Vera Asanin

The importance of transforming knowledge into habit

18.May.2021

Languishing: The “Blah” You’re Feeling

Wellness

Languishing is the oft overlooked middle child of mental health. This feeling is common, and it might be the dominant emotion of 2021.

22.March.2021

What I Think: Coffee Break? More Like Coffee Broken

Much of our world as we know it is changing. You have to keep up or fall behind - it's your choice.

22.February.2021

What I Think: Leading From Bed

A good night’s sleep is more than a tagline in a TV ad. It’s the path to good leadership and happier employees.

28.December.2020

What I Think: No Action Plan Required

Stumped, flummoxed, puzzled, confused — all relevant and relatable words in my current state. Except I had no idea why I was feeling this way.

9.November.2020

What I Think: The Bigger Picture

By arranging the pieces necessary to meet the challenges of the new workplace, greater opportunity will come into focus

31.August.2020

What I Think: Step into My Office

Never did I believe we would move away from the Canadian fixation on talking about the weather. Our standard conversational greeting — “Hey, how are you? How’s the weather?”

27.July.2020

What I Think: The Times They Are A-Changin’

People say they like change, but they don’t. Most people like routine, organization and to know they have some form of control over their lives.

25.March.2020

What I Think: Follow the Leader?

It was Rob Elkington, President and CEO of Global leadership Initiatives Inc., who inspired me to shift perspective.

1.March.2020

What I Think: The New Work Context

20.January.2020

What I Think: An Incomplete Truth

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting two workplaces in Toronto, both of whom have significantly changed their physical work environments: Sun Life Financial’s new office building on York Street and Scotiabank’s new ecosystems design on Yonge Street.

6.January.2020

What I Think: When Cities Lead the Charge for Inclusion

Although it may not be well known, I have never hidden the fact that I am not a big social person. I would rather hunker down at my desk doing work or head home to do “stuff” than go out and connect with people.

16.December.2019

Workplace Safety Matters to More Than Just Employees

23.September.2019

What I Think: Come Together

As I sat down in the chair waiting for my appointment to begin, my hairstylist recounted the time he participated in the Gay Pride parade, in our hometown,

8.April.2019

What I Think: You Will Be Heard

Coaching, Leadership, Managing, Work Culture

15.January.2019

What I Think: New Beginnings, Every Day

Leadership, Productivity, Wellness

18.December.2018

What I Think: Celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

Coaching, Leadership, Managing, News, Work Culture, Wellness

What a ride it's been.

12.December.2018

What I Think: What I Did on My Summer Vacation—I Unplugged

Leadership, Wellness, Work-Life Balance

The way we work is changing, and while it is exciting to experience these changes, workloads continue to increase, placing even more pressure on workers.

6.November.2018

What I Think: Work-Life Balance Is Obsolete

Employee Engagement, Leadership, Wellness

For years, Your Workplace has touted the importance of work-life balance. We even made it part of our corporate values statement. If balancing work on the one hand

8.October.2018

What I Think: The Power of Giving Thanks

By showing appreciation and giving thanks at work, we boost performance, increase engagement and make ourselves feel good in the process.

2.October.2018

What I Think: Multi-Tasking: Is it Good for our Psyche?

Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

The case for focussing on one thing at a time.

1.November.2016

What I Think: Where Complacency Rules

Leadership, Work Culture

The Wells Fargo scandal shows how complacency leads to a toxic culture.

5.August.2014

What I Think: A Lesson Learned from my Mother-in-Law

How an 86-year old woman made me rethink the concept of work culture.

16.June.2014

What I Think: Ordinary Jobs…

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Productivity, Work-Life Balance

As I ponder the idea of loving your job, I feel compelled to compare it to loving others in general.

21.May.2013

What I Think: Culture Touchstones

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

Learn from the core lessons of culture found inside your home.

28.April.2013

What I Think: Coach To Win

Coaching, Leadership, Managing

2.January.2013

What I Think: Illusory Gains

Employee Engagement, Leadership, Work-Life Balance

1.September.2012

What I Think: Measure the Intangible

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Productivity, Wellness

We need to turn the idea of performance measurement on its head.

3.August.2012

What I Think: Followership

4.January.2012

What I Think: Be Well For You

Wellness, Work-Life Balance

One of the television shows that I like to watch is NBC’s Biggest Loser. I find it inspiring to watch people who have lost control of at least one aspect of their life,

5.November.2011

What I Think: Emotions—Do They Work For You?

Leadership, Managing

“Get it together” my colleague said to me. “Wipe your eyes and pretend nothing happened. You know you shouldn’t be upset at work.” Although I do not recall the situation

8.October.2011

What I Think: The “Imperfect” Employee

Managing, Work Culture

While I was in a grocery store I overheard a father say to his young son, “You are perfect just the way you are”. For a moment I thought he was talking to me.

8.September.2011

What I Think: Changing Thoughts and Behaviour, One Page at a Time

I started doing something new. Well, it’s not actually new to me, it just feels like I am going to see results this time. Have you ever started a journal and actually wanted to continue writing in it?

9.May.2011

What I Think: Svetlana’s Story

Leadership, Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

This year I really enjoyed the awards ceremony where Your Workplace delivers recognition to worthy companies by presenting the Top Workplaces

10.January.2011

What I Think: Our Stuff Is Meaningful

This is difficult … writing about something that I wished never happened. I am smart enough to know that not talking about it doesn’t mean it never occurred. Yet avoidance feels better,

11.December.2010

What I Think: The Turtle Or The Hare

It was 10:21 am. My mind was meandering: first to planned destinations — preparing my shopping list for dinner, updating my to-do list, picking lint from my skirt

15.July.2010

What I Think: Good Intentions Aren’t Enough

Uncategorized

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.

25.May.2009

What 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.

2.March.2009

What I Think: Clash of Style

Coaching

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

24.December.2008

What I Think: Strengthen Strengths Not Weaknesses

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.

27.August.2008

What I Think: Different Viewpoints

Managing

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,

15.August.2008

What I Think: 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.

14.August.2008

What 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:

14.August.2008

What I Think: Bill C-45 and the Westray Tragedy

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

14.August.2008

What I Think: Making Change, One Goal at a Time

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.

28.July.2008

What I Think: Support Each Other

1.June.2007

What 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.

24.November.2003

What I Think: A Million-Dollar Question

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.

15.September.2003

What I Think: Be Careful Who You Sleep With

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Productivity

A harmonious working environment, and true progress to prosperity in your organization requires that we must all work together...

15.September.2003

What I Think: The Intangible Ingredients of a Perfect Cup of Coffee

Imagine the results you could attain if everything you did had the additional ingredients of care and love when preparing it.

15.September.2003

What I Think: Silence …Just the Way I Like It

Productivity, Wellness

The sounds of nature are enough music for me

24.January.2003

What I Think: The Art of Purging

Recently I was asked what I enjoy most about holiday time. Other than the most obvious responses

12.July.2021

What I Think: Make Like a Turkey and Fly

The importance of transforming knowledge into habit

18.May.2021

Languishing: The “Blah” You’re Feeling

Wellness

Languishing is the oft overlooked middle child of mental health. This feeling is common, and it might be the dominant emotion of 2021.

22.March.2021

What I Think: Coffee Break? More Like Coffee Broken

Much of our world as we know it is changing. You have to keep up or fall behind - it's your choice.

22.February.2021

What I Think: Leading From Bed

A good night’s sleep is more than a tagline in a TV ad. It’s the path to good leadership and happier employees.

28.December.2020

What I Think: No Action Plan Required

Stumped, flummoxed, puzzled, confused — all relevant and relatable words in my current state. Except I had no idea why I was feeling this way.

9.November.2020

What I Think: The Bigger Picture

By arranging the pieces necessary to meet the challenges of the new workplace, greater opportunity will come into focus

31.August.2020

What I Think: Step into My Office

Never did I believe we would move away from the Canadian fixation on talking about the weather. Our standard conversational greeting — “Hey, how are you? How’s the weather?”

27.July.2020

What I Think: The Times They Are A-Changin’

People say they like change, but they don’t. Most people like routine, organization and to know they have some form of control over their lives.

25.March.2020

What I Think: Follow the Leader?

It was Rob Elkington, President and CEO of Global leadership Initiatives Inc., who inspired me to shift perspective.

1.March.2020

What I Think: The New Work Context

20.January.2020

What I Think: An Incomplete Truth

6.January.2020

What I Think: When Cities Lead the Charge for Inclusion

16.December.2019

Workplace Safety Matters to More Than Just Employees

23.September.2019

What I Think: Come Together

As I sat down in the chair waiting for my appointment to begin, my hairstylist recounted the time he participated in the Gay Pride parade, in our hometown,

8.April.2019

What I Think: You Will Be Heard

Coaching, Leadership, Managing, Work Culture

15.January.2019

What I Think: New Beginnings, Every Day

Leadership, Productivity, Wellness

18.December.2018

What I Think: Celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

Coaching, Leadership, Managing, News, Work Culture, Wellness

What a ride it's been.

12.December.2018

What I Think: What I Did on My Summer Vacation—I Unplugged

Leadership, Wellness, Work-Life Balance

The way we work is changing, and while it is exciting to experience these changes, workloads continue to increase, placing even more pressure on workers.

6.November.2018

What I Think: Work-Life Balance Is Obsolete

Employee Engagement, Leadership, Wellness

For years, Your Workplace has touted the importance of work-life balance. We even made it part of our corporate values statement. If balancing work on the one hand

8.October.2018

What I Think: The Power of Giving Thanks

By showing appreciation and giving thanks at work, we boost performance, increase engagement and make ourselves feel good in the process.

2.October.2018

What I Think: Multi-Tasking: Is it Good for our Psyche?

Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

The case for focussing on one thing at a time.

1.November.2016

What I Think: Where Complacency Rules

Leadership, Work Culture

The Wells Fargo scandal shows how complacency leads to a toxic culture.

5.August.2014

What I Think: A Lesson Learned from my Mother-in-Law

How an 86-year old woman made me rethink the concept of work culture.

16.June.2014

What I Think: Ordinary Jobs…

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Productivity, Work-Life Balance

As I ponder the idea of loving your job, I feel compelled to compare it to loving others in general.

21.May.2013

What I Think: Culture Touchstones

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

Learn from the core lessons of culture found inside your home.

28.April.2013

What I Think: Coach To Win

Coaching, Leadership, Managing

2.January.2013

What I Think: Illusory Gains

Employee Engagement, Leadership, Work-Life Balance

1.September.2012

What I Think: Measure the Intangible

Employee Engagement, Work Culture, Productivity, Wellness

We need to turn the idea of performance measurement on its head.

3.August.2012

What I Think: Followership

4.January.2012

What I Think: Be Well For You

Wellness, Work-Life Balance

One of the television shows that I like to watch is NBC’s Biggest Loser. I find it inspiring to watch people who have lost control of at least one aspect of their life,

5.November.2011

What I Think: Emotions—Do They Work For You?

Leadership, Managing

“Get it together” my colleague said to me. “Wipe your eyes and pretend nothing happened. You know you shouldn’t be upset at work.” Although I do not recall the situation

8.October.2011

What I Think: The “Imperfect” Employee

Managing, Work Culture

While I was in a grocery store I overheard a father say to his young son, “You are perfect just the way you are”. For a moment I thought he was talking to me.

8.September.2011

What I Think: Changing Thoughts and Behaviour, One Page at a Time

9.May.2011

What I Think: Svetlana’s Story

Leadership, Work Culture, Work-Life Balance

This year I really enjoyed the awards ceremony where Your Workplace delivers recognition to worthy companies by presenting the Top Workplaces

10.January.2011

What I Think: Our Stuff Is Meaningful

This is difficult … writing about something that I wished never happened. I am smart enough to know that not talking about it doesn’t mean it never occurred. Yet avoidance feels better,

11.December.2010

What I Think: The Turtle Or The Hare

It was 10:21 am. My mind was meandering: first to planned destinations — preparing my shopping list for dinner, updating my to-do list, picking lint from my skirt

15.July.2010

What I Think: Good Intentions Aren’t Enough

Uncategorized

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.

25.May.2009

What 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.

2.March.2009

What I Think: Clash of Style

Coaching

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

24.December.2008

What I Think: Strengthen Strengths Not Weaknesses

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.

27.August.2008

What I Think: Different Viewpoints

Managing

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,

15.August.2008

What I Think: 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.

14.August.2008

What 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:

14.August.2008

What I Think: Bill C-45 and the Westray Tragedy

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

14.August.2008

What I Think: Making Change, One Goal at a Time

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.

28.July.2008

What I Think: Support Each Other

1.June.2007

What 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.

24.November.2003

What I Think: A Million-Dollar Question