You’ve been a leader for quite some time, and you’re stepping into a new position or company. Maybe both! The ambitious women I know are actively working on making the most significant impact in their first 3-6 months (maybe longer), but, even the best and brightest are bound to make some of the most common leadership mistakes. Don’t we
When it comes to career advancement, what are some of the factors your female talent is considering? It might be the position and scope of the role, how much it pays, and the leaders they’ll be working with, yet ultimately, women want to know they’ll be set up for success. We’ve heard a lot of talk about the importance
If there was any habit you could drop like a hot potato, what would it be and what new habit would you create instead? We all have habits we’ve developed over time that simply don’t serve us, yet we hold onto them because they’re a part of what we do day in, day out like clockwork. The same is true
With remote work becoming more than just a trend, so is corporate well-being in the future of work. Frankly, to me, it’s just – well-being and we need to start thinking about creating work environments that support it. With a global pandemic prompting leaders to happily wave goodbye to old ways of working, we saw many making lifestyle changes that reminded them
The art of communication. I wish we had learned more about effective communication in school, especially difficult conversations, the same way so many wish they learned more about financial literacy, emotional intelligence and the importance of well-being. They’re just so darn important in all areas of life and, especially, in business. One of the most common challenges I partner with
Is it unfair to assume that employee needs have changed post-pandemic? Likely not. We’ve all been impacted in one way or another despite what that looks like for each of us. The question is, how will these changes impact, organizations moving forward? As organizations look to reimagine their return to the office, talent and employee retention challenges will be amplified.
Neglecting your mental health is like expecting a plant to grow without water. It’ll eventually die. That’s how important your mind is to the rest of your body. And it’s what often goes unnoticed when working alongside our peers, colleagues and leaders. Just because we don’t see what someone might be dealing with doesn’t mean all is well.
In a world where we talk more than we listen, it’s a gift when we can truly be heard. Let that sit with you for a minute. The average person speaks at about a rate of 150 words per minute (wpm) and can hear at a rate of 1 000 wpm but we know how we communicate goes far beyond
We may be a year into a pandemic yet, leading in a virtual environment is still a struggle many leaders face. Many of us have adjusted to a new way of living and working by now, yet, managing others in a world that is still undergoing tremendous change adds another layer of complexity. The roller coaster of emotions stemming from
It’s what you feel when people are being true to who they are yet, it’s not always easy to see in a leader. Authenticity. During a humanitarian crisis around the globe that continues to unfold, the spotlight has been on leaders. Not in hope that they have all the answers, but instead we looked to those leaders who were leading
We’ve redefined ways of working and living in the world of COVID challenging our outlook on what the future of work looks like. Workplace culture was suddenly disrupted and brought into question asking, leaders, “How do we continue to flourish in a remote environment?” The changes organizations have made have not only been in response to what’s happening on the global stage
If you thought leadership wasn’t for the faint of heart before the pandemic, you’re right and it’ll only become amplified in 2021 and beyond. It’s the reason why we see some leaders talk the talk but not walk the walk. Well, leadership involves both. It’s not only doing all the things we know to be true about what leadership is
We’ve heard a lot about what skills will be in demand in the future of work, and more specifically, post-COVID. At the height of the pandemic, we also saw how HR experienced one of their biggest challenges this year alone. To say they had their plates full is an understatement. From sudden and quick changes to managing new ways of
If you’ve watched your company culture shift and evolve this year, you’re likely not alone. When people were forced to work from home during the early stages of COVID, the rituals and traditions that bond employees in an organization naturally were put on the backburner. Changes came fast and suddenly while HR and leadership communicated new expectations, safety protocols and new ways
Every year we make predictions and share new ideas that we expect to see in the year to come. With 2020 teaching us lessons in ways that forever changed the world, we’re bound to see plenty of trends and long-term changes that are here to stay. This year brought to light what needed to change and what should change. More
You may have had some of your plans fall through this year because of COVID and, for those whose livelihood depended on crowds and large-scale events, work was reimagined. That said, when the world throws you a curveball, we don’t have to put our ambitions or career aspirations on the backburner. I was catching up with one of my mentors
I can’t help but think about what’s left of this year. We’re heading into the winter months and for many of us in North America, that means moving into hibernation, more time with those we live under the same roof with, all while working through an extended crisis. Working from home may be something we’re all used to by now
Have you ever heard of the expression, “There’s too many cooks in the kitchen?” At work, we call it workplace conflict. We’ve all experienced some form of workplace conflict, some more than others. Inevitably, as close as we may be with our peers or colleagues, we’re bound to have disagreements even with the best intentions to do and show up
We’re in the home stretch friends! The end of the year is in plain sight as discussions have begun on what’s next for the year ahead. Before we get to 2021 planning, I can’t help but think of what many organizations will be preparing for first – performance reviews. A conversation leaders and employees should have all year long to
In a time of uncertainty and doing business in the unknown, upskilling has jumped a few notches on the scale of priorities. The workforce continues to diversify with multiple generations and in the age of COVID, it’s now illuminated the importance of preparing for the future of work. If there’s anything this pandemic has brought to light, it’s the race
During the past several months, we’ve seen how a global pandemic shapeshifted us in how we live and work. So much so, it’s made me wonder how fear has affected workplace cultures that are long overdue for a culture reset. The ones that have little to no pulse (in other words, they’re dead), the heart of it is gone and
In the era of COVID, social connection and relationships, in general, have been top of mind for many of us. The ways we connect have shifted and evolved from our work relationships to our friendships (sometimes one and the same). As a lover of community and connection, I’ve thought about the long-term impact of work relationships and
Losing some of your greatest talent sucks. We’ve all been there as leaders where some of your key talent and strongest performers have chosen to resign for various reasons. Anything from a better opportunity to personal reasons I’m sure you’ve heard before. During a global pandemic, it’s no different. Yes, sadly many have been laid off and lost their jobs
We’ve all heard how important caring for our well-being is and for many, you usually pay attention when you’re on the verge of burnout. In the age of COVID, it seemed like it was all you heard. How to care for your mental and emotional health, keeping up with physical activity, structuring your workdays in a WFH (work from home)
Working from home was an adjustment for many of us as we transitioned back in March while navigating the stress that came with a global pandemic. Soon began the tips and tricks to stay motivated, productive and engaged while settling into your new (or should I say familiar) environment. Your bed, couch, the kitchen and whatever other creative places you
So many of the discussions across the globe have centered around change for racial injustice, systemic racism and the need for this time to be an ongoing conversation that’s no longer taboo and one that lasts beyond a ‘trend’. In our corporate landscape and in the workplace, the global movement we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks created discussions around
If you told me in 2019 the year 2020 was going to be one of the most ever-changing and historical times, I would have said, “you’ve got the wrong planet, sounds like an awful movie.” Yet, 6 months into the year, we’ve experienced a global pandemic that would have us reimagining life and business, coupled with recent events like the
Remember when you loved having the flexibility to work from home? You saw it as a perk, while others saw it as a part of work-life and now it might just be a part of your reality – for good. As businesses acclimate to what a new work-life experience will look like post-COVID, companies like Facebook and Twitter have announced a transition that will
Is it too early to be talking about heading back to the office post-COVID-19? Probably not. Our transition to working remotely happened fast and suddenly. There was no planning and strategy work to prepare; it was mandated and we just transitioned. Slowly but surely, governments around the world are in discussions and planning for transitioning back to work and re-opening
It’s no question that an organization’s biggest asset is its people. Whether your organization falls in the small-medium sized space or is considered an enterprise, your people strategy (a.k.a. your recruitment or talent strategy) can support or hurt your growth. As a leader, your recruitment strategy is usually one of the most important strategies next to your business strategies. I
The ‘work from home’ or a remote working option that was once considered a benefit and, in some cases, seen as a perk (depending on the organization you ask) has become the norm in the last month. Likely to stay this way for several months to come. According to research by Regus Canada, 47% of Canadian employees work from outside
Retirement may be a far vision for some of you, but for others, it’s several years out. Past the age of what we’ve all known to be 65, we’re now looking at 70, even 80 + years old for retirees. Baby boomers don’t all fall under the same age of retirement which means skilled and experienced talent are still working,
Psychological safety is a ‘feeling‘ we’ve heard more and more of in the workplace in more recent years. If you asked about how it relates to organizations 20 or 30 years ago, it wasn’t a common concept. Today, it relates to factors that affect employee engagement, employee performance and leadership to name a few. In its simplest terms, psychological safety
For a start-up organization in this day of age, a people-first culture might be clear as day for some of you as you envision the kind of culture you want to create. There are a fundamental understanding and a heart’s desire to lead with people first. For those organizations that are more established, including the multi-national organizations that have been
Where ageism is very real in almost every industry, plenty of resources will tell you how to combat ageism so you can successfully make a career change. Tips and tricks on positioning yourself, talk about your qualifications so you don’t come across as ‘overqualified’ or ‘underqualified’ but just right. How to talk about your passions and the
The ‘Compassionate Leader.’ The leader that has a vision, invests in their people and knows how to take an organization to the next level with people at its core. Better yet, by creating a people-first culture. With the pace, our world is moving at and the ever-changing world of business, training and L&D initiatives (learning and development) is a go-to
A new year and a new decade are fast approaching and with that comes a new way of leading. A transformation I’ve talked about often in hopes it fosters action from those organizations who are ready to step up and begin their evolution vs. more meetings to talk about challenges. An approach to leading your people side by side versus top-down is
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at the closing ceremony of a mentoring program for The Association of Change Management Professionals – Toronto Chapter. Mentoring had been something that took a different shape along my own path so the hesitation to speak on something that didn’t take form in the traditional sense was strong. It was also the
This past week I attended a mentoring event held by NEW where we discussed diversity in a multi-generational workforce. Such an important topic since by 2020, 50% of the global workforce will be made up of Millennials aka Gen Y. These conversations have been percolating slowly but surely, and it’s clear that identifying ways of working together and adapting to
Emotions and ‘the workplace’ are often not seen in the same sentence unless we’re talking about emotional intelligence. There’s an immediate reaction that the two don’t mix and emotions simply don’t belong in corporate. Yet, over the years, we’ve had emotional intelligence courses and workshops of the like become increasingly popular. Not because we’ve become more accepting of the concept
You have a daunting task ahead of you, I get it. In the digital era where technology is changing not only the way we do business but how we communicate and preparing for future workforces, HR’s value has only increased in organizations. Or has it? As an HR leader, not only are you responsible for coming up with strategies that
Whether it’s in corporate or as an entrepreneur, trust and credibility are critical to your ability in establishing strong relationships. They go hand and hand and we want both to exist in the people we work with. Even in our personal relationships – friends, family, relatives, etc. you want to know the people you have relationships with are trustworthy and
When it comes to your employer brand and company culture, candidates are empowered with endless information at their fingertips to learn about your company. In a job market where competition is increasingly tight, candidates are considering all their options. They’re not afraid to do their due diligence and ensure they’re equipped with enough information to make an informed decision. Your
This past weekend, I attended an all-day workshop called Evolve that I was invited to by a friend of mine. All things supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners were shared through wellness and mindfulness best practices. Plus, a line up of great speakers that shared productivity hacks and other tricks, tips, and tools to support you and your business to
As a leader, when you’re managing a people-first culture your people are the primary focus of your business. Finding the best people is one thing, keeping them is another. That’s where retaining talent comes into play. Employee retention is a critical component of sustaining a strong and healthy organization. Your people are what makes your company run. Among the common
Is your organization experiencing high turnover? Do you find yourself replacing the same roles over and over again and feeling uneasy about your recruitment strategy? There could be a few reasons for this, including a broken recruitment process. Another reason is simply you’re hiring the wrong people in the wrong roles. It can be difficult to quantify an existing employee
Is your organization struggling with low employee performance? While there can often be multiple reasons that impact employee performance, there’s an easy and what I believe an underutilized solution. One that is underestimated in terms of the benefit and impact it can have not only on your employee’s performance but your business as well. Show your employees you appreciate them.
How would you define the employee experience? Do you know what elements are important to create a strong and fulfilling employee experience? It’s something that I’ve thought about throughout my own career and learned how important it was from the countless conversations I have with professionals navigating their careers, trying to identify the ‘one.’ That ONE company that had it
As the leader of your organization, ‘tough decisions’ are a part of your role, regardless of how well or how bad your business may be doing. When things are good, decision-making can span from – where to invest next, how to best manage resources, how many people to hire and so on. When it’s not so great, it could be
How many times in your career have you gone and asked for a raise feeling in your heart of hearts that you’re truly deserving of an increase? What about times when you’ve asked, and you simply felt entitled? Let me clarify. You haven’t really outlined the work you’ve done to be deserving of a raise OR actually done anything beyond
