Toxic People are Like Moldy Fruit

Think about this – you have a piece of fruit that has been sitting on your counter for a while.  On the outside, it looks “perfectly fine”. No brown spots or blemishes. You bite into it and you think it is OK but on the second (or third) bite you encounter mold. You immediately get … Read more

Busy Bees

I could say that I have not posted a blog in a couple of weeks because “I am soooo busy”. Although I have a hectic schedule now that I am teaching again, it is a lame excuse for not getting something done that I feel is an important part of my business. I feel lately … Read more

Kick Ass, Break Glass

I have seen this expression in a few places, mostly talking about breaking through the glass ceiling.  The issue is that no two people will do it the same way, so it is challenging for leaders to develop their people in order for them to be promoted. In other words, we all have our unique … Read more

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I have heard on the radio several times this week that one of the most stressful things during the holidays is dealing with relatives and more importantly their nosy questions.  Such questions include: When are you getting married? Have you lost weight? When are you going to give me grandchildren?, etc. I am sure they … Read more

Other People’s Opinions

As I have written in several past blog posts, it is important to seek feedback so that you know if you are improving in certain areas of your life, especially professionally.  Having said that, I recently saw a quote that said, “What other people think about you has nothing to do with you and everything … Read more

I’m Tired of Repeating Myself

I have been thinking lately that more and more people are hard of hearing, maybe due to listening to loud music or noise pollution.  However, I realized that the real issue is that many people just are not listening. In fairness, educators especially in elementary, middle, and high school focus on what used to be … Read more

Reinforcement

As a corporate trainer and an adjunct professor, one of the things I stress is applying what you learn. I tell my participants/students that if they “throw their notes up on a shelf and never look at them,” then it has been a waste of time – both theirs and mine. I then suggest that … Read more

Greener Grass or Not?

The Roman poet, Ovid, wrote: “…the harvest is always more fruitful in another man’s field.” The proverb the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence is often shortened to simply: the grass is always greener. So how often do we envy what others are doing? Do we always think things, jobs, status, etc. … Read more

Let It Go!

I am currently reading Jack: Straight From The Gut which is the autobiography of Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric.  When he became CEO, Jack had a philosophy that if any of their 40+ businesses were not #1 or #2 in that industry then they must either be “fixed, sold, or closed”. The … Read more

What is Self-Discipline?

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of self-discipline is the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.  So why this is so difficult? The most common reason is that we tend to run away from the hard, and maybe even uncomfortable, things and focus on … Read more