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

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

ABC’s of Team Building – X is for Xenial

According to several sources, xenial means being hospitable especially visiting strangers or guests.  So why is it that most of us would never think to be unkind to a stranger but we can at times be super harsh on the ones closest to us?  Not only does this apply to our family and friends but … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – S is for Sunk Cost

A sunk cost is one that has already happened and cannot be recouped.  The sunk cost effect can occur when people escalate their commitment to a course of action in which they have made substantial prior investments of time, money, energy, or other resources, even though it clearly isn’t working.  Since people typically want to … Read more

ABC's of Team Building – Q is for Quality and Qualified

I think most would agree that they want to work for a quality organization, alongside those who have the skills, emotional intelligence, etc. to get their jobs done well.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.  Usually teams are put together based off of other factors including seniority, politics, and technical ability.  This causes major … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – M is for Mindset

We live in a world where there is so much information thrown at us that one would think that everyone would open their minds to different possibilities, however, this is not the case.  Instead it appears that the more data we gather, the more some people retrench and stay true to what they believe.  It … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – J is for Judgemental

When you pass someone on the street or in a store, do you think about who that person is?  By their clothes, body language, and even what they are purchasing or bags they are carrying, do you make a decision regarding that person’s socioeconomic status or other ways to distinguish them?  We actually judge people … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – E is for Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI and also known as EQ) is defined as the ability to identify, comprehend, and manage our emotions.   This is challenging for leaders who are trying to ascertain each team member’s emotional intelligence because EQ will affect one’s behaviors which in turn impacts other people on the team. It is usually easier to … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – C is for Conflict

When dealing with different personalities, genders, backgrounds, etc. there is bound to be conflict within a team.  The issue is that most people do not like to deal with conflict, but it can actually be helpful.  Conflict arises when there are opposing viewpoints or actions between the team members.  It can be something as simple … Read more

ABC’s of Team Building – A is for Allegiance

I think most people would agree that when you think of the word allegiance, you think of our country – “Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…”  It is the sense of loyalty and devotion that we exhibit coupled with a sense of pride and honor. Team members must also have an … Read more