Think about your family, organizations you volunteer with, the company you work for. How would you rate communication in each of these groups? Do the members of each of these groups communicate effectively with each other, or is something lacking? We learn to communicate from a very early age, learning to listen and speak as an infant and later on learning to read and write. However, even though we learn to communicate very early in our lives, many people have difficulty communicating effectively. As an HR professional, one of the complaints I hear most often from employees and leadership within
This past weekend the pastor from my former church in Virginia stepped down from his position due to health issues. As I watched the Indoctrination Ceremony to install the new pastor online, I was overwhelmed by my pastor’s grace and gratitude. I was inspired by his authenticity regarding his circumstances. As he spoke of his need to step down, he also spoke of his calling to step up into a supporting role for the new pastor, someone that has been a part of the church and supported him for many years. He spoke of saying “no”, so that he could
A recent conversation with my eight-year old son made me realize just how early in life we begin to compare ourselves to others and try to adjust who we are to fit in with those around us. As we continue to explore authenticity, and specifically being true to yourself and not comparing yourself to others, I am reminded of this quote. Our journeys are each unique, the paths we take are ours alone. For a great article about one man’s journey to being authentically happy and his three principles for accepting yourself, read Paul Dalton’s story.
My great-grandmother taught me the art of gratitude. She lived a very hard life, but through it all she was grateful. She always found the positive in everything and helped others see the positive in their lives as well. As we explore how to be authentic, I find myself thinking of her and what she taught me a lot. This quote from best-selling author Sarah Ban Breathnach is the perfect illustration of what effect gratitude can have on you. “You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance
One of my favorite active listening quotes comes from Stephen Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, is: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” The art of active listening isn’t easy, but it’s important. Last night my husband came home from work and walked through the door with that look on his face. The one that leaves no question about what kind of day he had and makes me wonder if I should even brave asking. I took a deep breath and dove in. He