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Stop saying TOXIC, It's not helping!

Here’s what got me thinking about the term TOXIC. As I began my morning routine of scrolling through the news and social media applications on my phone, frustrated that I could not go back to sleep at 4:45 am, I eventually found my way to LinkedIn, where I came across a post about TOXIC workplace behaviors and the implications on mental health. Let me just say, before I hit the defensive nerve…

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Wait, is my boss gaslighting me?

I teach leadership & organizational development, conduct industrial and organizational psychology research, and occasionally pick up consulting work. When consulting, I typically conduct qualitative research and some sort of organizational audit. In most instances, I am attempting to gain insights into organizational culture, while exploring familiar cultural dynamics like communication, work…

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A Culture of Learning and Curiosity

A Culture of Learning and Curiosity

Over the past six years, I have been on an extended journey of learning and self-discovery. Throughout, I committed to following my interests and curiosities to better understand the following questions: who am I; why do I do what I do, and in many instances, why do WE do what we do; what is the right thing to do; and how can I add value and contribute to my family, my circle of influence, and…

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What Public Problem Are You Working To Solve And Why?

What Public Problem Are You Working To Solve And Why?

When faced with this type of question, how would you answer?

I was recently challenged with this very question when applying for a fellowship. I appreciate this type of question because it causes us to think and to state who we are and what we are all about. I feel strongly that many of the obstacles and challenges we face as individuals and leaders – which can always be felt throughout all types…

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The Resilient Leader: A Tribute

The Resilient Leader: A Tribute

In honor of Thay’s homecoming yesterday – after living in exile for 51 years. Welcome home!

Mindfulness in a Changing World: The Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.

As we attempt to navigate the unremitting surge of life, pressing us forward, many look to the guidance of spiritual leaders. We do so in order to realize a governing sense of purpose and meaning and to help us better understand our complex…

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Receiving Feedback: A Letter To A Mentor

Receiving Feedback: A Letter To A Mentor

Source: Receiving Feedback: A Letter To A Mentor

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Receiving Feedback: A Letter To A Mentor

Receiving Feedback: A Letter To A Mentor

One of the things I most admire about individuals who consistently perform at optimal levels is their willingness to put themselves into situations where they constantly receive feedback. This idea of gathering as much feedback and information as possible – in order to achieve and maintain high-level performance – is outlined in the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyiand his deeply influential book,  

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Ethics - Relics or Relevant?

Ethics – Relics or Relevant?

Many classical philosophers and scholars, spent their entire lives grappling with the idea of ‘ethics’, including Aristotle and some of his contemporaries. We can only imagine the rich debate that filled the Lyceum as both student and teacher challenged their understanding of applied ethics. Aristotle, one of the most influential minds in the field of modern ethics, asserted that our primary…

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The Complex Emotions of Leadership

The Complex Emotions of Leadership

It seems as if very few people are willing or capable of exploring complex emotions; especially leaders. Why is it that leaders frequently miss opportunities to engage and support team members as they experience complex emotions? Do leaders lack understanding of complex emotions? Has time become such a scarce resource that we only engage challenging emotions when necessary? Are we still addled by…

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The Apology of a Daring Leader

The Apology of a Daring Leader

  Apologizing is not weakness

Owning our missteps – shows humanity, an acknowledgement of responsibility, humility, and vulnerability

The process of apologizing helps us reset and reprioritize the things we value

An apology clears the way for new beginnings and possibilities

Saying I’m sorry will help us move towards growth and understanding

While our phones lit up with text messages, our email…

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The Purpose Review

The ineffectual nature of the traditional performance review process seems to be a never ending storyline as evidenced in the 2008 Wall Street Journal article, “Get rid of the performance review!”. Discussions on how to skillfully facilitate a meaningful dialogue with actionable content persists with few notable changes. I would advocate that we consider a complete process overhaul and begin with…

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The Hopeful Cynic

The Hopeful Cynic

“When you are cynical, you are never disappointed. It’s courageous to hope, because at some point, you will get your heart broken.”

I recently heard Carrie Newcomer make this statement as she was being interviewed by Krista Tippett for an episode of the thought-provoking “onbeing” podcast series.

Dear readers, these words have floated in and out of my consciousness for a couple…

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This Weary Traveler

This Weary Traveler Lessons from the road

Gratitude from the road….

Over the last four months, I have been traveling to Philadelphia every four weeks in the pursuit of an additional certification in Applied Positive Psychology. My travel occurs in the late afternoon or evenings following what is typically a very full workday. There are no direct flights from Austin to Philadelphia that meet my needs, so the travel distance of 1,662 miles…

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Other People Matter A favorite saying of mine is, “Other People Matter”. I really love the simplicity, broad implications, and the spirited possibility for us all to more clearly see and hear one another.

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Case Study: A Leader's Journey

After our last post you should have a solid understanding of the Four Intelligences. As we jump into a real-life case study (where names and workplaces have been changed in order to protect the players involved), I challenge you to analyze how the story’s leader, Mark, uses his innate characteristics and learned competencies in order to solve a series of organizational problems.

Try to identify…

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Exploration of leadership and multiple intelligences

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There's More to Intelligence than an IQ!

Part 2 of a Multi-Part Series

Last week, we answered the paramount question: “Who am I as a leader?” We took time to distinguish between the Characteristics and Competencies of leadership, and touched on the connection to Multiple Intelligence Theory.

In this post, we’ll define and explore the application of the Four Intelligences. At the end of this post, you will be able to identify each…