Shifting away from the drama a team has come through and resetting energy and perspectives toward a more positive future can be a challenge. Occasionally rehashing war stories to relish the bonds formed under pressure can be instructive if done to inform future actions. However, focusing on these times as a way to hold on to the connections formed can keep you (and those you lead) stuck in the past, failing to move forward.
Here's some simple advice on imbuing those connections with generative energy and repurposing them for the future you're working toward.
Are you a drama addict? Ask yourself whether anything in this video sounds familiar. If so, it may be time to get the monkey off your back. Becoming aware of your habits - especially those that keep you entangled in webs of drama - is a starting point for addressing how you may unknowingly contribute to an unhealthy environment.
There is a path to healing. Moving from conflict to reconciliation requires two main elements, but within each, there is real work to be done. In this video, I delve into what they are and why they are important. The critical takeaway to note is this: acknowledging a problem and how you contributed to it must be accompanied by a meaningful investment in a sustainable solution for a true reconciliation to exist.
What is servant leadership? Aside from it being my favorite approach to leadership, it is the truest form of responsibility to others and is in service of their growth. It builds trust by creating a culture of honesty, transparency, humility, empowerment, and support, and always has a collective goal as the North Star. In this short video learn why it’s so important in organizations today and how to make it a daily practice.
Trust allows us to feel secure and confident in our interactions with one another. It creates a foundation of safety and reliability, making it easier for us to open up, communicate, and collaborate effectively. It’s the key to intimacy and emotional connection, while in professional relationships, it’s essential for teamwork, productivity, and effective problem-solving. So when it’s in need of repair the challenges can be endless. Watch this video to learn the most important steps in the rebuilding process.
Habits form the framework that shapes our lives. We tend not to think about them as they work in the background, guiding our steps, our actions, and affecting outcomes. Take a moment to think about and build the habits that will help you thrive! I (and other notable experts) have compiled a great list to choose from.
Fear is an interesting emotion in that it stems from our own thoughts. However, the effects on our actions and how we go through our daily lives are very real and tangible. Left unchecked, fear can distort our perspectives in life and leave us paralyzed and unable to move forward. Here are two tips that I find helpful in sustaining myself when I’m in the midst of constant instability and trying to manage the fears that creep in.
If there’s one thing this year has demonstrated, it’s that we possess a basic, undeniable need to connect to one another and to gather. With all the options technology has provided for us to meet that need, many of us are feeling more isolated and alone than ever. How can we design activities and establish new rituals that reaffirm our humanity at a time when gathering puts us at risk? I’ve taken inspiration from thinkers young and old to ignite my imagination.
The past 10 years have been quite a journey. I started Heyman Partners with a simple idea that quickly evolved into a fuller representation of who I am, what I want to share, and who I want to partner with and serve. I’ve learned so many important lessons along the way, but here are the top 10 that have helped me grow and have an impact thanks to my clients and collaborators!
*SPOILER ALERT* - #10 is the one we need to remind ourselves of most often.
Being curious and open to learning throughout life – not just when we’re in school - can be exciting, bring immense fulfillment, and serve as a tool for growth, personal and professional development, and deep satisfaction. Now, more than ever, embracing lifelong learning as a mindset and an approach to both life and work is crucial. As we face ongoing uncertainty, our ability to acquire not just information but knowledge will help us navigate uncharted territory.
Technology has facilitated a problematic new reality, where artificial intelligence creates bubbles in which we receive algorithmically curated content. We think we’re in charge, choosing to “like” or follow people and companies, but there is so much more that doesn’t meet the eye! One painful result is that when that bubble is burst by opposing opinions we reflexively dismiss them. If we hope to regain a real sense of connection as a society, we must step on the breaks and assess challenging ideas and voices before “swiping left.”
It can be lonely running your own operation or leading an organization.
"To validate the sacrifices you’re making—and perhaps to distract yourself from the pressure of working solo much of the time—you may up your load, trying to bring every big idea to life. Although many entrepreneurs lose themselves in their work in this way, no one can escape the fact that humans are social animals by nature, and being disconnected from others will eventually impact your health."
Here are a few ways to combat the isolation that many times start to creep in.
There's never just one way to win, but there may be a better way. Here's a great example of how developing deep, mission-driven goals around big vision can get you the results you’re looking for, plus a lot more. The tv station, WSOC in Charlotte, NC, took this approach and was able to create value in their industry, for the station, and in the community they serve.
We’re managing an immense amount of risk these days and it’s causing our stress levels to skyrocket. Even with basic practices of mindfulness and stress management, we’re constantly teetering at our trigger points. This is the time to rethink our risk tolerances and adjust them in ways that expand our ability to move through the world with less friction, and ultimately less stress.
There’s an important day coming right around the corner. As members of a shared society, we have a responsibility to participate in the process of shaping the government that serves us in any way we can. Whether it’s to ensure that we vote in the upcoming election or to help others navigate how to do the same we need to rethink our civic participation.
How do we calm the storms that at times build inside us as a result of the chaos happening in the outside world? In this episode of "Tastemakers w/ Pauline Brown," we discuss the challenges of maintaining a healthy inner balance. I share perspectives, alongside Ranji Nagaswami, a 30-year investment executive, on how important it is to develop practices that help us to stabilize when we feel ourselves spiraling out of control.
Change is an unavoidable fact of life. The past six months are evidence that nothing stays the same, and many times our path forward is unclear. Should that deter us from making the most of the opportunities presented during the process? Absolutely not. Instead of resisting, here's how to get good at change.
The Equal Justice Initiative is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
I am beyond inspired by the words, work, and impact that EJI’s founder, Bryan Stevenson, offers the world and find his approach to be a powerful blend of smart, compassionate and inclusive. This guy gets the most important things done, and supporting the work of the organization is one way for any of us to do a small part in ensuring that it is sustained.
Well Beings is growing a next-gen movement that elevates and unites animal welfare and environmental protection by shining a spotlight on new models and helping to scale the most promising solutions.
My dear friend Wilhelmina Waldman recently became the organization’s first Executive Director, and I’m thrilled that someone with her passion, dedication, and vision will be leading the charge as this wonderful start-up gets serious traction. I just took their pledge. Will you?
We inherited this world from those that came before us. Although it’s not perfect, we sometimes take for granted the work and investment made by individuals who likely never saw the fruits of their labor. Similarly, we’re faced with the ever-present challenge of meeting the current moment, all the while carrying the sacred responsibility of building for those that will come after us. The overarching question, then, that I continue to ask myself, and that I encourage the leader in all of us to pose is: “If not now when? If not me, who?” (Hillel)
Everything we do creates a ripple. And yet, we often wonder if our efforts bring about any difference in the world. While the answer is always yes, the more important question to answer is, "What is that difference?" or better, "What difference do we want to make?" One of the reasons I refer to my coaching as integrative is that I believe strongly that tapping into our whole selves is the best way to bring all of our gifts forward.
In that spirit, here is my story about how I came to understand the difference I wanted to make (for my clients and in the world) and why it's so important that we are intentional about the impact we seek to have.
Joanne Heyman is internationally recognized as a thought leader, innovator and key advisor within the pro-social sector. She is a highly sought-after coach, strategic advisor, lecturer, and facilitator. To engage her as a speaker or contributor to collective discourse, contact her team at info@heymanpartners.com.
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