Browsing: Emotional Intelligence

Almost every organization has that one colleague who drains the energy from every meeting. It’s often someone who resists collaboration and acts as if their way is the best way.

Many people are good at what they do, yet struggle to find the time or energy for the bigger things they dream about. The biggest obstacle is rarely laziness or lack of ability; it’s being too busy doing good things.

Statistically, by the time February rolls around, about 80% of all New Year’s resolutions have already fallen by the wayside.

Picture the chief of a construction crew assembling a team to build a house. Everyone is enthusiastic, but only a few people have tools. Some have hammers, a few others have drills, but that’s about it.

Ancient wisdom packed into short, memorable phrases has guided humanity for millennia. These pithy statements carry profound truth that transcends time and culture.

Thriving organization know that what got you here won’t necessarily get you there. In other words, change occurring around us often means we must adapt the way we do things just so we can keep up.

Workplaces need teams, too, but many teams are nowhere near as effective as they could be. The reasons are many. Some teams lack structure. Others suffer from poor communication. Still others are ineffective because of unclear roles and responsibilities.

The more genuine experience you accumulate, the better you become at spotting and removing barriers to forward progress. Unfortunately, the concept of gaining experience can be misunderstood. It isn’t as straightforward as simply observing or being involved in something.

Workplaces rarely implode overnight. Like small cracks in a dam that eventually lead to catastrophic failure, two tendencies in a workplace can create devastating fissures in an organization’s culture. The first is avoiding conflict. The second is ignoring feedback. Conflict is natural and feedback is vital, so these should not be ignored. And yet it happens. 

Stress is part of life. Whether you’re leading a team, raising a family, or managing a project, stress finds its way into the equation. But is stress always a villain? Like most things in life, the answer is nuanced. Stress can be both a catalyst for growth and a recipe for disaster, depending on how we manage it.