Life without meaning can be very depressing. Having no purpose behind what you do everyday can make your days grey and foggy like a November morning. But once you discover something you love (or someone , sometimes :) ), all rays of light seem to gather to shine on that new purpose. It puts an engine ...
When NOT getting what you wanted became the next best thing
The way this blog started to exist was from deep unhappiness. In 2009, I had, after long attempts to score a much desired job, received an assignment that to me seemed difficult, unrewarding and so much different than what I was built for. Compensation & Benefits was an area that didn't interest me, that I found ...
The art of letting go
"A young monk was walking on the side of a quiet river, trying to decide where to cross. Suddenly he observed that on the other side was a great Zen master. Convinced that his problem was solved, he shouted to the great master: "Teacher, how can I cross to the other side of the river?" The great ...
Taking the time to read
In a different life, my dream job is to be a librarian. I spent many autumn and winter afternoons in the Bucharest British Council library, near a roof window facing trees and grey skies. While working 3 months in Chicago, one of my favorite places was the Library - the large one with 7 floors, in the ...
Mapping experience
Telling stories is so passe. Mapping is the new way to give back experience. Two insights. 1. Mapping experience is perhaps, the best and easiest way to give back knowledge. Mapping here is used as "translate into a common language" - like step by step algorythms, or "do this - get that" type of schemes. ...
Transitions – internalizing learning
The second week of my transition to a new job has passed, and I find myself with an obvious conclusion. I'm treading on thin ice. Constantly aware of what I say and do, exposing my views ("you don't want to seem unopinionated", my angel on the right shoulder, or Self 1, advises) but careful not to let ...
Story Telling
Companies and buyers don't want to hear a pitch. They want to hear a story. And most often, the most credible story is your own. I've felt really compelled to read and reapply stories that start with "I was where you are now. And then I did x, y, and z, and managed to sell x much, ...
Being a Professional Muse
Yesterday I was talking to a dear client, and she shared with me an experience that made me think about the people we surround ourselves with. But let me share the experience first. Episode 1. Enter "The Expert". We all meet experts in our lives - most of them are quite arrogant people, who consider their ...
How to coach your people (even if you’re not a coach)
One of the biggest shifts I've seen in the people I work with was the ability to move from the "Manager" point of view to the "Coach" point of view. Remember my post on "being a People Manager vs. a People Developer"? Well, this approach lies between the two. If your people perceive that you're shifting ...
The Happiness Map
Some time ago I wrote a post about gratitude. It was inspired by a quick coaching talk I had with a peer student, who was unable to move forward in a creative process. He was frustrated and could move forward. When I asked what about the creative process he was grateful for, his tone changed, ...
3 Best Ideas of 2009
Simple, quick. 3 of the best ideas I came across this year. 1. Buy experiences, not things. Found in Seth Godin's book "What Matters". The idea can be also found in the book I'm reading now - "Affluenza" by Oliver James. In short, today's developed society is focused on consumerism. We end up working our lives away ...
How to Internalize Learning
A friend sends me often inspiring videos or books. He asked me yesterday "But how do you stay with that mindset? How do you keep the inner drive that a good speech or good training gives you?" The simple answer is this. You don't. One of the biggest challenges the training industry faces at the moment is ...
