Sometimes I want to help people who do not want my help. From our perspective we might think someone should do X, but maybe they are happy with the status quo? Or, our challenge may be to find a way to share our view in a way that they are ready to hear it. Or [...]
I spoke to someone famous! Not really, but I feel like I got really close. It is someone I admire and can't believe I spoke to her. To be clear, I admire her husband's work (this super awesome blog and he gave a really amazing TED talk which is a dream of mine). And through [...]
I don't think we ask this question enough. Often, the biggest ideas, or most game-changing even on a small scale, come from asking why. Why is it done this way? Why has it always been done this way? Why do I want this or that? Why am I doing this today? How many times can [...]
I called and left a message. I sent an email and haven't heard back. I took a small action and now it is in that person's corner to get back to me. It isn't my fault now, it's theirs. Tag, your it. I have a problem of taking a step and then not following through, [...]
I was listening to a podcast about decisionmaking. It was a reminder that we are no good at remembering the information we had going into the decision after the fact. We might have a great outcome and think, wow, we really made a fantastic decision; when in reality it might have been luck. On the [...]
Our best guidance might be direct or behind the scenes. Choosing correctly may make the difference in how we can help another or be helped. Service providers have a choice in terms of how much structure to establish. We can let people come to us, ask us to do something, and do it. Or we [...]
When you want something, what do you do? I've noticed that some people plow ahead and go after it, while other stick back and maybe get less because of it. As I was hiring recently, someone didn't apply because they couldn't get the application in on time (said it was a family emergency). Why didn't [...]
When I was in middle school my father occasionally tried to convince me to take a Monday off school to ski on a bluebird powder day. As I recall it, I never wanted to. I always wanted to get back to school where I was "supposed to be." Yes... I was one of those kids [...]
I don't remember the precise wording he uses, but Seth Godin often talks about 'just doing the work' and liking what you do. There are times to choose our big-picture life, to find work that is meaningful, and to seek a life that is meaningful. That's what this blog aims to be about (for some [...]
How do we decide when to say yes and when to say know when someone wants something from us? Do we answer from the heart? Decide what is best for us? Or what is best for a broader community - and what community? We will all answer differently, but beneficial to understand what's important before [...]
EJS' Blog 