Articles
How Well Do You Know Yourself?
Self-awareness precedes all sustainable behavior change.
Getting stuck is real. It happens in large and small ways, internally and externally. If Bob from accounting was rude to one day, that does not necessarily mean that “Bob is rude”. Bob was rude. But Bob comes with the same unique and complex version of ‘self’ that we all do.
Why do we pigeonhole Bob? Why do we point fingers? Why do we entrench ourselves in accomplishments of the past to ‘prove’ our current worth?
Selective vs. Default Override
There is a difference between Selective Override and Default Override. As an athlete, it was not a matter of pushing through pain, necessarily – it was more like shutting down the pain and existing as though the pain was not there - overriding the signals my body was sending. But the truth of a body experiencing pain is that it is there, whether or not one is willing to look directly at it. And it’s there for a reason. Shutting it down can be a real problem.
The more often I overrode the pain, the more normal it became. Eventually, it became my default setting. When override becomes the default position, it can cause far more harm than good.
Understanding Rejection Sensitivity
Are you your own harshest critic? Do you hesitate, avoid, or pass up opportunities to start projects for fear of failure?
Do you assume the worst in common interactions, concerned that you will be scolded or fired every time you are called into your boss’ office?
These can be momentary; we all have tough days. If these are consistent – or constant – then it might be interesting to gain an understanding of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD).
Who You Are is How You Lead: 3 Keys to Leadership
If you spend any time in the leadership development space, you quickly see that everyone has an opinion on how to be an effective leader. In fact, these opinions are often touted as a “new” way of thinking about or doing leadership. While it can certainly be useful to look at leadership from different lenses or frames, the reality is what we tend to see in leadership is that there are more similarities than differences as it relates to effective leadership.
I would offer that it is important for us to understand three things when it comes to our leadership. Those are:
1. What you stand for
2. How you stand
3. Who you stand for
The Impact of Expectation on… Everything
How often do we describe a situation before experiencing it? That self-talk influences our experiences. “Steve in accounting is always so difficult” will impact the way you engage with Steve. And “Carol just doesn’t like me” will impact all future interactions with Carol. Steve in accounting might be, in his own way, making efforts to connect that are overridden while his difficulties are highlighted; after all, we have decided that “Steve is always so difficult.”
You don’t have to do it. But if you decide to take a thoughtful path forward, to relieve entrenched expectations and rewire default settings in a way that aligns better with desired outcomes, then keep walking the path.
The Four Horsemen of Culture Collapse
It’s not a mystery: the success of any organization exists in the hands of its people, and best laid plans always fall victim to implementation.
Deliberate cultivation of culture is key. Culture is developed, in part, through routine interactions of people within the organization. Every interaction under an organization’s roof contributes to a shared norm. The way we talk to each other today will influence the way we talk to each other tomorrow. Every behavior – and the response it elicits – normalizes future behavior. It is an organic concept, one that requires regular attention.
Anti-Perfectionism for Performance Enhancement
We don’t often hear about the drawbacks of perfectionism. Instead, we celebrate obsession embodied by elite performers. That can be misleading. Stories of the obsessive work ethic shared by world class achievers like Kobe Bryant and Steve Jobs are everywhere; there are far more stories of people in pursuit of elite achievement who strain to prove their personal value through high accomplishment. Those stories end poorly. Far more often than not, perfectionism leads to decreased productivity, strained relationships, heavy anxiety, and an overall lower quality of life.
"The Best Way to Spot an Idiot"
For all JB Pritzker has done during his time as Illinois' Governor, his most viral and memetically impactful moment might be his recent commencement speech at Northwestern University. Smart and funny, with references to the sitcom The Office, Pritzger relayed a powerful message:
"The best way to spot an idiot, look for the person who is cruel. Let me explain.”
Narratives of Hope in Your SEL Toolbox
We all know the language of teachers possesses the power to inspire or injure, to heal or humiliate. Language sets the academic and emotional climate of the room. The greater awareness of the relationship between language of the teacher and positive learning outcomes, the greater chance we have of getting the climate just right. So, we have to ask ourselves: “Does my language optimize learning, achievement, relationships and emotional intelligence?”
Engagement Across Difference
"Remember that with diversity comes difference. Students at Northwestern, frankly, students everywhere across the United States, increasingly lack the ability to talk across difference. In that way- they're much like our country, but as I've said before, this ability to engage across difference is core to a university's mission."One cannot have true and authentic engagement by either the faculty or students without a commitment to free speech and to academic freedom."
Hidden Impact: The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace
Katherine Johnson saving the day highlights the impact of recruiting diverse perspectives. Companies in the “top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean”.
4 Keys for the ADHD Leader
Visionary leaders have a few things in common. They see fast and far, they are creative and ambitious, they approach problems from angles that their peers might fail to see. These buoyant, entrepreneurial spirits have another thing in common: a lot of them have ADHD (often undiagnosed).
Aligning Personal and Objective Truths
Personal truths (the truth of one’s experience) can be distinct from an objective truth (which is quantifiable and observable). Managing the gap between these truths is an important skill for any leader – of a business, a team, or a household.
Deconstructing Cultures of Constant Availability
Technology has enabled us to work remotely and remain connected 24/7. That doesn’t mean we should.In cultures of constant availability, an employee’s alert system is always ‘on’. Pings and chimes and little red bubbles in the corner of an app were created to snag one’s attention... in the modern workplace, this exploitation is nearly constant.
Understanding Anger: 'Parts Work' in Executive Coaching
As Dr. Schwartz puts it, “there are no bad parts, only burdened ones frozen in the past that need to be unburdened rather than punished,” (Schwartz, 64). Often, punishing the parts of you who are responsible for less-than-ideal behaviors will burden them further – a degrading cycle that an alarming amount of people find themselves caught in. Instead, heal them, change them, let them evolve.
Are You a Credible Messenger?: 4 Keys to Successful Professional Development
Professional Development is essential. But it's not all created equal... Check out 4 keys to effective professional development from 3 members of the SEL Summer Institute.
Does Your Behavior Match Your Goal? Putting “Practical Mindfulness” into Action
Practical mindfulness is an approach that can apply to any arena. It’s a mindset. A disposition. While everyone has their own relationship to implementation, below you’ll find 3 keys to bringing practical mindfulness approach into your life.
The Mad Scientist: Gabor Maté’s 3 Keys to Leadership
Forgiveness should be one of the biggest beakers in your lab. Things go wrong. Humans are infinitely complex and (depending on your perspective) flawed. “I’ve made every mistake in every book I’ve ever written” admits Maté. We should all work on patience, humility, and forgiveness.
Business Lessons from NFL QBs
By David Gardy Ermann // The default assumption in professional football is that the starting quarterback is more than just the best passer on the field; he is expected to be the team leader. I previously wrote an article (available here) on three psychological principles that underlie the success of NFL starting quarterbacks: self-efficacy, preparation, and patience. Starting quarterbacks serve a role on their teams much the same as business leaders do their companies. To that end, business leaders would significantly benefit by incorporating the practices that are founded upon these three psychological principles.