Anger doesn't fix any problem; profanity is a waste of breath and blame is an exercise in self-righteousness that really has no place in the workplace. And I know because I've tried all three! So what is the answer to overcoming a large-scale let down in business? It's the same as it would be in your personal life; and as a psychologist once told me, "disappointment is just … [Read more...]
You Can’t Win ’em All
"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" is a well-known sports mantra. It exemplifies a form of unfettered competitiveness that has permeated American sports. Its assertion about the importance of winning has been touted as a basic tenet of the American sports creed and, at the same time, singled out as encapsulating what is purportedly right with competitive … [Read more...]
Graduating with Grace
I was honored to be asked to introduce the 2009 graduating class from Nashville OIC (opportunities industrialization center), a not-for-profit center designed to provide GED and soft skills education to ANYONE who wants it. 117 adults who defied odds, social stigma, economic condition, or whatever obstacle prevented them from graduating high school the first go around walked … [Read more...]
Twitterfried [Reaching Twitter Burn Out]
Posted by Chrysty Beverley Fortner. I'm fully engaged in the assault on social media. I'm a warrior. I love it. I have a website to maintain for work, two blogs, a LinkedIn profile, a Facebook account, two groups, a cause and two fan pages; I text often, I live on email and Blackberry, I message through myEmma and now I “tweet.” However, I don't yet see the true value to … [Read more...]
Never Forget
I sit here thinking about words of encouragement and pearls of wisdom for the working woman on this Sunday before Memorial Day and I am at a loss. My words seem so insignificant, but I'm writing anyway. This Monday morning deserves more than best practices and philosophies. No level of business prowess can trump the efforts and sacrifices made by the men and women of our … [Read more...]
“As If” vs. “What If”
Posted by contributing writer Chrysty Beverley Fortner. I used to live in the land of "what if." It's not a very enchanting place to be, but so many of us end up there time and time again. Let’s compare two stories of far away lands: "What If;" where the princess never kisses her prince and the knight never slays his dragon to “As If;” where the princess is already making … [Read more...]
The Easy Button
Even though there really is no "easy button" in business, I bought four of them on Tuesday at the office supply store. Why? Because sometimes I need a distraction to remind me that I may be the one making things difficult. It's my new "distractor" that makes me giggle when I hear it say, "that was easy." But here's why I bought them in the first place. I sat in my boss’s … [Read more...]