Social isolation is an objective condition, and loneliness is the emotional state that arises from it. According to the Surgeon General’s report, the lack of social connection poses a significant risk for individual health and longevity. Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29% respectively. Further, lacking social connection…
You wake up, roll out of bed, brush your hair so you look presentable for your first video meeting with your team, and you pop in a Keurig pod of Starbucks coffee to get your morning started.You jump from one virtual meeting to another, only turning your video on if absolutely required. You have lunch…
In an age when much more is being written than spoken, appreciation for the tone of the written word is being lost. For example, a typical cryptic text or email relies on emojis to communicate a serious, sarcastic, or playful tone. Even the craftiest emoji user loses subtle intended meaning. When you are speaking, the…
Most of us are so technologically connected that we couldn’t disconnect even if we tried. Many of us fear having to stare down that dark tunnel of technology withdrawal. What we are talking about, however, is connecting human-to-human versus being connected via technology. We live in a high-tech world, but building healthy relationships is still…
Sticks and stones may break my bones, and words really can hurt me. Many of us grew up saying a slightly different version of the previous phrase, asserting that words could not hurt us. However, we now know that words are building blocks for our self-image and personal expectations. Our words create worlds. The English language…
Although Harry Potter’s cloak of invisibility is a very cool accoutrement, invisibility is really the last thing that most humans want. Humans have a fundamental need to be seen and heard. Simply acknowledging people, their input, or their efforts is validating. We don’t require 1,000 likes from social media “friends,” but we do need human-to-human affirmation…
We have been blessed with the opportunity to serve hundreds of CEOs since we started our leadership advisory business. Our clients lead Fortune 1000 enterprises, mid-market companies, and smaller, growth businesses. We continue to grow with them and learn from them. So, in this series, we will share the best leadership advice that one of…
Research from Gallup revealed that the most effective teams have at least a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. Demonstrating appreciation for contributions is a powerful way to create a positive interaction. On the home front, this same research found the ratio for the most effective marriages is at least 5:1. Bottom line: It…
We often hear leaders say that they will appreciate their teams once a certain goal is achieved. These leaders do not understand the power of appreciating progress. Healthy leaders appreciate results and progress. They understand that employees want to feel connected to their leader, their organization, and their purpose—not just after the final buzzer when…
One of our clients, Cindy Lewis, is Executive Chairperson of AirBorn, a manufacturer of high-quality, custom electronics. She uses the “Rule of Six” when clarifying important information, such as the company’s vision. The idea is that you should not expect team members to fully understand or internalize any message until they hear it repeated at…
