Photo by Indoled https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha_Changing_Color_Lotus_-_Lighting_Pics.jpgRecently, Adam Grant wrote in the New York Times that “for most people, ‘be yourself’ is actually terrible advice.” I’m surprised that Grant, author of the bestsellers Give and Take and Originals and professor of management and psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, didn’t treat this topic with … Continue reading If You Are Not Yourself, Who Are You?
Blog
The Power of And
About nine months ago, I was sitting in a room at Anna Jaques Adolescent Inpatient Treatment Center visiting with my kid. I had brought their twin to visit, and while they talked I looked around the room. All of the usual family visiting rooms were occupied, so we were in a room where the staff … Continue reading The Power of And
Being Who I Want to Remember Myself as Having Been
Jake and I started the week by talking with our rabbi’s social justice class at a local college about what it’s like to be a transgender sixteen-year-old. I talked about what it’s like to be the mother of a transgender kid. I told the class that one thing I learned from being Jake’s — and his non-binary … Continue reading Being Who I Want to Remember Myself as Having Been
Farewell Facebook
Yet another reaction to Facebook’s latest stunt Ever since I learned that Facebook had used people’s news streams to perform an experiment without seeking participants’ permission, I’ve been angry. Not all the time. Just when I think about Facebook, read about Facebook, or think about the journal that published the research report. That the publication is … Continue reading Farewell Facebook
Myths of Employee Engagement
Photo courtesy of Lou Gold http://www.flickr.com/people/visionshare/ Looking for Answers Anywhere Except the Place You’ll Find Them Harvard Business Review articles are usually thought-provoking, but not the kind of thought-provoking that “Why Good Managers Are So Rare” produced. Ludicrous comes to mind; also dangerous. Randall Beck and James Harter (both of Gallup) argue that employee engagement is … Continue reading Myths of Employee Engagement
The Paradox of Purim Through The Eyes of Kwan Gae
Purim is my least favorite holiday of the Jewish year. When I was a teenager, I managed to recognize the link between Purim and the biblical verse “Now go and strike down Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, … Continue reading The Paradox of Purim Through The Eyes of Kwan Gae
Facebook Post Type
With Tower, there is no limit to what can be achieved. Your imagination will be the only factor that can limit progress. Every conceivable tool will be at your disposal, offering to upgrade your page’s capabilities, and improve the aesthetic quality of its design. In the online world, success is often represented by a high … Continue reading Facebook Post Type
Practice Is What You Do
What you do is practice A thing I’ve come to appreciate about Taekwondo is how studying it helps me with the rest of my life. Awhile ago, I was walking up a flight of stairs. I was thinking about an exercise we do at Taekwondo called “knee up.” The key to a really good Taekwondo kick, … Continue reading Practice Is What You Do
You, Me, You
Earlier last week, the LinkEds & Writers group began discussing a quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw: “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” An early comment questioned the authenticity of the attribution to Shaw. Would Shaw really say “single biggest”? (Were you expecting something else from a … Continue reading You, Me, You
You Are Not A Dog or Hamlet
What My Dog Is Teaching Me About Being Human Taking my dog, Abbie, for a walk can be a challenge. Dogs are creatures of context. And when Abbie’s usual context changes, she becomes anxious. When she is anxious, food doesn’t or can’t interest her, and training becomes nearly impossible. Luring a dog into a behavior with … Continue reading You Are Not A Dog or Hamlet