Empathy As a Source of Pain

March 16th, 2023 by Kelly Kienzle

The stranger at the gym raises her middle finger at me as I approach the empty treadmill next to hers. What?  Did I just see that right?  Yes, I did, she just did it AGAIN.  Wow.  And then I move on, onto that very treadmill of course.

I (Don’t) Know

September 29th, 2015 by Kelly Kienzle

We always want to know things. We yearn for certainty and assurance. But why? We want to know what will happen, who will say what and how the work will go. We assume that we will be happier and more secure if we can forecast what

What is Not a Manager’s Job…

November 11th, 2014 by Kelly Kienzle

“It is not the manager’s job to prevent risks. It is the manager’s job to make it safe to take them.” Ed Catmull used this maxim to guide Pixar, Inc. through its birth and emergence as one of the most creative and innovative companies of its

Thank You Fridays

November 8th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

Don’t you wish that you could feel just a little calmer?  What is that elusive “thing” that would help you feel more engaged and at peace?  How do you put just a little more joy in your work life? Try “Thank You Fridays.”  “Thank you Fridays”

Feeling You Are Without Options? Let’s Create Some…

March 29th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

Our frustration at work usually comes as a result of feeling we have no options. We hear ourselves and our colleagues say: “This is the only result that will please the client.” “We don’t have the resources to do anything else.” “We simply don’t have any

Surprise!

February 28th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle

When was the last time you were surprised to discover something about a colleague?  What made you feel surprised?  Was the new fact so very unusual for a member of the human race?  Likely not.  Yet it was probably unusual to the image you had constructed