Gearing Up for Goals: Managing Energy Gains and Drains

By Sheryl McAtee   October 21, 2020
Categories: Professional Development, Self-Improvement Tags: goal setting, Goals

Setting and achieving goals is easier when we are energized and focused. Understanding what leads us to gain and drain energy can help us better define and work towards our goals. Consider the following questions, from Pryor’s Effective Goal-Setting and Planning Skills seminar. How do you gain energy? Write down… Times of day I am…
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Setting Goals When the World Keeps Changing

By Sheryl McAtee   October 21, 2020
Categories: Self-Improvement Tags: goal setting, Goals

For many people, lives have changed dramatically over the past weeks and months – changes in business practices, changes in how we work, changes in how we connect socially and changes how we think about our health and the health of our families. How do we set goals when the “new normal” seems so far…
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Setting Goals: A Full Life Check-In

By Sheryl McAtee   October 21, 2020
Categories: Self-Improvement Tags: goal setting, Goals

Goal-setting is a standard part of workplace life – many of us are asked to be included in strategic planning sessions, or are called on to set targets for a month, quarter or year.  We also set goals in our personal life – like getting 8 hours of sleep a certain number of nights per…
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Assessment: Diversity and Communications

By Sheryl McAtee   September 29, 2020
Categories: Communication, HR Training Tags: Communication, diversity

Often, discussions about diversity quickly become discussions about structural or systemic problems or patterns over time – and thus become a sociology debate, rather than a personal assessment. In reality, despite the complexities of diversity in the workplace, what most of us really control occurs at the level of the conversation.  We show respect for…
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Five Tips for Building a Diverse Workforce

By Sheryl McAtee   September 29, 2020
Categories: HR Training Tags: diverse workforce, diversity

It is generally believed that diverse teams make better decisions, because they are more likely to bring in multiple perspectives – and therefore, better represent customers and clients.  In addition, when organizations work to improve diversity, it can also lead to broader applicant pools for new jobs – increasing the possibility that the right person…
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Reacting to Diversity Topics – Looking Inward

By Sheryl McAtee   September 29, 2020
Categories: HR Training Tags: diversity, human resources

Too often, diversity awareness becomes lists of differences. Black or White, Hispanic or Non-Hispanic, Asian or long lists of “Others.” Male, Female, Transgender. Gay, Straight, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Queer. Democrat, Republican, Independent. Christian, Jewish, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim. Disabled, Differently Abled. Over time, more terms and categories emerge – and each individual brings combinations of diversity that…
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Preparing for Pirates: Communicating Through Conflict

By Sheryl McAtee   September 4, 2020
Categories: Communication Tags: Communication, Communication skills

Each September, “Talk Like a Pirate Day” celebrates the light-hearted side of piracy—the rolling letter “rrrr’s,” the merry drinks and the adventures of life at sea.  In real life, though, we occasionally run into the more traditional pirate–the one that is ready to board your boat and take your treasure away. Contemplating pirates offers a…
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“Ahoy, me hearties!” Communicating with Pirates

By Sheryl McAtee   September 4, 2020
Categories: Communication Tags: Communication, Communication skills

While not likely on your official work calendar, September 19th is “Talk Like a Pirate Day,” so let’s get ready to celebrate!  The holiday is whimsical and informal, celebrating a positive pop-culture vision of pirates and their unique language conventions and practices. The holiday also reminds us that to get our message heard, it is…
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How Do You Lead? Team Leadership Assessment

By Sheryl McAtee   August 25, 2020
Categories: Management, Supervision & Leadership Tags: team building, teams

Successful teams generally have a successful leader–either out front or behind the scenes–guiding the way.  If you lead a team, here’s a quick assessment to reflect on how you are doing: Strengths – What strengths do you have in leading the team? How are these strengths reflected in the team’s culture or work? Outcomes –…
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Triumphant Temporary Teams

By Sheryl McAtee   August 25, 2020
Categories: Management, Supervision & Leadership Tags: team building, teams

When talking about team-building, a lot of attention is given to long-term intact teams. These may be organizational teams, sales teams, long term project or service teams–regardless of mission, they are designed to stay together for a long time. There is also power in the temporary team–convened to address only one specific problem or project….
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