Words of Wisdom – Page 11

The Benefits of Being Adaptable

I often consider how adaptable we are as human beings. I remember that last time our power went out and the temperature outside was 11 degrees. Fortunately, we had a wood stove that kept the temperature in parts of the house at about 60 degrees, and because we had solar ...

The Value and Practice of Self-Compassion

This post sprouted from an article I read recently entitled, “Go Easy on Yourself, a New Wave of Research Urges,” by Tara Parker-Pope. She opens the article with the question, “Do you treat yourself as well as you treat your friends and family?” She goes to say how research ...

Remembering What’s Important

This post is about remembering what’s important. Last week I found myself embroiled in an internal struggle that was all too familiar: worrying about what others think of me. I know there’s no way I can control what others think of me. Goodness knows I can barely control my ...

The Transformational Aspects of Design Thinking

I wrote this post after reading an article in the Harvard Business Review titled “Design Thinking” by Tim Brown, CEO and president of IDEO, an innovation and design firm in Palo Alto, Calif. It’s as relevant today as it was then. Here’s how the article starts: “Thomas Edison created the ...

The Importance of Civility

This post about civility is the first of two I’ve written on this subject. In my career, I often had to travel to Vancouver B.C. to visit some clients. I was always struck by the friendliness of the Canadians and how helpful they were, especially to travelers. From the fellow ...

The Importance of Civility and Modesty in Leadership

This post represents the second part of what I wanted to share about the subject of civility. The following comes from John Limb, who was the publisher for many years at Oregon Catholic Press (OCP) in Portland. After reading an editorial written by David Brooks in our local newspaper, John ...

Find Your Favorite Poem

Johann Goethe, the great writer, statesman and scientist, said, “A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry and see a fine picture every day of his life in order that worldly cares do not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human ...

Stop Telling Stories That Are No Longer True

This post is about the stories we tell ourselves and others. I recently had an experience of my own storytelling that illustrates the theme of this post. I clearly remembers a few years ago when my husband and I embarked on a 2 1/2 mile hike in the Columbia ...

The Importance of Ceremony and Celebration

One of the important aspects of managing a team is to encourage the celebration of wins, either large or small. We often get so caught up in all the work it takes to achieve our goals, that we forget to stop and celebrate once we’ve achieved those goals. This is ...

How To Build Trust

Last week, a client of mine sent me the following sentiment: “You would be a good person to be with in a foxhole.” I think this is one of the best compliments I’ve ever received. It means much to me to be seen as reliable and trustworthy, and these ...

The Benefits of Giving Back

I recall many years ago that Portland lost one of its leading citizens: Harold Schnitzer. This man, along with his wife Arlene, impacted this city in so many positive ways that I couldn’t possibly list them all. They have funded the arts, our medical community and our schools. They have ...

Choosing Optimism

This post comes directly from a wonderful blog called “Tiny Wisdom,” http://tinybuddha.com/quotes/tiny-wisdom-on-choosing-optimism. Many thanks to my friend, Patty Mitchell, for the introduction. Here’s a recent post from the site, which begins with the following quote: “I am a pessimist because of intelligence but an optimist because of will.” — ...

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