CAL Newsletter: Where Do You Choose to Draw Your Boundaries? Sometimes, people ask us for more than we want to offer—or can reasonably achieve. When people ask us for more than we want to offer, we have many options for responses. Each of those responses reflects our boundaries. That means we need to know how …
I’ve been shopping for a dress to wear to my younger daughter’s wedding. (I’ll call her YD because that’s definitely not her name.) I have many criteria for a dress. Aside from flattering me, the dress has to work with my rollator. That means the dress can’t be chiffon. At OD’s (Older Daughter) wedding, I …
When I was a kid, I went to summer camp. I loved it. In the last week, I would say to myself, “This is the last Monday. How can I make this my best Monday?” I decided on one thing and did that. Those last weeks were my best weeks. A couple of years went …
How Can You Use Your Projected Last Moment to Create a Great Present Moment? Read More »
My expertise spans several dimensions. So does yours. Professionally, I’m an expert in many aspects of management and product development. Personally, since I’ve spent so much time in physical therapy over the years, I know what kinds of PT tend to work for me. And let’s not forget my vertigo. I’m an expert in vertigo. …
I hear a lot of “either/or” language in work situations: We “must” do this thing. Here’s an example: We’re not agile if we don’t do some practice, such as standups. We “cannot” do exactly the same thing. We can’t do that practice, such as standups, and be agile. I hear either/or language in personal situations, too: …
When Can You Recognize and Avoid the Trap of Either/Or Thinking? Read More »
Over the years, I’ve been reading about stoicism in small doses. (I can’t stand some of the acceptance nonsense.) I suspect I’m not a very good stoic. I’m too loud and excitable. However, I do find much of stoicism’s ideas useful. That’s because I suggest: We see our reality, first and foremost. We start small …
As I write this in August 2020, the schools are planning how to open in the fall. And, the various college sports are trying to decide how or if they will play. How do we decide to persevere or to change? Schools fulfill many vital roles in a child’s life. The younger the child, the …
I listened to Marcus Blankenship’s podcast Finding Career Opportunities Through Experimentation with Josh Doody. During the podcast, Marcus said something like this (I’m paraphrasing): “I wonder which was the problem: the decision or the outcome?” I thought that was a wonderful frame for how we might think about decisions. I don’t always differentiate between the …
What’s the Problem: the Decision or the Outcome? Read More »
I’ve seen many people say, “We need to reopen the economy, now. We can’t afford more people out of work. We need to get the economy moving.” I’ve also seen many people say, “We must not sacrifice the health of people to reopen the economy. If we do and many people die, we won’t have …
How Can You Prevent Your Fear From Limiting Your Options? Read More »
I was at a conference recently. The theme was about games (simulations) that would help create psychological safety. Psychological safety matters both at home and at work. I bet you’ve seen people who live with psychologically unsafe families. Their lack of safety makes everything about their lives much more difficult. How can you gain emotional …
How Can You Use Your Fear or Vulnerability to Create Courage? Read More »