Month: August 2024

Honoring Labor Day

This Monday, we celebrate Labor Day in the U.S. Originally created from the labor movement, Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882.

I mention this brief history, because it seems like fewer people actually know or remember why this holiday exists and have lost connection with its roots. After all, are you consciously thinking about celebrating your social and economic achievements as a worker this weekend?

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Revealing Mistakes

Do you often succumb to “I’ll do it myself”? Sometimes, hard-driving managers become frustrated when their staff makes mistakes, and as a result, they sing the refrain of “it’s easier to do it myself.”

This is usually a bad idea. Of course, there are exceptions, but overall, it’s better to take time to coach someone about what was done incorrectly and how to do it accurately the next time.

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Mindful Moments

Our world has morphed into one where the need for speed has overtaken much of our lives. So many activities are rushed and sometimes it feels like we’ll in a whirlwind.

Unfortunately, one of the casualties of this pace is taking time to think. Thinking has been all but dropped from our rosters and has been replaced by cramming as much as we can in the shortest period.

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Strive to the Next Level

Top performers strive for the next accomplishment, soak up new information, and embrace the opportunity to challenge the status quo. They are eager to learn and stretch their minds.

I enjoy asking what people read, because it reveals interesting insights. When I ask the question and receive several interesting selections in response, it’s a data point that suggests curiosity and openness.

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It’s All in the Details!

Even if you don’t see yourself as detail oriented, paying attention to details can make a difference between average and outstanding communication. The expression, “it’s all in the details” takes on fresh meaning in these situations. Consider these examples:

The executive who isn’t clear in his instructions but expects his assistant to know precisely what he has in mind. The assistant books his travel and the exec yells at her because it wasn’t the exact schedule that he wanted (which he, of course, never mentioned).

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