If you’re hoping to get caught up on your office to-do list this long holiday weekend – don’t. That is the central thesis of an article by happiness expert Shawn Anchor and his wife, Michelle Gielan, a sleep expert: “We often take a militaristic, “tough” approach to resilience and grit. We imagine a Marine slogging …
Author: John Stevenson
How to beat boredom
Boredom is the silent, chronic ailment of relationships, families, careers and companies. Attitudes and habits become fixed. Learning slows. Staleness grows. These were the opening ideas put forth by John Gardner nearly 27 years ago at a gathering of McKinsey consultants in Phoenix, Arizona. His topic for the day was “Personal Renewal.” Gardner, who died …
10 rules for brilliant moms
Tara Mohr’s book “Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create and Lead” is about the tools she’s used with thousands of women to help them take big steps forward in their lives and careers. Mohr says that some women feel they aren’t ready to take on bigger roles. The inner critic can be a powerful and …
Dealing with mediocrity
Addressing the poor performance of an individual or team is not the toughest test of a leader – it’s dealing with mediocrity. That’s business social scientist Joseph Grenny’s thesis in a recent HBR article “What To Do About Mediocrity on Your Team.” (Grenny is a favorite source for this weekly note, and his most famous …
The best leaders have this rare trait
Jim Collins is an expert in great companies – how they grow, how they attain superior performance, and how good companies can become great companies. Collins has authored or co-authored six books, two of his best known being Built To Last and Good To Great. Naturally, studying great companies has also allowed him to study their leaders. What …
The 5 essential questions
Bill Kelly, my old boss at Treo Solutions, is one of the top minds in the country when it comes to healthcare design, delivery and economics. It’s one of the reasons 3M Healthcare Information Systems decided to acquire Treo a few years ago. Though Bill was (and still is) often the smartest guy in the …
Do the work
Author Stephen King knows how to do the work. He has written 54 books. He’s sold more than 350 million copies of those books. In his book “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” he shares his tips and tricks of the trade. He recommends that aspiring writers should read a lot. They should also …
How to look more confident
Confidence is a critical element for success in many aspects of our lives. Studies show that confident people tend to enjoy moresuccessful careers and a higher social status. Confident people are clear and decisive. We trust them. We like them. You’ve probably heard about many of the tricks to use to feel moreconfident: power posing, …
Things turn out best for these people
Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden won 10 NCAA National Championships in a 12 year period, including an unprecedented seven in a row. Wooden was a gentleman, an inspiring leader, and a scholar on the subject of coaching. It’s no surprise that has also become one of the one most quotable sources on motivation and …
Beating the Sunday night blues
If Sunday nights bum you out, you’re not alone. In a Monster.com job board poll, 76% of respondents reported “really bad” Sunday night blues. Spreadsheets, sales meetings, and presentations aren’t nearly as fun as backyard barbecues, rounds of golf, or taking in a ballgame. There’s a natural sadness that sets in about leaving these fun …