AI Insights from Davos
Last week I joined my husband at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The annual gathering brings together heads of state, CEOs, economists, and academics to discuss major global
Embracing Lifequakes
A recent article in the Washington Post reported a survey showing that 66% of people returning to work after the pandemic are considering changing fields. This is not as surprising
Why You Should Take More Breaks
According to Anne Lamott, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Human beings are not machines. We need down time in order
Employee Well-Being: A Workplace Imperative
I just finished filming a course for The Great Courses entitled “How to Build a Thriving Workplace: A Leader’s Guide.” It should be available in the fall, so stay
Extreme Work Hours: An American Crisis
Something must be done about the amount of time Americans work. According to a 2014 Gallup poll, the average full-time employee works 47 hours per week. Almost 40 percent of
Design Offices for Connection and Focus
The debate is alive and well. What is the best office design? Open offices are applauded because they provide opportunities for people to interact, encouraging idea exchange and collaboration. The
Where is the Progress?
Most women quit their careers for one of two reasons: 1) the workplace doesn’t offer the flexibility or support they need to fulfill their many responsibilities and/or 2)
Follow Your Heart
I have had the great fortune of seeing Yo-Yo Ma play the cello. What an amazing experience! He was fantastic! But what impressed me the most was how incredibly happy
What Working Women Need to Know
Despite significant advances, women still face discrimination in the workplace. Joan Williams has studied women and work for over 25 years and through her research she has identified four types
The Long Hours Problem
You’ve probably noticed that I’m a huge advocate of workplace flexibility. Giving employees more choices regarding when and where to do their work can really help them to
Vulnerability: A Leader’s Greatest Strength
We typically think it is important for leaders to show strength and decisiveness, however, it may be equally important for them to show their vulnerability. In my last post I
Celebrating Telework Week
Since this is Telework Week, I thought I’d discuss the critical role that telecommuting plays in creating positive workplaces where employees thrive. I was shocked and extremely disappointed when
Choosing a Career is Like Buying Shoes
In her book Working Identity, Herminia Ibarra argues that the best way to choose a career is to try out different things. She believes that doing and experimenting are more
Using Company Culture to Attract, Retain, and Engage Talent
Next week I’m moderating a conference, organized by the Northern Virginia Technology Council and sponsored by Invertix Corporation, entitled “Best practices for recruiting and retaining talent”. The panelists, winners
3 Elements of Empowerment
In positive work environments people are empowered to do their job successfully. According to the progress principle, a new theory of work motivation, people are happier at work when they
5 Steps for Inspiring Excellence
In his book, Shine, Ed Hallowell describes five steps that managers can take to ignite peak performance in their employees. His ideas are based on research from neuroscience and positive
Happy Leaders Have Successful Teams
Research shows that our happiness influences our own success, but what about the impact of a leader’s happiness on the success of his or her followers? Studies have, in
4 Keys for Keeping Female Talent
Companies with more women on their top management team outperform companies with fewer women managers. Yet most women don’t stick around long enough to make it to the top.
Thunderbird Global Business Dialogue Insights
Last week Thunderbird School of Global Management hosted a Global Business Dialogue, bringing together business, government, and NGO leaders from around the world to discuss today’s most pressing topics
Positive Steps for Creating Work-Life Fit
I’m attending the International Academy of Management and Business Conference in San Francisco next week. There I will present the results of a study I did about ways to
How to Maintain High Energy
Many people today are facing an energy crisis. We don’t get enough sleep and we spend our days fighting traffic, rushing to meetings, and stressing about deadlines. So what
Terrific September Tweets
Here are my favorite tweets from September: 1. Loveliest thing I’ve seen in ages — 7 rare Dr. Seuss stories brought to light via eBay scavenger hunt http://j.mp/
Terrific August Tweets
I learn so much from the people I follow on twitter. A recent tweet led me to a blog post by @lauraleewalker where she listed some of her favorite tweets.
Hire People With Positive Attitudes
Positive people are more successful than negative people. Among other things they are more productive, more creative, better team players, and healthier. According to Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness
Having Fun at Work is Good Business
Creating a workplace where people play and have fun is good business. A fun work environment leads to more creativity, increased group cohesiveness, less conflict, less stress, and less turnover.