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Word Nerd Wednesday – A LA MODE
Last Friday was Pi Day, so named because the date (3.14) matches the mathematical constant π, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Dork that I am, I had to serve pie for dessert on Pi Day. Deciding whether or not to buy ice cream to go with it got me wondering – … Read more
Drive Business Forward: Why Many Steering Committees Fail (And How to Fix Them)
A friend’s daughter is learning to drive, and to say that it’s been stressful is an understatement. There’s so much implicit, unspoken knowledge and skill that goes into operating a car. After 30+ years of doing it, it’s hard to remember all the things you need to share that a new driver wouldn’t know. When … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – SECOND-HAND STRESS
We all know that second-hand smoke is dangerous. So is second-hand stress. Emotions naturally pass between humans through special cells called mirror neurons. When friends, family, or colleagues are stressed, it rubs off on you whether you want it to or not. Second-hand stress is even worse when the person at the center is an … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – UNDER THE WEATHER
I was out of commission for a few days myself and put up an out-of-office message to let people know. The subject line was “Under the weather.” Apparently my inner word nerd is still there even when I’m sick, so my brain immediately wondered – where did the expression “under the weather” come from? Once … Read more
Set Goals for the Impact You Want to Have, Not the Work You Want to Do
It’s hard to believe, but we are 8 weeks into the new year. Have you finalized your 2025 objectives? If you work in a big company, my guess is no. Enterprises often take until March to finalize their so-called “annual” goals, plans, and projects. I get why it takes so long. Cross-functional teams are big. … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – WINDOW
I’m lucky enough to have a window in my office, but right now all I see are barren tree limbs blowing in the icy wind. Ironically, the word “window” evolved from the Old Norse vindauga which means “wind eye.” Only my eyes are experiencing the wind today, but for most of history I wouldn’t have … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – PERSPECTIVE GETTING
If you’ve seen my keynote on the “Past, Present, and Future of Customer Experience,” you’ve heard me say that “perspective taking” is one of the most critical skills for leaders to build in 2025 and beyond. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, “perspective taking” is what psychologists call seeing the world through someone … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – PRESSURE
We’re 36 days into the new year. How’s everyone feeling? If you answered “under pressure,” you’re not alone. Almost every conversation I’ve had lately seems to revolve around pressure. People are feeling the pressure to do more, decide faster, use less, be better. Some pressure is good; it helps us stay motivated. Too much pressure, … Read more
Word Nerd Wednesday – TRANSFORMATIVE LOAD
Years ago, I read about a woman who decided to try a crazy experiment. She wanted to see if an average person could realistically do everything Oprah Winfrey told her audience to do – on TV, in books, and in magazines – at the same time. She planned to try for a year. It only … Read more
