optimism

Build Your Resilience: Thriving through Change & Complexity

Join Wendy Woods on June 4, 2014 at 12:30 PM for this powerful one hour webinar.   Is the constant state of change, uncertainty and complexity making it hard for you to be and remain resilient? Today’s climate is so challenging that it is commonly referred to as “VUCA times” describing an environment of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. Developing a capacity for sustained resilience is not only essential...

Death By Laughter Poem

I found this poem a few years ago and loved it. I thought you would appreciate it as much as I did.  Enjoy! Death By Laughter Some people measure their lives in pulse rates and sit-ups. Far better to measure yours in licks of ice creams, well- told jokes, mad dashes to be first in water, belly laughs. And, when you die, it won’t be an erratic shift in...

Quotes of the Week

Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A “you can do it” when things are tough. ~ Richard M. DeVos, American Businessman I don’t think you lead by pessimism and cynicism. I think you lead by optimism and enthusiasm and energy. ~ Patricia Ireland, U.S. Administrator One of the things I learned the hard way was that it...

Quotes of the Week

 Image courtesy of Photography by sheelamohan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” –Ken Blanchard, Author “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.” –Vince Lombardi, Football Coach “A good leader is not the person who does things right, but the person who finds the right...

Attaining the Happiness Advantage – Part Three

In parts One and Two of the Happiness Advantage, I outlined the key points made by Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work in a recent HBR Ideacast. In the interview, Sean outlined what is meant by the happiness advantage and offered up some quantifiable research showcasing the benefits of this paradigm...

Measuring the Happiness Advantage – Part Two

In Part One of Measuring the Happiness Advantage, I summarized a recent HBR Ideacast which featured Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. To recap, the “happiness advantage” refers to the ability of your brain to do more when you’re positive. Number Crunching Now, if you’re like me, you want some form...

The Happiness Advantage – Part One

Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work was recently featured on a HBR Ideacast where he discussed the profound effect a positive outlook has on our ability to work productively and experience happiness both at work and at home. Sean begins by clarifying what is meant by positive psychology. He’s not talking...

Quick Stress Busters in 5 Minutes or less from our Stress Busters eBook

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net 1. Take a walk– Go for a walk even if it’s for only 5 minutes. It will get you away from your desk, give you an opportunity to view your stress/stressors from a different perspective and allow you to return to work with a fresh perspective. Besides the exercise will do you good. 2. Grab a cup of tea- Certain herbal teas are known...

How to Boost Your Optimism

In last week’s blog, we took a look at Optimism in a great book by Adam Jackson called The Flipside. Here are a number of ways you can easily boost your Optimism. 1. Act “as if” you are optimistic. By looking for benefits, opportunities and even trying after failure, we will experience the same results as optimists and then start to feel optimistic (The Flipside, Jackson). 2.Express Gratitude. Gratitude...

The Flipside: Being Optimistic despite Life’s Greatest Challenges

I was at the airport heading to Italy for vacation when I realized that I needed a good book.  I spent a good half hour browsing the book store looking for the perfect balance of easy read with substance.  I found exactly that in The Flipside by Adam Jackson. The Flipside caught my eye because it profiled people who remained optimistic despite challenging life circumstances.  I was drawn to...

EQ vs. IQ ?: Is the Smart Quiet Type No Longer the Star Employee?

Emotional intelligence has become an increasingly popular requirement among employers. In the Globe and Mail article, Emotional intelligence trumps technical know-how, the IT service company, Softchoice, boldly stated that a stronger emphasis on emotional intelligence (EQ) is required for today`s workplace. An emerging trend among companies: hire employees for their attitude and then teach them skills during their careers. They want employees who are flexible, adaptable, and have the...