HUMANERGY'S LEADERSHIP BLOG
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS THAT WORK IN THE REAL WORLD
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Explore Humanergy’s leadership blog for proven tools, strategies, and insights to help leaders and teams thrive.
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Live intentionally
We are pleased to welcome back guest blogger Jim Coyle, CEO of Nexus Business Solutions. This was originally posted on his "From the Chief Advisor's Desk" blog. Nexus Business Solutions helps small...
Let’s play!
Sometimes inspiration and insight come from images, and today's aha is a great example. When I saw this moment captured in a photo by Dan Carlson on Unsplash, my first thought was, "I need to go...
You’re not you when…
I love those Snickers commercials that feature the byline, "You're not you when you're hungry." This relates to a discussion at a recent Humanergy meeting about how people deal with difficult or...
Slow down, for Pete’s sake!
Recently I found out I have a disease. It's Hurry Sickness. That was abundantly clear when I read the title of this article, but could only skim it, since I was too busy to give it a thorough read...
See people with fresh eyes
I like to think I do an average job of being mindful. Yet the HBR article, See Colleagues as They Are, Not as They Were, brought me up short. I'm not a grudge-holder by nature, yet I know that I do...
Onboarding 101
My son, Ryan, started a new job some time ago. He started with the usual cursory training. Then his coworkers took him aside and said, "Here's what I wish I had known my first week." They clued him...
The blessings of a good mistake
We are pleased to welcome back guest blogger Jim Coyle, CEO of Nexus Business Solutions. This was originally posted on his "From the Chief Advisor's Desk" blog. Nexus Business Solutions helps small...
Noise reduction
Beginning on Independence Day, I've taken steps to reduce the noise in my life. Not the actual airwaves kind of noise, but the distracting and time-sucking digital overload. Maybe you'll find these...
Happy 400th!
Today, Humanergy is posting its 400th leadership blog. In celebration, we may eat 400 M&Ms. Maybe a better choice is to walk 400 extra steps. Regardless of what we do to mark the occasion, we...
That first-day-of-work feeling
Remember your first day on the job at a new organization? No history, no gossip, no intrigue, no politics, no unrealistic expectations, no cliques, no negativity. Can you go back and experience that...
Networking for shy people
I'm naturally shy. (This will come as a shock to some of you.) When I meet a new person, I can get a bit tongue-tied. I may even come off as standoffish. My youngest even comments that I'm not super...
Downside of suppressing emotions
Sam has had it with Susie. "She's messed up my schedule again," he grumbles to himself. Sam hasn't said anything to Susie about his most recent concerns, because he feels she's very sensitive and...
What if you’re wrong…or right?
You have the most amazing idea, and you're sure it's going to revolutionize the organization. But when you present it to the team, people are not enthused. What do you do now? First, and foremost,...
Good people in a bad system
We are pleased to welcome guest blogger Jim Coyle, CEO of Nexus Business Solutions. They are experts at helping small to mid-sized businesses implement practical solutions, utilizing...
Mindfulness in conflict
When the you-know-what hits the fan, and I'm in unexpected conflict, I often don't respond in the best way possible. It's far too easy for me to be thrown off guard and give off angry or defensive...
The challenge of linear thinkers
Samantha loves her job. She enjoys interacting with customers and meeting their needs. She does a great job when the issues and their answers are clear. But Samantha struggles when something...
Again, leadership lessons from Mom
This content was originally posted on May 3, 2010, but we couldn't resist sharing it again. Nothing beats Mom when it comes to sage advice. That MBA degree is dandy, but the lessons learned can’t...
Bugs and wishes
My colleague, Karen Weideman, recounted a story of a situation her 89-year old mother, Betty, faces on a regular basis. Betty is a great pianist and plays regularly at her retirement facility. Her...
Making cross-functional magic
"Marketing is a pain in my butt," laments operations director Stephan on a regular basis. Such cross-functional bashing is, unfortunately, not uncommon. One HBR author has stated that 75% of all...
Are you listening?
Today's guest blogger is Nancy Owsianowski, friend of Humanergy and founder of RoundTable Consulting in South Bend, Indiana. “Leaders {who} refuse to listen will quickly be surrounded by...
Succeeding in a complex world
I'm reading Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal, Tantum Collins, David Silverman and Chris Fussell. In the introduction, General McChrystal talks about the military leaders who were part of...