For many businesses, the 2020 pandemic was harsh. Covid threatened the very survival of many companies. Businesses pivoted to remote work to keep from “closing their doors forever.” Remote work was business medicine… bitter and expensive but necessary, as medicine often is. Now that the virus has begun receding, it may be that the very medicine used to survive the virus – remote work — is now creating a different kind of workplace epidemic… high turnover. Is the unintended consequence of remote work creating a worse problem for businesses… one for which there is no vaccine: high employee turnover for companies that refuse to let employees keep working remotely? Here are some ways to stop turnover from overturning your business now that you finally “reopened your doors.” Continue reading →

It is estimated that 55% of all communication is non-verbal body language. Then, 38% is tone of voice and 7% is the actual words we use. So a lot of what we “say” is being communicated in unintended ways. That is also the case with laughter. Humor plays a big part in our social dealings at work and serves as an unspoken – although definitely auditory – language between people. Do you know how to read the social cues of laughter? Here’s what you need to know about sense of humor, laughter and power.

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Humor plays a big part in our social dealings at work and home. It’s not only a lubricant in social relationships, it also serves as an unspoken – although definitely auditory – language between people. Being funny, in the right way, can create stronger bonds and help people rise in the ranks. But we laugh less and less as we get older. This is especially true at work because humor is tricky. It can be excessive and it can offend. That’s why it’s important to know what kind of humor and how much humor is appropriate at work. Here’s what you need to know about humor at work.

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It was Mark Twain who said “Humor is the great thing, the saving thing after all. The minute it crops up, all our hardness yields, all our irritations and resentments flit away, and a sunny spirit takes its place.” A sense of humor is invaluable in relationships. It has also been tied to intellect, attractiveness, and leadership ability. And it is certainly a prized skill. But what connection does humor have to success? It turns out being funny matters.

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It is human nature to want to be comfortable… to want to avoid discomfort and pain. In fact, it is so embedded in our disposition to seek comfort and stay comfortable that we’ve given it a name: “the comfort zone.” When we’re in the comfort zone, we feel confident and anxiety disappears because we can draw on past experiences… things that are well-known. Change, experimentation and new experiences, on the other hand, can cause hesitation and trepidation. No one wants to be uncomfortable, but it is something we should embrace from time to time.

Here’s why. Continue reading →

There is a Positivity Movement sweeping the planet. This trend – prevalent especially on social media – urges people to “focus on the positive”, “exude positive energy” and “embrace a positive attitude”. Countless memes, posts, videos and articles promote positivity as the way to joy, happiness and success. The unsaid part of the message of positivity is to “ignore anything negative” and “be bubbly all the time”, even when depressed, stressed or upset. And, paradoxically, it often backfires and produces negativity instead. Why? Beware of the positivity paradox. Continue reading →

Companies and professionals need to look out for their financial well-being. And, we hear a lot of talk about companies and individuals also needing to pay attention to the well-being of their community and planet. While it used to be widely believed these goals were at cross-purposes, there is a new thinking that individuals can do well and do good at the same time: prioritizing profits, people and planet; where what I do for “me” also benefits “my planet and my people.” What are the five different business models that embrace doing good and doing well?

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Some businesses and business professionals are driven by either a deep desire to “do well”…. succeed, make money, achieve fame, gain power, etc. Others are driven to “do good”… help the needy, make the world a better place, solve major problems, etc. Those may seem like opposites pulling in different directions. One is self-focused – Me, Me, Me — and one is other-centered – My, My, My (planet, community, country, people). But perhaps those two motivations don’t have to be at odds. Maybe they can actually fuel one another in a virtuous cycle. Some business are doing just that; letting their “My” elevate their “Me”.

Here’s how. Continue reading →

“Let’s hire someone who is highly neurotic” said no hiring manager ever. If openness and conscientiousness are the areas of personality for which people want to score on the high end of the spectrum, then neuroticism is the area of personality for which people want to be on the low end. This is the area of personality that reflects the extent to which someone experiences negative emotions including fear, sadness, anxiety, guilt, and shame. But it is a term that is misunderstood. Like all areas of personality, each person’s personality falls somewhere on the neuroticism spectrum. In that sense, we are a little more or a little less neurotic. And like all other areas, there are jobs that are better suited for those who are more, or less, neurotic.

Before your next hire, it helps to understand neuroticism. Continue reading →

Are you open to new experiences? Open to change? Open to new ideas? Being “open” or “open-minded” seems about as positive a trait as a person can demonstrate. No one brags about being “closed.” Closed-minded. Closed off to relationships. Closed to innovation. And yet – like all aspects of personality – openness exists on a spectrum. On one end of the spectrum are those people who are analytical and like routine. On the other end are those who embrace creativity, change and experimentation. Some people are just more open than others. So should that affect hiring? When it comes to openness, finding the right person for the job requires understanding the job and the applicant. Continue reading →