by Sharlyn Lauby on July 30, 2010
Months ago, I wrote a post about taking the high road. Sometimes, it really stinks. I mean really.
I don’t like saying negative stuff about people and companies. And, my guess is most of us don’t (hmmm . . maybe I’m wrong about that). But, sometimes you just want to call out the absolutely idiotic behavior of others. Then your sensibilities set in and you realize it would be majorly uncool so you don’t.
You have to be careful though, not to confuse taking the high road for being a doormat. If people are bad-mouthing you or jerking you around, you need to stick up for yourself. If you don’t, no one else will. And, if people around you are doing things that are unethical, illegal or immoral, then not speaking up isn’t
taking the ‘high road’…it’s tacit approval which can undermine your personal credibility.
The important thing to remember when addressing these matters is, stay with the facts and take individual personalities out of the equation.
It’s also important to remember who you work for and what you do for a living. I’ve seen so many people make snarky remarks and then wonder why people won’t do business with them. Duh – because you made it personal (remember stick to the facts).
But actually, the one I’ve seen more often is people who won’t stick up for themselves or what’s right and wonder why people won’t do business with them. Let’s face it…if you aren’t willing to stand up for what you believe in, why would any company hire you and give you access to their employees, equipment, money, etc. You haven’t demonstrated that you’ll act in the best interest of anyone, much less their company.
Simply put, taking the high road means not lowering yourself to the snippy comments of others. It isn’t about avoiding conflict at all costs. Conflict and disagreement can often bring positive change. Hmmm…I see a post about conflict coming in the near future…
Image courtesy of Peter McDermott
by Sharlyn Lauby on July 27, 2010
If you’re not familiar with the Google culture, one of the things they offer to employees is the opportunity to take “power naps.” There have been some studies that indicate taking a daytime nap can recharge the brain and be very productive for learning.
I’m not sure how many businesses besides Google are going to embrace this concept. I mean, for Pete’s sake, if we can’t get companies to loosen up the dress code, power naps seems pretty far-fetched.
But it does raise some questions about sleep. And the importance of sleep for our well-being.
We currently spend a lot of time talking about our time management, stress management, diet and exercise. What about our sleeping habits? Certainly sleep
factors heavily into our overall health.
The Huffington Post recently reviewed a book by Tony Schwartz called “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working“. The premise of the book? The most important factor in our productivity is our ability to renew our personal energy. In this fast-paced, always-on world we operate in, we have to find time to recharge.
The way we recharge? Sleep.
I haven’t read Tony’s book; it sounds very intriguing. I think sleep is a very personal thing. We all have different requirements. But the conversation about sleep made me realize I need to understand my sleep requirements just like my diet, exercise and work preferences.
- How much sleep do I need to be productive?
- What kind of sleep environment works best for me (i.e. pillows, room temperature, etc.)?
- What happens if I don’t get enough sleep or proper rest?
It’s naïve to think that we can live without sleep or just sleep anywhere and still be productive. We might be able to do that for a day or two. Then the impact of not getting proper rest will catch up with us.
Part of being a good manager and leader is knowing ourselves. Assessing how sleep impacts our personal energy and our working relationships should be a part of that equation.
Image courtesy of dphiffer