Here’s what I know about your work: Stress at work is common, normal, part of the game for you on the job. Stress at work seems to be increasing, and failing to manage it results in poor work performance, declining physical wellbeing, and depletion of your mental health. Here’s what I know about stress: Stress is responding to perceived threats in our work environment with a fight, flight, or freeze, reflex. One of the secrets to getting out ahead... Read more
I couldn’t sleep. So I got out of bed and went into the living room. It was 1 AM on a weeknight. We have a view of the Upper East Side of Manhattan from our living room windows. We can see the FDR expressway and the Queensboro Bridge. Even at 1, they are full of cars racing to somewhere. It’s a stirring scene but one I did not want to see. The City may never sleep, but me, I was... Read more
10 Questions that will make your work better in 2019. You will likely spend 2,500 hours at work in 2019. That’s just about as many hours as you’ll spend sleeping. Use these questions to evaluate your 2018 and build a happy New Year at work in 2019 How did I positively impact people this past year? As much as we like to “win” at work, the force that keeps us engaged, motivated, and focused is having a positive impact on people.... Read more
Many of my friends, from their teens to their fifties, are still wrestling with the question: “What do I want to be when I grow up.” There are a host of reasons for our collective angst about what type of work we should pursue. Alternatives: we are bombarded with teasers about different careers and approaches to work. Facebook, Indeed, and the Muse all feed FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to our careers. Disruption: technological and global economic forces... Read more
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” This is the questions adults use to torment little children. What did you want to be when you grew up? I had a number of answers to that question: Train engineer, fighter pilot, doctor, film director, and rock star are all on the list I remember. What if we changed the question? What if we replaced the word want, with a different concept? What if we asked: What am I... Read more
It has been two weeks plus, but my friends in Philadelphia are still glowing. I am too. As a native of the Philly region, I was exctactic to see the Eagles topple the favored Patriots. The Eagles’ victory shines the spotlight on their team culture, a culture that is led by men who are explicit about their Christian faith. So, after some disclaimers, I’ll share how the Eagles are role models for all of us on the job. As a... Read more
Everyone I know is overwhelmed. Their to-do list, their inbox, their social feed, their text messaging app—all overflowing with the unanswered. To cope, all of us have become content with a certain amount of ignored communications. We embrace task neglect to survive, so we officially are never done. The “never done” status leaves us oppressed with a nagging sense that we’re irresponsible. While endemic of most spheres of life, task neglect is an epidemic at work. The mouths all around us... Read more
Do you want more? More time, more effectiveness, more money, more meaning in your work, more advancement, more growth, more recognition? I would imagine something on that list appeals to you. We are always looking for more, at least I am. I am the type who likes more. More clients, more impact, more income, more travel, more memories. I even pray for more. More clarity, more discipline, more opportunities. But this year I’m praying for less. Health... Read more
Harvard Business Review recently published a piece on the “epidemic of loneliness at work.” It’s very well done and leans on a number of statistics to prove that everyone on the org chart, from the CEO down, is feeling isolated and disconnected on the job. Why is this the case and what can be done? Driven Apart The work culture of today is much different than the one my father labored in a generation ago–he worked for the same... Read more
Why is so easy to forget God when we are at work? My friends, many of whom have a deep appreciation for God’s kindness to them and a deep desire to steward their influence and resources, find it incredibly easy to forget about God when they are immersed in their work. I’ve had three careers: business, pastoring, and nonprofit leadership. Even in church or a Christian non-profit, you can say a prayer and then flip into work mode where the way... Read more
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