Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “culture”
In every interaction there are three levels that influence its effect and meaning: What – the content; the words I say How – the process; how I say it (nonverbal communication) Why – the intention; the meaning, what I am trying to accomplish with this interaction. We tend to focus on What people say and are less aware of the …
Welcome back, positive people! I hope your summer was energizing! Are you ready to continue your path to being a positive agent and contributing to positive change, regardless of your position? If you’ve been following this book that I blog online, you’ve done your personal preparation and you’re ready, willing and able to be a positive agent. If you just …
You, too, are probably mistreated in one way or another. You might be overlooked, blamed, discriminated against, criticized in one context or another. But you still have the choice to see the other as a whole person. That is what great people did: they did not become bitter by their unjust treatment and saw others only as demons or caricatures. …
A well-known example of Ego-interaction is the “drama triangle”, described by psychologist Stephen Karpman. One of your self-justifying narratives could be the prosecutor, the victim, or the rescuer. The Victim’s stance is “Poor me!” He feels oppressed, helpless, hopeless, ashamed, and can’t make decisions, solve problems, etc. The Victim always finds a Persecutor and a Rescuer – who both perpetuate …
How do you relate to others? When you look at situations the blind spot is yourself. As you are the source of attention, looking outward, it is not easy to “turn back the camera” and see yourself as part of the situation. Here lies an explanation for self-deception. You may conclude: the others are the problem, not you. Self-deception is …
If you suspect that you might need to clean up some emotional issues before you can be an authentic person at work – Steve Sisgold is your man. In his practical book What is your body telling you? he shares many exercises to tap into the wisdom of your body and your inner knowing. We cannot embody positivity if we …
In The Power of Full Engagement, Jim Loehr and Tony Schwarz write that managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance. To be engaged, we must be energized physically, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our self-interest. For that to happen we also need rest and recovery – something that is less valued …
I hope you are still reading this blog… Why do I go on about transcending fears and feeling safe in spite of human vulnerability? Because authenticity is essential for positive agents. Authenticity also fuels your courage, which helps to be the change you wish to see. Frederic Laloux labeled it “wholeness” in the reinvented, “Teal” organizations that he researched. People …
Brené Brown explains that until she dealt with shame and fear, she wore different suits of armor that kept her from becoming too vulnerable. She kept people at a safe distance and always had an exit strategy – especially in our culture of cynics and critics. But when you armor yourself – you cut yourself off from others and from …
Brené Brown’s research showed that we have a shame-prone culture. Shame is the fear of not being worthy of belonging. Many suffer from shame – the fear of not being good enough. Shame also leads to blaming others as a way out of feeling this awful emotion. The remedy is to become shame-resilient and especially leaders should “dare greatly” and …
Gratitude has been found to increase individual and group performance and leads to positive behaviors. Paying gratitude visits (to say thank you), writing gratitude letters and keeping a gratitude journal are scientifically proven to work. The practice of keeping a gratitude journal is quite simple. Get a notebook and write down three things that you were grateful for this day. …
How do you feel? But how you feel is crucial to developing a positive culture. You cannot fake it till you make it – as the saying goes. People have a radar for authenticity and if you don’t regularly experience positive emotions – you cannot “be the change” and embody positive leadership. What’s your emotion ratio? Barbara Frederickson’s research found …
