Category Archives: Articles

Collaboration at Work

What's An Elephant Between Coworkers? By Daniel Robin Have you ever noticed how your perceptions and those of others often don't match? It is said that we all hold "a piece of the elephant" (and the elephant likes it). This is why collaboration is necessary and usually advantageous at work: to gain access to unfamiliar territory and the new resources that live in other people. Indeed, to get Continue Reading ...

Recognizing Talent – key traits for hiring and promoting

"It's not about whether candidates have the right skills, it's [more] about whether they have the potential to learn new ones."    - Claudio Fernández-Aráoz To recruit, promote and keep talent, it turns out that adaptability, capacity to learn, and constructive use of imagination are more important than knowledge.  Einstein was right.  But the master skill of "learning how to learn" can be Continue Reading ...

Imagine a Future Worth Having

"Without vision, the people will perish." - Book of Proverbs "Problem solving becomes the busywork of organizations in which people have forgotten their purpose and vision." - Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline What is vision? Vision describes and makes explicit a desired future. Vision is a tool to help foster an environment of shared meaning where the future scenario is revealed and Continue Reading ...

Vision, Mission and Values

Management Tools for Building a Better Workplace By Daniel Robin Vision and mission-making work can serve you in carrying out your leadership role, unifying your efforts and building alignment and loyalty among employees. However, far more important than having mission and vision statements is having a clear mission and vision! The map is not the territory. This article offers tips for how to Continue Reading ...

Exploring the Inner Frontier, Part 3

What's a Healthy Boundary Between You and a Maniac? -- part 3 of 3 By Daniel Robin Hank says to me "It’ll never work," just two days after his team’s proposal was approved. Shirley says the reason the project is doomed is that nobody ever talks to her. I innocently ask "What can you do about that?" and she snaps "I don’t have time for this!" and walks out of the room. Whoa! How do you Continue Reading ...

Exploring the Inner Frontier, Part 2

Skills to Set and Maintain Healthy Workplace Boundaries -- part 2 of 3 By Daniel Robin Setting healthy boundaries at work can be your saving grace; it can also be a daily testimonial to your courage and skill. Whether you’re the boss who has not enough staff and way too much to do, or you’re a member of that staff, establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries is an invisible and challenging Continue Reading ...

Exploring the Inner Frontier, Part 1

How to Create and Maintain Healthy Workplace Boundaries -- part 1 of 3 By Daniel Robin "So what happened to you? It’s like you’ve gone M.I.A. … missing for weeks…." "My job ate my life," Tom sighed, as the two high-tech workers sipped their half-decaf cappuccinos. Katie asks politely, "May I offer a suggestion? Push back a little. Your life is more important." "Yeah, but I’m actually Continue Reading ...

Building A Better Workplace: Meeting Expectations

By Daniel Robin "I called this meeting to find out what you think of our new company slogan, cialis ‘We’re working for you’, decease " the Vice President proclaims. "When did we come up with that winner?" queries George, a particularly vocal middle manager. "At last week’s management retreat. What do you all think of it?" "Hey, it really works for me!" announces George, with only a hint of Continue Reading ...

Sailing the Seven C’s of Collaborative Business Relationships

By Daniel Robin To some folks, the phrase "business relationships" is effectively an oxymoron. The more pressure to perform, the more likely there’ll be a bump in the road to collaboration that sends things flying out of control. Hopefully the "bump" isn’t the tip of an iceberg, but just a bit of rough water that will soon pass. Collaboration at work isn’t required, it’s just a lot more Continue Reading ...

Why is Not the Question (nor is it the answer)

By Daniel Robin Kevin and Denise have learned how to fight. With comments like "How could you ...?!" and "I hate it when you do that," they share little more than a difference of opinion. If we ask them "why" they are fighting, we will probably hear "because he's being a jerk" or "because she won't listen to reason." That response explains only the cause of the fight, but not its purpose. A more Continue Reading ...

Humor in the Workplace: Compulsion or Choice?

Someday we'll look back on these times and laugh ... so why not start now!? By Daniel Robin Two executives walk into a bar. One says to the other "I've been thinking. If you took over as CEO, I could retire early." The other executive responds, "Sure, dear, but not until after we put the kids to bed." (What? Oh, I get it ... that's like a joke, but not as funny. What matters is that now we've Continue Reading ...

Communication Skills for People Under Pressure

By Daniel Robin "There comes a time ... when we must grab the bull by the tail and face the situation." - W.C. Fields You walk into a meeting with your agenda brandished on your frontal lobes, ready to get the team's unwavering commitment and blast into action. The last time you had an assignment with this group, some joker disagreed, it threw you off, and it took forever to get it done. This time Continue Reading ...