Thoughts. Reflections. Intentions.

The threat of professional burnout isn’t new, but it certainly seems to be becoming more prevalent. Back in 2012, a ComPsych survey found that 62% of workers in North America felt high levels of stress, loss of control, and extreme fatigue. A study in 2021 reported that 60% of professionals experienced burnout often or very often, and 90% felt their work lives were getting worse during the pandemic. We can’t deny that burnout is dangerous So dangerous, in fact, that in 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) added burnout to its International Classification of Diseases. The research looking at burnout Read more.

As we’ve evolved as humans, we’ve created mechanisms to help us handle all sorts of situations. We’ve developed skills to make quick decisions, maintain our safety, and protect ourselves from threats. Read more.

Leaders are grappling with some big and complex issues: increasing turnover, widening skills gaps, and elusive talent. The problems often feel insurmountable, and they’re also universal. Read more.

Change is often external. We sometimes think of it as what happens to us when we’re faced with something new. Transition occurs internally. It’s what happens with us—inside of us—when we’re faced with something new. Read more.

This time of year naturally urges reflection. At work, you probably see it in the number of strategic planning and budgeting meetings that creep onto your calendar or the emails in your inbox with reminders about goal setting. In your personal life, you might see it in expressions of gratitude during the holidays or talk about adopting resolutions on January 1. Read more.

As the complex beings we are, it’s tough to decipher all the drivers of our personal growth. In one article, an expert will claim emotional intelligence is the most important ingredient. In another, someone will say it’s empathy or compassion. The truth is, all of these things—in different doses—are vital. Read more.

Over the past few years, we all shared a difficult—but uniquely felt—experience that shook our worlds, personally and professionally. And during this time, empathy rose to the surface as a trait that leaders need to cultivate. We can even find evidence of this in recent research that proclaimed “empathy” as the most important leadership skill. Read more.

Virtual connections, in-person connections. A lot of us have the tendency to categorize our relationships, thinking of them only in a certain context. But when we strip away that context and set aside the circumstances that influence our interactions with each other, relationships really boil down to the same thing: human connection. Over the last couple of years, when many of us experienced increased isolation, the importance of human connection became extremely evident. Even self-professed introverts (me!) acknowledged the need for such connection, recognizing that the bonds we form with others help us feel seen, heard, and valued. Read more.

I logged in to LinkedIn recently and was met with this headline in my daily wrap-up notifications: “How do you take control of your own growth? Chart it out.” Immediately, I balked at the idea. Surely, real growth doesn’t happen by following a formula or a carefully constructed plan, I thought. Real growth occurs organically, inspired by the natural flow of things and our need to adapt. Read more.

I visited a website recently that blasted me with a bold message, front and center on the home page:  The world needs leaders poised to handle anything that comes their way. When you put it like that, it’s hard not to conjure up images of a “hero,” a leader who many of us might describe as “tough,” “brave,” or “courageous.” But our idea of what courageous leadership is may be outdated—and likely even ineffective—for our organizations today. Read more.