Honking and Yelling and Leadership
This is when I think you should use your car horn: when you are about to smash into someone and/or someone is about to smash into you. Full stop. Unacceptable uses for car horns: laying on it when someone is…
Category Leadership
Struggle Sessions
The weekend was a FIELD HOCKEY EXTRAVEGANZA. My bro was at the field from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM Friday. That’s four games of field hockey fun spread out over 12 hours! (Math is my specialty.) Except there was something…
Hot Take vs Molehills and Mountains
Last week, I was in front of a room of 100 nurses and nurse leaders, facilitating a feedback workshop. I was overviewing Feedback 411–the basics–before we got into the framework. “If you see something, say something.” That’s the general vibe…
Lessons from Francois: Give It a Try To Get By
Back in ‘87 I thought I was the coolest thing in town because I worked at Bennigan’s. You heard me. To this day, Benningan’s birthday song is the only song I’ll sing out loud. The particular Bennigan’s I worked at…
When it’s time to walk away…
I don’t know about you, but this week has been a lot. The heaviness of the news of the destruction from the hurricane is heartbreaking. If you’re into these sorts of things, apparently, there was some sort of astrological chaos…
When Rules Make You Look Like Fools
This year’s Olympics brought us lots of Snoop Dogg, Flavor Flav, and oh, incredible athleticism. As with any situation involving governing bodies, rules committees, and subjective judging, it also brought complete chaos to gymnast Jordan Chiles last week. You can…
Can I Get a Side of Logic with That Rule?
For two years, post Peace Corps and then working at the most toxic work environment of my life it was time for me to chillax and do something mildly mindless. I bartended at LaPosada in Santa Fe. The law in…
Full Circle Reflections
I had a full-circle moment this week. In Chicago this week, cohort 2 of Presenting with Impact Workshop with Hightower Financial Services. About three miles down the road is the home of the Swirl, Uncle Julio’s Hacienda, also the home…
If You Don’t Like what the Teacher Says, Ask Someone else
We were towards the end of day one of a 2-day feedback and coaching workshop. It was practice time, and we were IN IT. John was mid-coaching conversation and tanking hard. The more he spoke, the more oxygen got sucked…
Feedback to Forget
“Can you help me not be an asshole?” 😳 The workshop had ended. It was late. Brandon was in a shouting-whisper discussion with his supervisor. You know that tone people take when they are trying to keep things quiet but…