Stress is Costing American Business Big Dollars and Costing You Your Mental Health According to the American Psychological Association, workplace stress costs U.S. industry an estimated $300 billion annually in sick days, lost productivity, absenteeism and turnover. One third of study respondents miss 2 to 3 days a month because of a stressful work environment,…
A common issue I have encountered working with hundreds of speaking and training clients all over the US is failure to deliver bad news in a timely manner. Most people don’t deliver bad news because they are afraid of the reaction. They know the co-worker, employer or customer will be unhappy, maybe even angry. And…
Set Boundaries to Cut Down on Stress this Season There’s no question that the holidays can bring out the best and the worst in people, particularly families. There’s so much pressure to decorate, get the right gifts, prepare for visitors, cook and clean and handle excited children, all on top of work. So how do…
Giving Thanks: Thursday is More than Just a Day for Food and Football In the United States, it’s Thanksgiving this week. As we prepare delicious food, plan on parades and games, take the time to give thanks and acknowledge others in special ways, especially at home. Gratitude is one of the best ways to overcome…
How You Start Your Day and Your Meetings Makes a Big Difference No matter what is going on in your company and organization, highlight the positive. Start every meeting and the first email of the day with a positive story, comment or statement of praise about someone in your organization. It will set the tone…
You Can Have Greater Influence on Others Brendon Burchard, in his excellent new book, High Performance Habits, shares some excellent tips on how to increase your influence. Teach people how to think. When you are working with others, whether in a team, on a committee, or your employees, ask compelling questions which make others think. …
Nature: A Free and Easy Way to Ease Anxiety Most leaders spend the overwhelming majority of their time indoors, and too much of that time is spent sitting. The less time you spend outside, the more that anxiety and low-grade stress tend to build. The fix costs nothing: spend time outside, regularly. Even brief exposure…
We all get into our comfort zone from time to time and just sort of coast on life. There’s no ripples, no changes, and after a while, it can become pretty boring. That’s where breaking out of your comfort zone can be so liberating. Have you ever tried something way out of your self-perception, something…
Are you so successful that you can afford to lose good, long-term customers? Most of us want to retain customers and continue to provide value for them. But inflexible policies and procedures can cost you business. Let me share a story. I recently moved from Florida to California. I notified my banks, the IRS, my…
5 Energy Drains That Are Sapping Your Vitality All of us are subject to various energy drains from time to time. Review the list below to determine which areas are sapping your vitality and positive outlook. The good news is you can change your behavior and your actions to support yourself and your energy. This…