A Life-Changing Question!

I love puzzles. In kindergarten, I was a whiz at jigsaw puzzles. I would complete mine with lightning speed, and with good intention in my heart, move on to finish the puzzles of all the other classmates. Mrs. B, my not so nice teacher (the antithesis of the quintessential kindergarten teacher!) repeatedly chastised me for … Read more

Missing The Water cooler?

Recently, I worked with a client who wanted to build a personal Teams channel for employees. Gasp! As a seasoned Organizational Development professional, the risk of inappropriate use sent me into shock. The client shared they missed the proverbial watercooler vibe they had pre-pandemic and were looking for an alternative to spur personal connections within … Read more

Gossips, Informers, and Other Toxic Waste: A Podcast With Melissa Tipton

From Toxic Tea Room Podcast: What is the difference between spilling the tea and gossip? This podcast focuses on issues centered on toxic work environments from first-hand experiences. Gossip focuses on the salacious, nasty bits of humanity that cause incredible harm. Yet, everyone gossips and everyone has been a target of gossipers, whether you know it or … Read more

Celebrating Authenticity

I am fascinated with the concept of authenticity, and in particular, authentic leadership. To be authentic, we must have a deep understanding of our strengths, our values, and our signature contributions. Authenticity is about self-discovery, accepting yourself for who you are, while also having a growth mindset. It’s about being yourself, with skill. We must … Read more

The Power of Two Words

Two simple words have the power to make people feel they matter, their work matters, their contributions matter, and that they make a difference. These two words can determine if a customer is satisfied or dissatisfied. These two words have the power to make relationships stronger in both our personal lives and our professions. These … Read more

Investing in Your People: A Podcast Interview with Alisa Spector Angelo

How can employers retain people in the face of The Great Resignation job market phenomenon? Compass’s Owner and President, Alisa Spector Angelo, talks with Laurie Barkman from the Succession Stories Podcast about why it’s more important than ever to put your company values into practice to drive retention and foster a healthy and productive work environment. Topics discussed include: LISTEN TO THE … Read more

Seek Moments of Joy in Your Work

When I first read this article, I thought “this will be a great example to use for our upcoming customer service training for our client.” But then it hit me. This article is for all of us. This has been a grueling year and a half and I’d be shocked if you haven’t had moments … Read more

Hybrid Work Model Considerations

This quote from a recent Global CEO Forum sponsored by Fortune sums up my many conversations with our clients. “We are definitely going to be hybrid. We think that is really the wave of the future. It’s not going to be a free for all. It’s going to be a structured, hybrid, workplace where we are going … Read more

Showing Gratitude

Early in my career, I was the director of human resources for a UK-based firm. Our new CEO, who I adored, was a recent implant from England and as expected, was combing through the books for areas to cut expenses. He came upon the line item for the turkey distribution in our manufacturing facility. He suggested we … Read more