Tom’s 8 Predictions for 2021
Strategic planning is so much easier when we can make some decently good predictions about what will happen. That’s why 2020 was so difficult to plan because EVERYTHING seemed so unpredictable. Just when an organization would sign off on a plan, something in the world would change, and the plan would be deemed useless. We […]
Nonverbal Cues: Your Silent Partner in Engagement
Imagine you’re checking out a new apartment. While getting a tour of the place from the current renter, who would be your roommate, he starts acting odd. I mean, really odd. He walks rapidly around the apartment. He holds his water glass high above his head. Next thing you know, he is shuffling backwards on […]
Is Your Team a Bunch of Dumb Rats?
While preparing for an upcoming program with a group of campus leaders, I asked the Director of Orientation if anything in particular stood out about her group of students. She replied, “I don’t know what it is about this year, or this group, but they just aren’t into it. They seem low energy, low passion, […]
What Each Level of Engagement Needs in Your Community
In 1943, American psychologist Abraham Maslow published an article in Psychological Review titled, “A Theory of Human Motivation.” Maslow proposed that humans have five levels of needs that build in sequential order. The needs are (in order), physiological, safety, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization. For a human to care about self-actualization, the other four needs are […]
Everyone Plays a Role in Engagement: Finding Community Leaders
“You have to meet Ms. Peaches! Everyone loves her. She takes time to talk with each one of us to really understand the challenges we’re facing. When I talk with her, I can tell she really cares about our success. She goes out of her way to help anyone who needs it.” When I first […]
Identifying Trending Leaders and Laying Tracks for Motivated Trains
While walking around Central Park in NYC, I watched a little league softball game on the field next to me. Surrounding the field was a collection of parents multitasking between the game, their phones, and watching their younger kids. One parent in particular was having a hard time keeping her little one under control. Her […]
8 Universal Factors of Employee Engagement
Engagement is a tricky thing to measure because there are many factors that can play into an employee’s overall engagement. Each company will want to measure engagement in its own way, based on the company values and culture. Apple will care about different things than Facebook. It’s important for leaders to understand the key factors […]
Until everyone feels welcomed, connected, and engaged…
Building a Culture of Connection within a team/organization/community means that everyone within that community feels welcomed, connected, and engaged. The benefits of this type of culture are overwhelmingly positive: – Neighborhood crime goes down – Employee retention/productivity goes up – Individuals experience better physical health The research goes on and on about the value of […]
3 Wild Strategies I Used To Nail My TEDx Talk
Two years ago, I had the joyful experience of speaking at UCLA for their TEDx event. The talk only lasted 12 minutes, but the time I put in behind the scenes was immeasurable. I practiced a lot for my talk, and that is coming from someone who has 15 years of professional speaking experience. Since […]
How to Reclaim the 15% of Energy You Lose on Camera as a Moderator
You know how they say people look 15 lbs (7 kg) heavier on camera? Well, the same is true for your energy on camera, but in the opposite way. You will be perceived as having 15% less energy when on camera than when in person. This is due to the physical distance and the two […]