of what’s know as Identity.In a CEO Accelerator I’m currently enrolled in, Identity was front and center in … Read more
Books.Books.More Books.What do you do with books you’re done with? Okay, so the quantity of books we have pales in comparison to some peoples’ collections – and all the same, going through them to winnow periodically is wise for us, and enjoyably cathartic. Part of the fun is to recall what was valuable, refresh the … Read more
Narrative: “a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.” – Dictionary.com In Elizabeth Kolbert’s book, H is for Hope, the letter N is full of connecting juice. She writes about how narratives help us makes sense of experiences, citing a paper published in the journal Climatic Change. The paper … Read more
If you think connecting has to be complicated, think again. At its essence, connecting with another human is simple. It’s about seeing someone for the basic being they are: another human much like you. Being objective and suspending judgment about them. Being willing to simply and completely let them BE, just as you want to … Read more