Blog
Perfektenschlag! A Wellbeing Grand Slam
I recently had the antithesis of a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. As Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) from The Office would say, it was “perfektenschlag” – the Schrutes’ word for when everything in life comes together perfectly. I want to share these highlights not to brag but to illustrate the Wellbeing framework by Tom Rath and Jim Harter. Applying the framework can help make your personal goals more impactful and stick-to-it-able.
Embrace the Spotlight: A Lesson from My Daughter
When my daughter first said she was interested in joining the children’s choir, I couldn’t help but smile. She’s always been that kid in the backseat of the car, singing her heart out but completely off-tune. Her enthusiasm was contagious, even if her notes didn’t...
Whose Shoes Are You Still Tying?
Last Sunday, my ten-year-old son was sitting on our stairs. I was kneeling in front of him, tying his shoes. It was a picturesque father-and-son moment. However, even if you don’t have kids, you should have a vague sense that most ten-year-olds can tie their own...
What a Barf-Bag Haiku Can Teach Us About Creativity
I have invented a unique art form – the Barf-Bag Haiku. To kill time on a plane, especially when my devices must be in Airplane Mode, I will write a haiku poem on the barf bag. The subject of my first haiku was a barf bag (meta, I know), but I have since branched out...
Get behind Me, Titivillus! How to Avoid Mistakes in Your Work
Titivillus as represented by Diego de la Cruz in his painting La Virgen de la Misericordia con los Reyes Católicos y su Familia, circa 1486; Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons. First published on “Nightingale: Journal of the Data Visualization Society” Meet Titivillus....
Stop Annoying Your Audience: The Top 10 Presentation Design Pet Peeves and What to Do Instead
I start every "Presentations That Drive Action" workshop by asking participants about their presentation pet peeves and best practices. Often the pet peeves are simply the opposite of the best practices. But asking for pet peeves lets the PowerPoint haters get it out...
You’ve Visualized Your Data, Now Actualize Your Promotion: How Effective Presentation Skills Can Set You Up for Promotion
I sat through approximately 160 cross-calibration conversations for analysts in my career. A cross-cal is how many companies ensure associates get a fair performance rating versus just letting your boss decide your rating. While I’m a fan of making sure associates get...
Don’t Make Your Audience Guess “Whodunnit?”: Why You Should Lead with Your Answer
Clue logo by SantaMinion Do you like to read mystery novels? Watch mystery movies? The fun is in guessing whodunnit while the author throws red herrings at you. You don't want your audience guessing "whodunnit" in a business presentation because then they aren't...
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