Author Archive

How aware are you of being accountable for your actions? Do you take responsibility for the decisions you have made regardless of the outcome?  Do you try and shift the blame if things don’t turn out the way that you wanted?

The reality is that situations don’t always evolve the way that you might like. Your contribution and your response in any given situation lead to the result.  So what are the keys to holding yourself accountable? Read the rest of this entry »

Are you a self hugger? Maybe you are wondering exactly what’s the definition of a self-hugger? It is someone who has the tendency to think their “values are best, not just for themselves but potentially for everyone.” These individuals have the belief and expectation that people should behave and think exactly the way they do. Often they focus their attention on how to get others to change in order to conform to their values and beliefs.

Dr. Steven Reiss, a psychologist who wrote the book The Normal Personality and created the Reiss Motivation Profile (RMP), which identifies 16 basic desires that motivate and explain a wide range of human behavior, is the person who coined the expression “self-hugger. Read the rest of this entry »

People generally want to develop their leadership qualities and build positive, productive relationships. Often they are looking for action oriented techniques to enhance and expand their skills. The ACS© model was created to help people achieve success in their business and personal life. Each of the three components in this model is relevant to helping you become the best that you can be.

Awareness consists of self awareness and an awareness of others.  People often talk about becoming self-aware.  This is critical in achieving your goals and connecting with others.

There are three aspects of self-awareness. Read the rest of this entry »

Building positive connections with people in your business and personal world is the key to attaining success. Interpersonal relationships help you develop and expand your goals. It is positive relationships that help to support you and move you forward or negative relationships which could interfere with what you want. So let’s examine three key qualities for developing positive relationships.

First you need to be willing to really listen to people and accept what they are saying. Ask questions as a means of demonstrating your curiosity and interest. When your questions follow what the other person is saying it conveys the fact that you are paying attention. That does not mean that you necessarily agree but the beginning step is to listen and learn. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was written several years ago but the message is invaluable, particularly given the stress that presently exists in the workplace.

Who says that work always has to be serious?  Wouldn’t it be rather boring if that’s the way it always was?  Work environments where humor is encouraged tend to be happier, less stressed and more productive.  Incorporating humor into our jobs increases feelings of solidarity and cohesion between co-workers. Humor provides a non-threatening medium through which an employee or employer can communicate with others.

Humor helps us think.  “Taking time out to laugh can help us to get rid of negative feelings and allow us to better concentrate on what we are doing,” says noted psychologist Dr. Ashton Trice of Mary Baldwin College in Virginia.

Appropriate humor in the workplace is a welcome and tasteful surprise.  It is about seeing the humor in everyday situations and having the confidence to laugh at your self.  When you tell a story poking fun at yourself, it portrays you as more human.  Your life experiences are not so unique, it provides comic relief and invites people to be comfortable and see the humor of their own life situations. Read the rest of this entry »