Diane Allen

Be yourself

I love this cartoon because it reminds me that if I try to do things to please people at the expense of who I am, I lose. This is true in a work situation as it is in a personal situation.

The tough stuff of leadership-When things get messy

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.” Peter F. Drucker

Perspective reminds me of a kaleidoscope. A kaleidoscope is: 1: an instrument containing loose bits of colored material (such as glass or plastic) between two flat plates and two plane mirrors so placed those changes of position of the bits of material are reflected in an endless variety of patterns 2: something resembling a kaleidoscope: such asContinue reading “Perspectives”

Reframing Failure

It’s time to re-frame failure. To avoid the word, people have tried to soften it by calling it a setback, major disruption, mistake, error in judgment, etc. Use whatever word you like, it isn’t the word that is the problem, but how you interpret it, or personalize it. The stories below are examples of howContinue reading “Reframing Failure”

Leading with an Attitude of Gratitude

Canadian Thanksgiving is coming this weekend. The word thanksgiving is a great word, because it is a reminder to take some time to be thankful for what we have, and for those who love and appreciate us. It can be tough though, because it is a habit that needs to be developed through practice.

Sometimes you need a cheerleader

Whether you are in the trenches, at the top of the organization, at home, or in the community, sometimes you need a cheerleader. A cheerleader is: An enthusiastic and vocal supporter of someone or something, to encourage you to reach your goal, win a point, lift your spirits when you are feeling down, and supportContinue reading “Sometimes you need a cheerleader”

Seasons of Relationships

I love the above sentiment because it reminds me that we have different seasons in our relationships much the same way as we have seasons in our life. Knowing the season of the relationship may help us understand and cope better when the relationship ends, but it doesn’t necessarily change the way we approach theContinue reading “Seasons of Relationships”

Relationship Capital and Influence

What is it and how does it work? I was listening to an interview, and the term relationship capital came up. It was explained as the opportunities that present themselves in the relationship without ulterior motives attached to the relationship, and,

At the Crossroads

In my last blog I wrote about transitions. I’m still thinking about them and how hard they can be. They are the crossroads in our life. They make us afraid because they represent the unknown.

Seasons of Transition

Why Transitions? Why this topic? This last year was full of transitions for me, and now we are entering a transition season-fall, and the beginning of the school year. We may face one huge transition, smaller ones, or a bombardment of transitions, one after another.