Pointillism, also referred to as “dot art” uses dots, sometimes millions of dots, to create amazing works. No matter the size, each piece starts with a single dot.
Dang, that hurt.
Why are we so hesitant to tell people when they’ve said something hurtful to us? We worry that our intention (to end the hurt) will be misunderstood and fear even a gentle confrontation may backfire and perhaps escalate. Mastering a few simple tactics can dramatically improve your relationships.
Should Work Be Fun?
It takes time and experience to determine which pearls of wisdom we should keep or discard about the world of business.
February Question of the Month – Adapting to a Changing World
We had some great answers to February’s question: “What does your company do to adapt to a rapidly changing world?” Here are the top 5 responses.
Got Grit?
In the 1969 western True Grit, Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) hires U.S. Marshall Rooster J. Cogburn (John Wayne) to track down her father’s killer. Ross travels to Fort Smith Arkansas to hire Cogburn because she’s heard he has “true grit”. If you’ve seen the movie, or the remake, you know that Mattie Ross has a substantial dose of “true grit”
Ultimatum Is a Big Word
When you negotiate for a car or house, are you ready to walk away if the seller is unwilling to accept your offer? While this might work when negotiating for tangible objects, it may not work as well dealing with intangible relationships.
Praise Is Powerful – Do It Right
Praise: warm approval and admiration How important is praise? Important. Extremely important.
Useful Regrets
I love podcasts and one of my favorites is NPR’s Hidden Brain with Shankar Vedantam. One episode “Why We Can’t Shake Life’s ‘Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda’ Moments” explored regret. Regret is a big emotion; people get angry, self-critical, mournful and disappointed about the choices they’ve made.
Hire Like a 4-Star General
A critical part of hiring people who can assist you in taking your company to the next level is being able to articulate what you need. In his book, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership, Colin Powell lists the traits he “treasures” (his word) in people who work with him. It’s a list of characteristics necessary in every field,
10 Gallons of gas & a blowtorch
A business owner I visited with last week was upset. A key manager had given his two-week notice. “It’s not so much that he left,” the owner said, “but I hate being blindsided.