I once worked for a manager who always had me walking on eggshells. He was smart, funny, and caring — seemingly the perfect manager. But there was something about him that always had me on edge, measuring my words and considering my actions. Have you ever worked with, lived with, or been friends with someone
It’s been a tumultuous start to the year in geopolitics, tech, and capital markets. There’s no better time to think about how to improve ourselves so that we can improve the world around us. We can’t control much, but we can manage our attitude and determination to grow. Rather than addressing a specific area of
I would be a better version of myself if I were more consistent with some habits. Because of that, I’m joining millions of other humans this month in considering making a resolution for the year. James Clear, who is widely recognized as the author of the best book on habits, says the key with resolutions
You should stop what you’re doing and watch this video. If you’ve already seen it, watch it again. That’s Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback of the Indiana Hoosiers football team, being interviewed after Indiana defeated Ohio State to win the Big 10 championship and become the undefeated nationally top-ranked college team heading into the playoffs. Prior
Last weekend, my wife and I had a simple disagreement. It should have been resolved quickly because we generally communicate well with each other. This time we didn’t. Something about this particular disagreement … this particular situation … in this particular moment escalated. In retrospect, we should have seen it coming. Our only escalated conflict
Every Sunday through Friday night for 11 hours starting at 8:30 pm, and every Saturday for 24 hours starting at 12:00 pm, I refrain from taking part in what I call The Four Horsemen of Reactivity: Productivity: Getting items checked off my to-do list Achievement: Finding ways to accumulate and win Measuring Up: Engaging my
A manufacturing client of mine has been struggling to get their shift supervisors to think long-term. It seems like all they can do is keep their head above water. From their perspective, many of the supervisors feel pressured on metrics like “on-time shipping” and “labor rates.” As a result, they mainly focus on the output
Leo flinched and shot up, his eyes darting wildly. “What was that? Oh no, not now.” As his colleague Maya calmly assessed the fallen supply rack, Leo fumbled for his phone and hit the button for maintenance, his face heating up in stress and irritation. With clipped, exasperated breaths, he began to explain the problem,
For a few months in my 20s, I struggled to leave my apartment. Depression and anxiety felt so heavy, it was nearly incapacitating. One thing that stands out from the fog of that period is something my mother-in-law told me (or maybe she told my wife to tell me): Just take the next step. Don’t
This fall, I owned up to it. I’d been neglecting two of my work responsibilities. They’re the kind that are easy to neglect, though that doesn’t mean they’re unimportant. Still, I can push them off for months and nobody calls me on it. Meanwhile, the neglect bothers me. A subtle voice regularly reminds me that,
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE