As we return from summer adventures, managers have the unique opportunity to harness the momentum of summer R&R. It’s hard not to feel like the change of the season is a new year. As people are returning from their summer vacations and much-needed rest and relaxation, organizations and their managers have an opportunity to elevate their workplaces and prolong these feelings.
The importance of a name could be more than you may realize. Last night, was our first “Kindness Catalyst” workplace cohort with 20 employees from a financial institution based in 13 different Asian countries. We will be working together for the next several weeks, so I knew I wanted all of us to be comfortable using each other’s names.
When we talk about spring cleaning, we often are referring to donating clothes or items from around the house, refreshing our spaces in honor of good weather and the sense of newness that the spring season brings. As blooms start to emerge and cold weather turns warmer, we are met with an overwhelming sense of resilience. We are reminded by nature that although humans are small and individual, we are all part of the same network, living life on the same planet. We cannot avoid the change that a new season brings; we can simply find ways to thrive together amidst whatever comes next.
A few weeks ago, I read in a local magazine about an upcoming Scatter Day taking place at River View Cemetery Funeral Home. There were two reasons this opportunity caught my eye. One personal and one professional.
Never stop learning! That was the theme of my weekend back in person live with some of my NSA Oregon colleagues. Our leader for the day, Jim Cathcart had so much to share with all of us. One golden nugget he shared that absolutely resonated was to ask yourself the question; “What do you want?” This question determines EVERYTHING. Articulate it.
Compliments from strangers are almost always unexpected, but they also tend to stick in our memories for longer. There is something about someone you don’t know going out of their way to validate, acknowledge, or admire. Giving a compliment to a stranger can sometimes feel uncomfortable. You don’t always know how your message with be received. But if we are genuinely extending kindness to another person, we can feel confident that our gesture will be well received.
The gift of communication often gets taken for granted, but I was suddenly feeling nostalgic when I spotted this old telephone in an antique shop recently. It flooded me with a million memories.
I’m sharing the truth. I am a napper! There I said it out loud in a professional work setting. I used to feel embarrassed that I could use a nap some days of the week. It made me feel like I wasn’t being as productive as I was expected to be or that it wasn’t fair that I was taking this time for myself.
Showing gratitude is good for all, so why don’t we give thanks more? I read an article this weekend about research suggesting that people underestimate how much other people will appreciate being appreciated, instead focusing on their own writing.