Apply Two Hat Theory for Better Customer Service
I don’t usually show annoyance in my face, but the flight attendant on a recent flight was so oblivious to how she was treating me, that I couldn’t help myself. It all started on a six-hour flight from Seattle to NYC. Within an hour of taking off, I finished the water in my canteen. I […]
Serving by Example: Why Volunteering Can Change How You Lead
When I worked at Georgian Court University, we had four “floating holidays” where the university was open, and it allowed for staff to stagger time off. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day happened to be one of those days. Except in my position. Each year, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., we would coordinate a […]
Using Slack to Build a Culture of Connection Within Your Team
By now, you probably know that the “quotes board” is a beloved Swift Kick tradition. In fact, we love it so much, we started using the hashtag #SKQuotesBoard to share these quotes with you on social media. Working in a coworking space, however, means that there is no physical master list of these team quotes. […]
Why The Woman in the Window is a Great Company Book Club Read
One of my favorite things that we do at Swift Kick is our monthly book club. At first, I found it annoying because I already read a lot. Adding another book to my list felt overwhelming. But now it is one of my favorite parts of the month. Last month it was my turn to […]
Good Leaders Don’t Waste Downtime – 4 Things to Do in December
In August, we spoke at 28 different events. In September we spoke at 13, and in December we spoke at 0. Some might look at December and think of it as a chance to exhale from the never ending travel and speaking that happened in the Fall. But as the CEO of Swift Kick, I […]
Tips for Personality “Typing” in the Work Place
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been an extremely organized person. My mom has pictures of piles of my shoes, organized by color and type. I placed myself in the center of a circle of perfectly organized shoes, and cried my eyes out when they were put back in boxes because my logic was […]
The Failed Promise of Open Office Spaces
Innocently enough, a co-worker of mine recently asked me about a meal replacement shake I was having for lunch. While I was explaining the finer points of the ingredients, another co-worker overheard our conversation from her desk in our open office space and chimed in. Moments later, another co-worker made a sarcastic comment about my […]
Words of Wisdom from American Military Heroes
Veteran’s Day, originally Armistice Day, started in 1919 to celebrate the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1938, it became an annual national holiday. Today, we observe Veteran’s Day as a way to honor American military heroes who fought for us, and also to remember those who gave their lives for […]
How To Plan a Spooky Themed Retreat
The night before retreat, I panicked and barely slept. The thoughts running through my head were, “did I prep enough?” “Will we get everything done?” “I hope everyone likes the surprises!” “Oh no, I definitely forgot that!” I wanted my first retreat to go so well, that my anxious brain took over. Well….all my panic […]
Stage Manager to Retreat Planner (Part 1)
When you hear the word retreat, what comes to mind? For me, retreat means: bonding, connecting, team building, goal setting, reflection, fun for all, and taking steps forward. Looking at that list of words and planning my first retreat sounded scary. Do I know my team enough to make sure the retreat is fun, helps […]