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Civility
Etiquette, no matter the situation, is all about being kind, courteous and thoughtful of others. In our busy lives, it’s easy to forget our manners as we focus on getting places and checking items off our endless to-do lists. Trust me, I know. But it’s the little things that really make a difference to others…
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People are messy and complicated, and sometimes they disappoint us. When a friend or family member does something that hurts our feelings, it’s tempting to lash out or express anger. Maybe a friend cancels dinner plans at the last minute for no apparent reason, never returns your texts, or doesn’t invite you to their baby…
Read MoreI recently returned from a delightful Rick Steves tour of Slovenia and Croatia. Our group consisted of 26 people from diverse backgrounds with different values, interests, and opinions, yet we all got along wonderfully. This is particularly remarkable given the many hours we spent together each day—whether riding a bus, standing shoulder to shoulder on…
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I’m a bit behind on my TV series watching so I’m just finishing the third season of the highly acclaimed Apple TV series, Ted Lasso. From the very first show in season one I was hooked. The series is about an American football coach, Ted Lasso, who is recruited to lead AFC Richmond, a fictional…
Read MoreMuch has changed in the business world since the pandemic wreaked havoc in our lives. Remote work has become the norm for office workers; in-person meetings have morphed into often mind-numbing virtual meetings and conversation has been replaced by chaterruptions. Business casual is now business sweats and networking is pretty much non-existent. Some of these…
Read MoreYesterday, when I met with a new CPA to give him our tax documents I noticed that as he approached me he had his right hand in his pocket. While driving to his office, I had thought about whether I would shake his hand or not because of the Covid-19 virus. I was prepared to…
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I’ve been thinking about graciousness lately. A characteristic that I think is so important in our dealings with others – whether it’s coworkers, friends or family. Being gracious was not something I was taught growing up. My dad role modeled some aspects of graciousness but it wasn’t until I became an adult that I started…
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Work relationships, like any relationship, can be difficult. Unlike our friends, we can’t pick our coworkers, and sometimes we simply don’t like the people we have to work with. People can be petty, mean, undermining and challenging. Case in point, a friend of mine shared with me that a coworker of hers criticized her and…
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Tis the season to focus on our gratitude. I always love taking turns at Thanksgiving to share what we are grateful for. While I usually say the same things, it’s a good reminder of all the blessings I have in my life and what really matters.
Read MoreI recently spoke at the Washington Society of Association Executives conference. After my presentation on making meetings more effective, I attended a presentation on kindness by Donna Cameron, author of “A Year of Living Kindly.” She shared some impressive statistics about the return on investment kindness has on an organization.
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