The Grass is Always Greener …

Grace has always been a grazer. She loves to eat grass. I have no idea why. Maybe she loves the taste. Maybe it settles her stomach. Maybe both. Maybe neither. It’s a mystery — one of many that exists with my relationship with Grace — and will frequently happen in relationships in the workplace. There…

Read More

Tips for Hiring Right

Ever regret a hiring decision you’ve made? I’ve certainly been there and I imagine you have, too. It’s not easy to get it right every time you hire someone. There are lots of variables to consider. But with a thorough process, you can definitely improve your odds of making the best decision. Last week, at…

Read More

Healthy workplaces can happen by doing small things

Managers set the tone for healthy environments Does it seem ludicrous that there could be such a thing as the nation’s healthiest community? Or that you could live in it? On one hand, it does seem impossible. But on the other hand, why not? What’s stopping it from happening? If everyone had a commitment to taking…

Read More

Managers need to be decisive

Sometimes, somebody just needs to make a decision. I was lucky to have my husband be that person recently. He, Grace, and I headed out on a new trail we found in a book listing hikes in our local area. We copied pages from the book with the map and text describing the walk; the…

Read More

The value of being lazy

I often hear a manager complain about an employee being lazy. And of course, we all know that being lazy is really not a desirable trait in the workforce; it certainly won’t get you an outstanding performance review nor anything that you’d tout on your resume. But there are times when I’d say you can…

Read More

People need time and space for change. Are you giving them both?

Grace went for a walk! Three days in a row! That may not seem like earth-shattering news. But those of you who recall a recent post know that Grace put her foot down (so to speak) and refused walking down the road we had traveled for years. Recent target shooting by a neighbor had frightened…

Read More

A whale of a time

In recent posts, I’ve talked about Gitte and Jill, both who inspired me by the choices they made about how they are living their lives. The subject of career choices comes up frequently in conversations I have with my work but I didn’t really expect this to be one of the main themes that resonated…

Read More

Take your chores to the river

There was one woman that we met on vacation that made a major impression on me. Her name is Gitte (pronounced Gee-ta), a Swedish woman who has lived in Alaska for the last 27 years. She was our guide during a 13-hour tour through Denali National Park. This particular tour took you into the park…

Read More