Blog

Too often leaders default or give in to the culture that surrounds them. You talk about a “toxic environment?” Or, there is a “bullying style of leadership.” How about the permission that is given to the “loose cannon” or “rock-star” or “maverick” to keep doing their work even though there is destructive fallout? Whether you […]

I was about 13-years-old, and visiting a friend who lived in Manhattan. I was a Long Island kid and was not as experienced as Paul at navigating the craziness of the City. We were headed somewhere and came up to an intersection. I could see the light was changing to red, and I was following […]

Sporting results are outside our control. “We’ll see if the Bears make the playoffs this year.  Unless a coach or player, you really can’t impact NFL results. “We’ll see” makes sense here. Plane schedules and weather are outside our control. “We’ll see if the plane is on time so I can catch my connecting flight.”  […]

We create our own stories; and they’re often not true. We are all the creation of everything that has happened to us up until this point in time. Every relationship, hardship, joy, loss, gain, job, heartache has created us and we can’t change any of it. Regret doesn’t serve you. We can learn from it. […]

Working in direct care for special needs individuals is a daunting undertaking. I have great admiration for people who make it their life’s work. I had the privilege of working in such a role early in my career. Teenagers who have developed problematic behaviors due to abuse or neglect and are struggling to create a […]

I had the opportunity to travel to both Italy and Ireland in the past year: great food, people, and scenery were everywhere. Two of the most lasting memories remain a Middle Eastern tour guide and an Irish bartender. It was in the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican that I thought, “thank goodness there are […]

Growing up we were not allowed to say “shut up” at home. It’s still harsh sounding, and I use it only when necessary to make a point, and never direct it at someone with malice, but rather for guidance. This is one of those instances when it is necessary to make a point. “You were […]

Change shows up in all different ways. People respond to change differently. Sometimes change is a choice, and sometimes it is inflicted on us. When change happens, you have a choice how to react to it. Your confidence in handling change creates different outcomes. Change always presents opportunities. What do you want it to look […]

The workplace is based on relationships. You have relationships up (your boss, superiors), down (direct reports, contractors), and to the side (peers, business partners). Managing and creating impactful relationships in all three directions leads to success, and not doing so leads to failure and frustration. Peer relationships in the workplace are challenging in different ways […]

Tribalism, polarization, incivility, politics. We know that people have a hard time talking to people who they don’t agree with these days. It seems everyone digs in their heels, lives in their bubble, and judges those who disagree. Often, they don’t even want to talk to those with whom they don’t agree. If they do, […]