Ideas are free, execution is priceless.

Herding cats is a management term people use to describe the futile attempt to control and organize a class of entities which are inherently uncontrollable. The earliest available reference of this idiom dates back to an article about a software design company from the eighties. The phrase later popped up in the nineties in reference to dealing with writers, and has since become a catchall for managing anyone with a fiercely…

Mold on the walls is unsightly. Black and green spots don’t exactly make for a beautiful home. However, painting over that mold is not a viable solution. Sure, party guests won’t notice over the weekend. But although paint may hide the ugly signs of a mold outbreak cheaply and quickly, it won’t remediate our problem. Even if we buy several cans of that fancy water based fungicidal protective coating,…

It’s one thing to have a burning desire for individuality, but it’s another thing to have an insatiable need for an audience to applaud it. This is perhaps the most egregious emotional mistake we make at work. Unrealistically expecting recognition of our success from others. Because when we build our sense of security and value in finding acceptance and approval externally, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment and…

Companies always seem to want more and more from their employees. Managers continue to ratchet up how much they demand from their team members, while workers get increasingly overwhelmed with unrealistic expectations about their jobs. Bottomless corporate pits. Nothing you do is ever good enough for them, no matter how good you are, no matter much effort and hard work you put in. Have you ever worked in that…

There’s a fascinating distinction called the state versus the trait. Neuroscience research suggests that any regular practice of a mindfulness based activity includes both state and trait changes. The practice temporarily changes the condition of our brain and the corresponding pattern of activity or connectivity, aka, state change. But it also alters our personality following a longer period of practice, aka, trait change. Think about certain habits people practice regularly, like…