An entire team or even an entire company can be sick, or chronically fatigued and be running on empty without really being aware of it, because this condition has become a part of their culture. There’s real ROI in taking sick days, or really ‘alternative days’, for a team or organization.
Facing The Crowded Desk
Several months ago my friend Bill Bellet sent me the following comment: Many struggle with typical planning methods because the effort requires sorting through so many ideas & logistics leading to information overload & difficulty achieving a macroscopic/integrated overview that captures everything. At the time I thought to myself, wow that’s silly, isn’t it easy to dive into planning, being long-sighted, rather than short-sighted, rolling up your sleeves and getting…
How To Tell The Right Story
There’s so much conversation now about how to tell the right story and it’s impact on engagement, learning and retention. I say bring it on, I never get tired of hearing conversation about how to tell the right story because I’ve been focused on this since I began writing songs when I was seven years old. I’ve always had an emotional need to tell my own stories but even if you’re not…
PCMA Education Conference
As a supplier, (someone who sells services to event planners), I often view conferences as a sales opportunity with little thought about the educational value of attending. Quite often, I’ll judge my ROI by who I’ve met and what potential I’ve created for additional work. But my recent trip to Montreal for the PCMA Education Conference has changed my view of these trips. Yes, I made great contacts with lots…
Choosing the right words
So many coaches use the expression, doing a 360, when they’re talking about change. I read a great article today, by Dan O’Sullivan, that reminds me how important language is. As a songwriter, I try to stay in deep with word use, pondering the best way to express something and playing with alternatives. In my work as a facilitator, I’ve found that good word choice can greatly accelerate the impact…
My Own Medicine
When I work with groups through my team building program, making suggestions for strategic planning, creating new ideas, and helping to create action plans, change seems easy. At least, easy for me. That’s because I’m guiding and suggesting plans for someone else. It’s so easy for me to drive or fly home from a program feeling self-satisfied, knowing I’ve made a difference for a group needing a catalyst to evolve…
Back To School
Back to school time brings back memories and stirs emotions; a potent mix of summer heat, recent summer adventures and the promise of fall with new beginnings. As I plan to head up to New York soon I’m reminded of the past, and excited about what’s in store for the future. My daughter is beginning college in NYC and I’m getting ready to visit some wonderful clients there who are…
Team Building with Affinion
Do you ever have days like this. It was my goal to write the June newsletter first thing this morning…here it 4:30 pm and I’m just getting started. It does feel like summer, 88 degrees in Nashville and sunny. Maybe that’s the problem! Well, onto the news. We recently worked with The Affinion Group and as usual, I believe I learned as much as our clients. This was really fun. I…
Marathon Team Building
I really meant to write this on Sunday morning, my adrenalin was still flowing as were my emotions. But time does slip by and here it is Tuesday evening. Now the thinking part of my brain has kicked in, yikes! I’m left with the memory of the feeling, but not the feeling itself. When we have an experience that bonds us with a group we long to maintain the wonderful…
Team Building Relevancy
Your team has certain dynamics, some great, some good and some not so good. Don’t forget the personality and productivity of your team mirrors that of the individuals who make up the team. Building a more productive team requires positive, experiential group activities like our program, Team Building Through The Art of Songwriting. The building experience mirrors your daily corporate team activities. During the process of writing a song with…
Lyrics & Laughter: Team Building Fun
LYRICS & LAUGHTER WE CALL IT Team Building Through the Art of Songwriting, but our latest group dubbed this Lyrics And Laughter. An experienced industry audience, PRA Destination Mangement, became our biggest fans. PRA’s National Sales meeting welcomed the Kidbilly Team in Las Vegas on August 8th and our inbox has been overflowing with praise and enthusiasm: You and your group did a tremendous job of getting our group to…