|
Recent Blog Entries: "What I Think"
June 7, 2010Good Intentions Aren't Enough
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” my boss yelled at me over the phone. I don’t remember what I did to cause her wrath that day years ago. What I do recall is that my journey to understanding the pitfalls of mere intentions began at this point. It would be simple for me to use this space to discuss the impact managers have on staff. Dr. Linda Duxbury, Carleton University professor and Canadian guru on organizational health, would call that woman a “jerk manager.” However, it is following through...
April 12, 2010Who's in Control of My Beliefs
It was on November 26th, 2009 when I first began to think about my beliefs relating to mental illness. I like to believe that I am progressive and non-judgemental, but Karen Liberman, Executive Director, Mood Disorders Association of Ontario (MDAO), raised an interesting point that got me thinking. It was at the day-long seminar, “What’s the Bottomline – Cutting the Costs of Workplace Mental Illness”, that Karen stated: “Why is it okay for us to tell our colleagues at work that we have a doctor’s appointment,...
August 24, 2009Silence ...Just the Way I Like It
The sounds of nature are enough music for me To play music or not to play music? That is the question. And the answer is “No”—for me that is. When I focus at work I am so absorbed in what I am thinking that a continual disruption like music is not conducive to my best performance—I just don’t like it. And don’t, even for a moment, think of making a generational correlation. I don’t want to hear of a division between old fogies and young buckaroos because it is quite clear which side I am going to fall on....
August 24, 2009Multi-tasking–is it Good for our
The case for focussing on one thing at a time By Vera Asanin I arrived home to the delightful aroma of dinner. My beloved met me at the door with a cheerful greeting and the welcoming words, “I’m making dinner tonight.” I knew the smile upon my face conveyed my gratitude to him. I relaxed in my cozy home and watched him move about the kitchen, at which point I reflected upon my dinner preparations the evening before. It seems appropriate, or maybe just comforting to me, to preface my actions last night by blaming...
May 25, 2009Positive Culture Breeds Success
I was saddened when I heard that a landmark store in downtown Kingston, Ontario was closing. S&R Department Store employs 80 people, is located close to Lake Ontario in a four-storey building built in 1820 with 60,000 square feet of space, and has been in the retail business since 1959. S&R is also located right across the street from my office, making me a frequent shopper. I’ve listened to all the reasons cited for its closing and I believe that one or two of them may have been the proverbial “straw that...
May 25, 2009What I Think: Taking Notice
A compliment for work well done, a note of thanks, a well-earned perk—all of these sweeten the work experience and motivate us to excel. It’s a simple act—paying attention to the good things people do. Workers thrive on a steady diet of recognition and reward. Top managers know this and are quick to take notice consistently and publicly of the meritorious contributions of their employees. Today, more than ever, it’s important for us to take time to acknowledge the people around us who anticipate our needs, and...
March 2, 2009What I Think: Clash of Style
Addressing undesirable behaviour at work Sometimes it seems that we believe that the role of managing people is far more difficult than it needs to be. Recently, I received confirmation that a management style comprised simply of honesty, positive reinforcement, mentoring and early intervention is wholly appreciated. A senior manager shared with me his experience concerning a receptionist—let’s call her Paige. As a relatively new employee, Paige makes tactless comments, jokingly provides inappropriate nicknames for...
December 24, 2008What I Think: Strengthen Strengths
The memory is still vivid for me. I walked into my boss’s office for my performance appraisal. I was ready for the discussion, because I knew I had really performed well. The outcome of my evaluation was not certain in my eyes, but I was looking forward to the praise and recognition I justly deserved, especially from my manager who was usually silent in this regard. Instead, I was shocked with how the meeting actually unfolded. For the first five minutes it was noted, with little checkmarks in the appropriate boxes,...
October 27, 2008What I Think: Showing Genuine Inter
When I travel, it is always with the hope of “getting away.” But travelling inevitably involves contact with other people’s workplaces, and so my antennae are attentive to the health of that workplace, and the working relationship of that management and the staff. That said, my summer holidays were truly awesome–I witnessed scenery so majestic that I felt greater than life itself. My beloved and I took a cruise up the Inside Passage from Vancouver to Alaska. The trip was magnificent and the people we met were...
September 29, 2008What I Think: A Leader to Follow
In my last column about personal growth and how it fits into our workplaces today, I promised to look at whether the leadership of today is in sync with a more intuitive, spiritual way of being. Dr. Sandy Cotton frequently talks about a place of respect, trust, compassion, kindness, truth and love for each other—a place from which we can truly develop healthy organizations. So where does leadership fit into all of this? Let me start with a story. I visited a very large organization specializing in workplace health and...
August 27, 2008What I Think: Different Viewpoints
I enjoy the summer for lots of reasons, particularly because I make the effort to reconnect with girl friends and sports. It is always fun–full of stories, lies, and half-truths that are meant to cause laughter and exaggerated histrionics, which totally clarifies why our families disown us when we’re together. Recently three of “my buds” and I were car-pooling to a soccer game. There was a lull in the conversation: We were all gazing out the window, at the weather. What unfolded was simple and common enough, yet...
August 15, 2008What I Think: One Small Gesture
I was having yet another debate, this time with Your Workplace’s new editor and first managing editor, Sheldon MacNeil. Apparently he won the discussion, because here I am writing another column. From its inception, I have written a column for the magazine. I never professed to be a writer and, actually, find it rather laborious. Every time deadline looms, I stand on my soapbox and exclaim at the top of my lungs, “All I have to offer is my vision of healthier, more humane workplaces. I have nothing to say...
August 15, 2008What I Think: A Million Dollar Ques
I was kayaking and enjoying the beautiful autumn colours with a friend recently. I was in the moment, fully aware that I would not be able to paddle the lake again until next year. And I wondered what I would do with my time if I didn’t have to work - would I paddle the waters and enjoy the bounties of nature every day if work weren’t a necessity? I asked my friend a simple question: Suppose you were given one million dollars. Would you stop working? Of course, my friend said that upon receipt of the seven-figure...
August 15, 2008What I Think: The Art of Purging
I was asked recently what I like most about holiday time. Other than the most obvious responses–family time and good ol’ R&R, it’s purging. It’s the day when you walk into work in scruffy clothes and, with discerning eye, commence the act of renewal. I adore purging. It’s a cleansing process that involves throwing out stuff you don’t need or want anymore. It is the spiritual act of not holding onto the past–especially things that really don’t mean anything anymore. It lightens your load, giving...
August 15, 2008What I Think: Whose Loss is that?
And Whose Loss Is That? A business acquaintance called me at the office the other day. It was just after 8 a.m. She called to let me know she had been terminated from her job. Lynda had just returned from two glorious weeks in Jamaica. It had been two years since she had last taken a holiday. Lynda was the director of her unit. When she took over the position, the unit was heavily in the red. There was talk of shutting the doors. Lynda was so determined to turn things around, so committed to her work, that she just didn’t...
August 14, 2008What I Think: Freedom of Choice
CBC called recently. They wanted my reaction to the news that Ontario intends to end the practice of mandatory retirement. My response in a nutshell: What a great day to rejoice! It is practically a no-brainer that it should be the decision of individual workers to remain on the job after age 65. I say “practically” because the change will come with more than a few implications for employers, pension-plan administrators, workers and unions. Nevertheless, the Eves government is doing the right thing in exercising...
August 14, 2008What I Think: Bill C-45 and the Wes
On October 31, Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, welcomed the passage of Bill C-45. This legislation, which helps ensure organizations are held accountable when they commit criminal offences, received Royal Assent on November 5. The legislation would make federally regulated organizations criminally liable: as a result of the actions of senior officers who oversee day-to-day operations but who may not be directors or executives; when officers with executive or operational authority...
August 14, 2008What I Think: Making Change, One Go
I am of two minds when it comes to making personal changes in life: Don’t do it because it's too painful; do it because change will ultimately benefit you. Mmmm. Sounds like fence-sitting to me. It is early days in 2004. Are you still sticking with your New Year’s resolution? What about your determination to eat healthier foods? Quit smoking? Exercise? Gain a better balance between work and family? Reduce spending or debt? Save more money? Usually at this time we have either broken our New Year's resolution...
August 13, 2008What I Think: New Beginnings
I enjoy new beginnings. They are a fresh start, a clean slate, an unmarked expanse awaiting design. New beginnings are even more stimulating when accompanied by the colour of white symbolizing purity, freshness and cleanliness. Unfortunately the occasion of enjoying a new beginning is not often celebrated outside the annual event of the New Year. I was prompted to reflect on this recently. Pristine whiteness is exactly what I experienced on the morn of January 1, 2006—light, fresh snow was falling to bury the slippery,...
July 30, 2008What I think: The Art of Letting Go
One of the most amazing experiences happened to me about three months ago. I continue to feel blessed for acting out of character. Yes, it is true. A great gift came to me because I was not being me. And I still laugh at the irony of it all. So I have been trying to figure out what I did right so I can do it some more. I have always believed that if you want something to turn out the “right” way, you have to control the process. It doesn’t matter if I do it, delegate it or hire someone. The bottom line is that I am...
|
