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Cultivating Connection
Cultivating Connection
Here are some helpful articles related to this topic. You can also search via keyword at the navigation bar on the right or by the tagged bullets below. Enjoy! If you find something you like, please leave a comment. Thanks…
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Favorites:
Working Mothers Manifesto by Carol Evans, ChangeThis. With 26 million moms in the workforce, more than 72% of moms today are having to balance our families and our workforce. How do we do it? Why do we do it? This article addresses all of this and more, including different resources and proposals you can use at your job to make life easier for you.
Work-life Balance for Moms by Alexa Cole, Cole Consulting. This article frames the three things that often come up for working moms in our coaching practice: time management, stress reduction, and cultivating balance/finding support.
12 Questions That Matter – adapted from Marcus Buckingham by Peter Cole, Cole Consulting. If you want to build the most powerful organization possible, then your first job is to help every person generate compelling answers to 12 simple questions about the day-to-day realities of his or her job. These are the factors, argue Marcus Buckingham and his colleagues at the Gallup Organization, that determine whether people are engaged, not engaged, or actively disengaged at work.
10 Tips On 360 Feedback – from HR Magazine. 360 degree feedback has been accused of being less than effective in a number of industry surveys and reports. With the lack of ’cause and effect’ and survey data validity, even the surveys themselves can be questionable. Learn how to use them properly by following these guidelines.
The Ultimate Use for 360-degree Feedback: Measuring IndividualPerformance Improvement – by D.Coates. The assessment, training, measuring, and reinforcement behind a 360 review.
Comparing Versatility to Emotional Intelligence – a Tracom tool. Based on our levels of assertiveness and responsiveness, we can all learn to expand our emotional intelligence in order to strengthen our versatility in the workplace.
Diversity and Leadership Whitepaper – by Tracom. Higher versatility also correlates to higher results in diversity. This research study gives an in-depth answer to this statement.
The Four SOCIAL STYLESsm – Learn the four ways of interaction, or Social Styles: Analytical, Amiable, Driving and Expressive.
8 Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand – by Rodger Dean Duncan of ChangeThis. What’s your personal brand? YOU are. This article explains that it is you all the time that is is putting out an image to your audience, so you better make you the best you can be. The 8 tips are on how to be a great leader and how to show up for other people in a way that makes your brand shine.
Brand Pyramid Exercise as seen through the eyes of Apple. This is a quick and useful YouTube video if you are interested in learning more about branding.
I Am the Walrus: Personal Branding from The Beatles – by Parr and Ansbaugh. Using The Beatles as a roadmap, this article delves into the art of personal branding. “The trick is figuring out exactly what “special” is for you and describing it. Every element of your business, your interactions with customers (and potential customers), the packaging of your product (and yourself), whatever it takes to engage, delight and inspire those around you—that’s your brand.”
This I Believe – by Tom Peters. Tom invented the modern business book. But in many ways, he also invented modern business. His writing gave us the freedom to treat work as something personal. He gave us permission to break the rules and to make work matter. More on the best-seller, “Re-Imagine!” and his 60 most important pieces of advice.
Change Master – by MJ Ryan. In an ever changing and stressful world, we are the masters of our own fate. “In other words, we need to become expert kayakers. Since we’re in permanent whitewater, we can’t see exactly where the river will take us or where the submerged rocks are, yet when we’re tossed out of the boat, we want to make sure to swim, not sink. Experienced rafters are prepared to get bounced out and recover swiftly. They expect the whitewater. They’ve learned to relate to it—and so should we.”
Observational Coaching an Overview – a Cole Consulting POV. Observational coaching takes the premise we don’t know what we don’t know and focuses a leader’s attention on his or her key developmental needs. A good coach offers the leader an opportunity to reflect on his or her performance, calibrating for self awareness and checking for blind spots, and then through the Socratic method of ever deepening questions, helps develop attentiveness to others and a knowledge of self that lies at the heart of great leadership.
Peer Coaching-Learning Partner Overview – by Marshall Goldsmith. Peer Coaching was originally developed as a cost-effective way to provide quality coaching to mid-level, high potential and emerging leaders. The process was originally developed by Andrew Thorn who later partnered with Marshall Goldsmith to extend many of the benefits of the Goldsmith Coaching Model. Marshall Goldsmith’s personal involvement and extensive experience of helping successful leaders get even better gave energy and momentum to this unique process.
Peer Coaching Overview – by Peter Cole, Cole Consulting. In peer coaching, two leaders come together, share in conversations, reflect on and refine their professional development, usually immediately upon observing & participating in a shared team meeting. Their relationship is built on confidentiality and trust in a non-threatening, secure environment in which they learn and grow together; therefore, peer coaching is always an intentional, even exchange.
Peer coaching model– a collaborative model by Peter Cole, Cole Consulting. Peer coaching provides the opportunity to share ideas and techniques that have been effective in building relationships and creating a meaningful dialogue. Everyone is able to impact the performance of their peers by modeling behaviors that increase authentic communication!
Peer Coaching Process Agreements – by Peter Cole, Cole Consulting. A template for getting started (feel free to use and/or edit).
Come out from behind yourself, Into the Conversation and Make it Real – by Jaime at Fierce. A Fierce Conversation encourages you to switch from speaking to someone simply on a surface level and instead get more engaged. In doing so, you bring more of yourself to the conversation by peeling off the masks you may wear around certain topics.
Talking Strategy – by Heath & Heath. A strategy comes to life through its ability to influence thousands of decisions, both big and small, made by employees throughout an organization. A strategy is, at its core, a guide to behavior. A good strategy drives actions that differentiate the company and produce financial success. A bad strategy drives actions that lead to a less competitive, less differentiated position.
This I Believe – by Tom Peters. Tom invented the modern business book. But in many ways, he also invented modern business. His writing gave us the freedom to treat work as something personal. He gave us permission to break the rules and to make work matter. More on the best-seller, “Re-Imagine!” and his 60 most important pieces of advice. More on the best-seller, “Re-Imagine!” and his 60 most important pieces of advice.
Emotional Intelligence: Singing the Blues – by Susanne Gargiulo, for CNN. How one high-end hotel chain in Copenhagen found success through the training and implementation of emotional intelligence.
Mind of the Innovator: Taming the Traps of Traditional Thinking – by Matthew May. Innovator? Problem-solver? Learner? Looking at creative solutions to complex problems we need to stop thinking about innovation as an outcome, and start thinking about innovation as a process. We need to move from innovations to innovation. Because as a practical matter, innovation, problem solving and learning employ the same iterative process—blending supposition, logic, creativity and reflection.
Distributed Leadership – by Sarah Alberghini Winters, Cole Consulting. Leadership styles and philosophies come in many shapes and sizes and often are as unique as the leaders themselves. One such style, distributed leadership, also known as collaborative leadership, offers organizations the opportunity to truly work together as a community – from CEOs to frontline workers – in order to meet shared business goals.
Are we making progress? A message to leaders – by Baldridge. A 2008 assessment tool for you and your company. A 2008 assessment tool for you and your company. “In today’s environment, if you are standing still, you are falling behind. Making the right decisions at the right time is critical. Following through on those decisions is challenging. In a survey of a broad cross section of CEOs, the Malcolm Baldrige Foundation learned that CEOs believed deploying strategy is three times more difficult than developing strategy. If deployment is so challenging, the questions are, Are you making progress? How do you know?”
The Rise of the New Groupthink – by Susan Cain. Do we work better alone or in groups? Studies actually show that we work best collaboratively while having our own space and individual process.
Accountability: Effective Managers go First – by Maister. In any organization, regardless of its purpose, scale or location, there is great power that comes from creating a culture of accountability. When people in an organization can depend upon the fact that everyone else will keep their word and perform the duties and tasks they have accepted, more will get done with less explicit oversight. People will feel a heightened sense of responsibility and will act on it.
8 Tips for Managing Your Personal Brand – by Rodger Dean Duncan of ChangeThis. What’s your personal brand? YOU are. This article explains that it is you all the time that is is putting out an image to your audience, so you better make you the best you can be. The 8 tips are on how to be a great leader and how to show up for other people in a way that makes your brand shine.
Brand Pyramid Exercise as seen through the eyes of Apple. This is a quick and useful YouTube video if you are interested in learning more about branding.
I Am the Walrus: Personal Branding from The Beatles – by Parr and Ansbaugh. Using The Beatles as a roadmap, this article delves into the art of personal branding. “The trick is figuring out exactly what “special” is for you and describing it. Every element of your business, your interactions with customers (and potential customers), the packaging of your product (and yourself), whatever it takes to engage, delight and inspire those around you—that’s your brand.”
This I Believe – by Tom Peters. Tom invented the modern business book. But in many ways, he also invented modern business. His writing gave us the freedom to treat work as something personal. He gave us permission to break the rules and to make work matter. More on the best-seller, “Re-Imagine!” and his 60 most important pieces of advice.
Best Practices of Mentoring – Chart – from Women’s Leadership Alliance. Tips for Mentors, Mentees, and both parties, as well as reminders for effective meetings.
Building a Successful Mentoring Program – by Lois Sachary. Do you want to create a mentoring culture at your organization? These are eight easy steps to follow to ensure you’re on the right track.
Demystifying Mentoring – by Amy Gallo. Are you not quite sure you know what mentoring is? Do you feel any fear or trepidation about pursuing a mentor/mentee relationship? Well, you don’t need to according to Gallo, who reminds us that mentoring can be helpful for all kinds of people and is a mutually beneficial relationship. She also includes principles to remember and a case study for you to see for yourself how this could work for you.
10 Steps Towards Releasing and Regaining – by Alexa Cole, Associate of Cole Consulting. Alexa has a background in Energy Healing and health and uses these ten steps with clients, as well as personally! You could do this simple practice in as little as 10 minutes if you are looking for something quick to ground you while at work or in a stressful situation.
Mindfulness, Hope and Compassion – A Leader’s Road Map to Renewal – by Annie McKee. How to transform stress into positive practices for yourself in order to be a more effective leader and a healthier person.
One Pager on Meditation Practices – by Jon Kabat-Zinn. A fifteen minute meditation practice by one of the founding fathers of mindfulness meditation in the western world. At the end of this practice there are also links and other tools by Zinn for your enjoyment.
Change Master – by MJ Ryan. In an ever changing and stressful world, we are the masters of our own fate. “In other words, we need to become expert kayakers. Since we’re in permanent whitewater, we can’t see exactly where the river will take us or where the submerged rocks are, yet when we’re tossed out of the boat, we want to make sure to swim, not sink. Experienced rafters are prepared to get bounced out and recover swiftly. They expect the whitewater. They’ve learned to relate to it—and so should we.”
12 Ways to Turn Around a Terrible Day – by J.Stillman. A simple one pager that provides great advice on how to turn around a very bad day. A great list to print out and put above your desk – it really works!
20 Ways to Eliminate Stress From Your Life – by ZenHabits. You often see articles on ways to unwind and relax after a stressful day, which I always find useful, but for me the most important advice would be to get to the source of the problem, and cut stress out before it even happens. By careful editing of your life, and changing certain habits, you can eliminate most (not all) sources of stress in your life.
Biz Ladies: How to Avoid Burnout – by Sinclair. How to avoid burnout as a female Creative Entrepreneur. 7 steps that are easy to follow and helpful to print out and have at your desk anytime!
Working Mothers Manifesto – by Carol Evans, Working Mothers Magazine. Not only is it comforting to read an article that seems to understand fully the trials and tribulations of working full-time while also being a full-time mom, but to also have real time tools to tackle some of the main issues facing mothers today is a relief.
168 Hours The Blank Slate of Time – by Vanderkam. Have you ever considered that you have 168 hours in every week to do with what you wish? That is a surprise to most people, especially those who feel that they don’t have enough time to get done everything they would like to accomplish. This article provides helpful tools and lessons on how to make the most of your time by prioritizing what is important to you.
Create Time for the Life You Want -by Peggy Duncan. If you’ve ever used a tool such as “The Artist’s Way” or another book that provides real-time examples and exercises to increase productivity, you’ll enjoy this Memory Jogger. It provides helpful lists and organizing tools for better time management.
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time (full article) – by Schwartz and McCarthy. “Organizations are demanding ever-higher performance from their workforces. By fostering deceptively simple rituals that help employees regularly replenish their energy, organizations build workers’ physical, emotional, and mental resilience. These rituals include taking brief breaks at specific intervals, expressing appreciation to others, reducing interruptions, and spending more time on activities people do best and enjoy most.”
Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time (excerpt) – 2007 Harvard Business Review article on knowing your own self in order to capitalize on your time appropriately.
Reclaim Your Life: A Two-week Challenge to Help You Regain Time by Stuart R. Levine. This is a great step-by-step resource to help you maximize your time and minimize pointless moments in the day that go unstructured.
The Time Management Urgent Important Matrix – by Peter Cole, Cole Consulting. Tasks can be categorized as urgent/ not urgent or as important/ not important. Many of us fall into the “urgency” trap and lose sight of the tasks which are more important to us. Use this matrix to help prioritize your work.
Come on in – sit in our library and look through our searchable tools and resources. Pull up a chair at our virtual 'kitchen table' and join the conversation.