The upside of falling down

The upside of falling down

“Fall down seven times, get up eight times.” ~Japanese Proverb I now enjoy skiing. I used to hate it. I hated it because I fell. And I hated that I fell. I once made my ski instructor fall getting off the lift. He told me he hadn’t fallen off a lift in over ten...
Tips for handling toxic team members

Tips for handling toxic team members

We’ve all been there. A new initiative is announced and you’re tapped for the project team that will handle planning and implementation. You may be excited about it or dreading it. And some of that may relate to whether you raised your hand for the opportunity or were...
Keep your star employee from jumping ship

Keep your star employee from jumping ship

I know two people who are actively looking for a new job. They show up at work each day, slog through their daily tasks, and take solace in the fact that they will be out the door within a few months. They are both highly regarded in their respective organizations,...
Is your star performer a bucket-kicker?

Is your star performer a bucket-kicker?

My mother-in-law had a saying about people who could be really great and then would do something that totally negated the good that they did. “He’s like a cow that gives a good bucket of milk – and then kicks it over,” she would say. I dubbed...