November 2010

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Today’s Learning Workplace podcast #23–We all need some thanks

Today’s article:

• “Thank You” Goes a Long Way (Fast Company)

Other articles and things of interest from this week:

• How to be a Better Mentor (Journal of Accountancy via ASTD Buzz)
• Three Ways to Influence (Leading Effectively blog by Center for Creative Leadership)
• Do’s and Don’ts for Having a 360 Degree Assessment Development Discussion (Great Leadership blog)
• 12 Dozen Placed to Educate Yourself Online for Free (Marc and Angel Hack Life)
• If it won’t fit on a post it, it won’t fit in your day (Lifehacker)

Today’s topic
Balancing . . . Precariously!

• 10 Questions to Ask Yourself to Regain Your Work-Life Balance (LifeHack)
• Wheel of Life (Mindtools)
• The Great Work Blog (Michael Staniers “great work” website (great work = less bad stress and greater sense of spirit, vitality,and balance)
• (Book) A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life by Parker Palmer

What would you do?
This week:

• Dear TLW–
  I enjoyed the banter and laughter the three of you had recently regarding the letter asking about books you would recommend for “new” leaders.  I appreciated the suggested titles and have purchased several that were mentioned to start up a book club as a follow up to some leadership training I am doing.  Your conversation just begs the question, “What books would you recommend for a more seasoned leader?”

Next week:

• Dear TLW–
  Our human resources department is working with our IT department to implement a new on line health benefits system.  It will impact those employees in the HR department who will be working with it daily…however, it will also impact every employee in the organization as they will now be able to go on line to make changes to their benefits, research and educate themselves on the various programs, initiate their yearly sign up, etc.  IT has indicated the implementation will be in three phases, starting February 1 of this coming year.  It has been suggested employees receive training in 3 phases, as well, as each becomes available.  The entire roll out is planned to take 6 months or less.  Each employee is being asked to go thru the training…each phase.  It has been suggested the first phase training take place near the upcoming holiday time period…at least one month prior to the first phase going live.  What are your thoughts regarding this?  Any suggestions?

2-minute tips of the week

• Max: Be purposeful in assigning participants to small groups.
• Terri: Do a wheel of life exercise and compare it with your calendar–are you spending the most time on the things that matter?
• Robin: Think of someone from your past that had a great impact on you and thank them.

Other resources mentioned during the show

• Pomodoro technique

Books:

• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H. Pink
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan & Al Switzler
• The Distance Manager: A Hands On Guide to Managing Off-Site Employees and Virtual Teams
  by Kimball Fisher
• Leading Change by John P. Kotter
• Love ‘em or Lose ‘em: Getting Good People to Stay (4th edition) by Bev Kaye & Sharon Jordan-Evans
• Survival of the Savvy: High-Integrity Political Tactics for Career and Company Success by Rick Brandon & Marty Seldman
• The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters by Peter Block
• The Reinvention of Work: New Vision of Livelihood for Our Time, A by Mathew Fox
• The Seven-Day Weekend: Changing the Way Work Works by Ricardo Semler
• Hacking Work: Breaking Stupid Rules for Smart Results by Bill Jensen & Josh Klein

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