On “Religious” Atheists and “Rational” Believers
I don’t know about you, but I am tired of the simplistic “Religion vs Science” trope. As if humans can be so easily categorized and therefore readily “adored or ignored.” But in my experience after working with humans for over two decades, we are a bit more complex. There are indeed conformists who believe in…
June 28, 2023
Why You Are Not Being Fully “Heard”: 3 Brains, 6 Gaps, 1 Solution
Be it with friends and family or colleagues and bosses, we have all had the experience of scratching our heads as we realize that the important conversation we had a few hours/days/weeks ago had zero impact on the other person. You walk away thinking, “s/he/they just doesn’t care.” However, here is what I think may…
October 21, 2022
Adulting Better with Adult Development: See It, Feel It, Do It
“Adulting” is a silly but catchy term that means engaging in the behaviors of a responsible adult (holding down a job, making monthly payments, and overall physical self-care). The “Urban Dictionary” includes the following: “…responsibilities expected of fully developed individuals.” From this perspective adulting basically means maturity.
August 26, 2021
A Hiring Paradox for Leaders: Shamans Instead of Witch-Doctors
The hardest part of leadership is developing the so-called “soft skills.” That is the message we get from such diverse sources as Adam Grant (Give and Take), Amy Edmondson (Teaming), and Andy Grove’s classic for managers who have difficulty with the soft-side of leadership, High Output Management. Who has the time?!?
March 2, 2021
Meditation is the Marshmallow Experiment for Adults
You already know about the marshmallow experiment, but have you considered that you are part of an even bigger experiment? The “meditation experiment” has been going on for thousands of years in the East, and hundreds (if not thousands) of years in the West. It really took off in the West when the more evolved…
March 2, 2021
Procrastination Works (Which is the Problem)
We All Procrastinate for the Same Reason: Willpower Just Isn’t Enough Part of my “Fight/Flight/Freeze” series on brain & behavior. Freeze = Procrastination. I write about things like spectrums as a metaphor and the balance of forces in terms of polarities. But here, I want to discuss something that affects all of us: procrastination. The problem…
July 16, 2020
What to Do When the World is Falling Apart
What Should We Do? What Can We Do? What Will We Do? The world is grappling with invisible conflicts. Conflicting messages from global leaders about the novel coronavirus pandemic; disturbing videos of police brutality that conflict with official reports; and conflicting protocols about returning to whatever the “new normal” will be. This is the state…
June 25, 2020
Build Trust Using the Spectrum of Empathic Listening
Listening Better Spectrums are often used to demonstrate a continuum of change. Here, I will demonstrate how you can create more trust by developing the listening skills of world class networkers and beloved influencers. This effective process has been used by elite coaches to assist clients in the gradual growth of powerful and efficient listening…
June 10, 2020
Find Your Voice Using the Spectrum of Assertive Speaking
Speaking Up Spectrums are common in nature, of light, of consciousness, and of political views. But I have yet to come across a spectrum of assertive speaking. Here, I use the notion of a spectrum to showcase an effective coaching process for people who want to speak up for themselves more at work, or to…
May 15, 2020
The Spectrum of Mindfulness Practices
Paying Attention Mindfulness is about paying attention, as experts both East and West will tell you. Another way of looking at this is: Mindfulness isn’t free – you PAY attention. Is the opportunity cost worth it? In most cases it is worth it. If you are depressed, you should not engage in mindfulness practices; but…
May 14, 2020