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
Unlike most of my other posts, this week I was truly struggling with what to share, what to write, in light of recent events. What could I offer that would land and be received in the way I hope it would. As I brainstormed and reflected on a few different topics my audience and others would find value in, I
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
As the globe slowly awakens to a reality navigating its way through what a new normal will look like post-COVID, driving business continues to be a top priority. It considers all stakeholders involved both internally and externally with the safety and wellbeing being the pressing message being communicated, since the start of the pandemic. Creating a new work-life is still
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
Gone are the days where you’d hear a friend or colleague say, “I wish I could work from home more often.” Now you hear, “I wish I could go back to the office” or “I miss having an office to go to.” Where flexibility was once seen as a perk, as they say, too much of a good thing eventually starts to wear off. These
Crisis leadership is a phrase that’s come across lately as ‘buzz like’ during this pandemic. It’s interesting as there are crises all over the world even before COVID-19 and likely we’ll experience again sometime in the future, yet I don’t recall hearing this phrase as much. Leading in times of crisis often brings about reactionary or impulsive behaviours and decisions.
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
The last few weekends have started to feel like, “same old, same old” which seems a bit deflating given we’ve just entered Spring – a time of new beginnings, new starts and new creations. Coming out of a long Winter here in Canada, we relish in the sunshine, warm temperatures and getting outdoors to enjoy the very sometimes short season so many
To say we’re living in uncertain times might be an understatement for some, depending on who you talk to. In the past 25 years, as a globe, we’ve experienced some of the world’s most devastating natural disasters from hurricanes and forest fires to economic recessions and political impacts that have made history. We’ve survived them thankfully, we’re still here and
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
New leadership in an organization can often bring about a sense of new beginnings, new ways of working, new teams and people or it can foster a sense of fear, doubt and uncertainty. When there are ambiguity and insecurity brewing in an organizational environment at the sight of new leadership, it’s usually due to poor communication, lack of certainty and
They say one of the best measures of success of a great leader is developing those in your charge into future leaders. Throughout the course of one’s career, some people know they want to eventually be a people leader, others don’t and some just fall into it. Or do they? As we know, growth and experience help shape us over
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
Self-care and balance have increasingly become a focus in our culture. It was trend like for a while and slowly has become a part of our lives that we hope to ‘strive for’ personally and now professionally. Varying definitions will tell you what it means and what it should/could look like (Icertainly have one) and ultimately it will be subjective
Creativity is something I’ve spoken about quite a bit as it’s the very expression of our souls (when we tap into it) that can birth some of the most beautiful gifts. Not just for us to enjoy but to share with the world that offers enjoyment and inspiration for others. In business, it’s the energy that brings fuel to innovation
If I think back to all the times I wish I said something in a meeting, to a friend, to a family member, I’d tell you what I said! Not always easy, admittedly not always with tact and grace (I blame the Italian in me ?) but I said it. There was a time where my confidence was lacking, and
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
When we’re first learning something, over time and with experience we’re expected to get ‘better.’ Practice makes perfect as they say. Yet we’re bound to develop bad habits and blind spots. Whether it’s driving, playing a sport or learning a new skill. We let some of the ‘best practices’ we’ve learned fall through the cracks. Not because we’re trying to
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
Leadership is one of my favourite topics to discuss and write about and one that has many definitions and perspectives. Thought leaders such as Simon Sinek, Brené Brown and Tony Robbins to name a few have all shared their definition of what leadership is and in some cases (not always) it’s influenced by personal experience good or bad. One of
When was the last time you were in transition? Some of you might be in one right now! And if you are – I congratulate you. Even in what may seem tough or challenging, there’s inevitably something better around the corner or already on its way to you. What if you could go through your transition or whatever change you
The risks we take in our lives are often a direct measure of how willing we are to step outside our comfort zone. The risk of being seen. The risk of being judged. The risk of not being liked. The risk of failing. The risk of the unknown. The list goes on and on. Yet, we rarely consider the successes
Coming off a long weekend celebrating Thanksgiving here in Canada, my heart is full of gratitude. For so much really. This year has been a whirlwind of change, entering a new chapter in my life, letting go, learning, expanding, sharing, growing and so much more. It’s been transformational, to say the least, and continues to be – and with no
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
I’m back from a fantastic trip in Italy missing carb central with all its delicious pasta and pizza. Ok yes, AND gelato – I may have had more than one ice cream a day, but who’s counting?! A trip that served as a reminder to indulge and have fun, yet, also knowing I’d be returning in a season symbolizing letting
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
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
I was staring out the window listening to the rain tapping against the glass when a burst of inspiration and joy came over me. This is what happens when I hear of companies flip the switch and throw out the rule book to change lives and make a difference and this is exactly what a dating app has done. ✨??
Do you believe that time is unlimited? So many of us struggle with the notion that time is limited. We hold the idea that in order to do something REALLY big or important in our lives, we need to do it in a certain amount of time… or… we’ll expire? Of course, we won’t, but it’s a limited belief many
Fear in the spiritual sense is the absence of love. In everyday life, it looks like this… “I need to make enough money in case something happens.” Or “I have to go to that conference, or I won’t meet any new clients.” Or “If I ask for time off, they’ll think I’m lazy and not working hard enough.”
What do you think of when you think of team building? The term has been around forever and the very nature of it, to me can be in the form of activities or team exercises that have a social element to it and help to cultivate collaboration and foster a team spirit amongst teams. While the idea is well intended,
Negotiation is a skill we practice throughout our lives whether we know it or not. Whether it’s negotiating what restaurant to eat at on the weekend, where to live, what movie to see, the list goes on. We negotiate the smallest of choices we have to make to some of the biggest decisions we make in our lives. In our
Networking is critical as a professional. Whether you work in corporate, you run a small business, or you find yourself in a job search, networking will be an ongoing part of your career. Relationships help drive our success in all areas of our lives, and many times, business relationships can develop out of nowhere and when you least expect it.
What’s the most important skill you’re assessing when you’re interviewing talent? Does a talent’s soft skill vs. hard skill and/or competencies to do a job hold the same level of importance for you? I can probably guess that your answer would likely be no, although I’m sure you would agree it’s important just not as important as the hard skills
Welcome back! To a new year, a new start and 365 days ahead of you to DO whatever it is your heart ❤ desires. Coming back from a relaxed holiday with lots of time for rest, sleep (LOTS of sleep), family time, filling my belly (and soul) with love and yummy treats. I’m looking forward to getting back into the
