When you’re a mom and a manager, you can’t help but look at the calendar year with a sense of anxiety. You have to hit your business performance goals while keeping everything running smoothly at home. No pressure, right? As a mom of three young children and a leader of numerous direct reports, I’d love to say that I’ve found the perfect way to balance all my responsibilities. … [Read more...]
How to Recognize Work Burnout and Steps to Avoid It
You're working hard. You're pushing yourself and your team to new heights. You're killing it in your career. But are you on the brink of work burnout? It can be tough to know for sure, but there are a few key signs that it might be time to take a step back and reevaluate your work-life balance. If you're feeling exhausted, stressed, or overwhelmed, it might be time to make a … [Read more...]
Is Disorganization Making You Ill?
Sponsored by Sanebox: If the disorganization surrounding you at work and at home is making you feel ill, you’re not alone. Researchers have found a variety of links between disorganization and both physical and mental health problems. It turns out two of the areas in the brain that are associated with physical pain are triggered when you let go of things you own or think … [Read more...]
Don’t Worry, Be Happy, Be Productive: Lessons From My Dad
Don't Worry Be Happy and Be Productive A simple phrase, or lyrics as it may be. My father uttered these words to me on a regular basis as a child, and occasionally still does today. I remember listening to that song in my dad’s old den, and not really getting it. I lived with my dad, and to his credit I think he raised a me to be a pretty awesome woman with a strong sense … [Read more...]
How Childhood Follows Us
We have all been children. Many of us have children. At some point we have been told to put away our childish ways and become all grown up. Not as easy as we would like. In “Don’t Bring It to Work”, I discuss the fact that when stress hits the hot button we all revert to behaviors we learned in our original organization, the family and they show up at work and need to be … [Read more...]
Teamwork: Sharing the Blame!
Now that the old model of command and control is out the window and team collaboration is the norm what has really changed when things go wrong? I have been watching the teams I consult with to see if there is a better level of accountability than in the past. Here is what I notice: when stress is high, heads are down and everyone is pointing fingers outward, in the … [Read more...]