Shrinkingthecamel

LATEST ARTICLES ( 354 )

• The Proper Use of Smiley Faces in Business Correspondence

  

  Lately I have taken to using the smiley face in my emails at work. Sparingly, of course. I’m not an idiot. It started a couple of months ago when sending an... Read more

  Posted on 27 June 2011 BUSINESS

• How To Know When You’re Done Paying Your Dues

  

  Charles Scharf, the former head of JP Morgan Chase’s largest division, recently left his post in a major management shake up within one of the financial... Read more

  Posted on 22 June 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER, SPIRITUALITY

• Stop Trying To Impress Everyone, And Just Be Yourself

  

  A few weeks ago a fellow executive and I were discussing a recently promoted manager’s leadership style. He described him like this:“It seems like Joe is more... Read more

  Posted on 17 June 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• The Hard Work of Standing Still

  

  I recently consulted with a colleague regarding the direction of a new business venture. My company had accumulated some cash, and I was hot for an... Read more

  Posted on 14 June 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Are You Taking Enough Risks?

  

  I was doing an annual performance review last week with one of the managers, and, well… you know how these things go. We went over his objectives from last year... Read more

  Posted on 09 June 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Really, Is It Possible to Find Both Purpose and Joy In Your Job?

  

  Everyone knows I love a good matrix. As a former/recovering consultant, I am convinced that the secrets of the entire universe can be explained by a chart with... Read more

  Posted on 06 June 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Why is It So Hard To Connect Spiritual Value to Our Work?

  

  Sometimes it seems like God is everywhere, except at work. We behold His glory in the sanctuary. We extol His handiwork in the landscapes, sky and sea. We... Read more

  Posted on 31 May 2011 BUSINESS, RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Where You Go to Church Tells How Much Money You Make

  

  Last week, the New York Times magazine reported on a study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life that looked at the links between economics and... Read more

  Posted on 27 May 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• You Are More Than Just a Job Title

  

  When I was 29 years old I interviewed for a business development position as a step up from my current job. Although it offered more career opportunities, the... Read more

  Posted on 24 May 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER

• Watch Out For Your Burnout Strengths

  

  I always thought that posting about someone else’s blog post was lame and redundant, especially when all you are doing is repeating and summarizing the... Read more

  Posted on 20 May 2011 BUSINESS, CAREER

• You’re Not Being Funny Enough

  

  A couple weeks ago I read an interview in the New York Times with comedian Will Ferrell. The journalist asked him about his move from big screen film to a... Read more

  Posted on 14 May 2011 BUSINESS, LIFE COACH, LIFESTYLE, SPIRITUALITY

• Take Time To Give Back

  

  When I first started this crazy sidebar of writing many moons ago, one of the first pieces that pushed its way through my subconscious haze was an essay that... Read more

  Posted on 10 May 2011 SPIRITUALITY

• Becoming a Spiritually Intentional Leader

  

  As spiritual beings, we are each on a quest to find a greater purpose and meaning in our lives.The journey is never-ending. It’s not like you wake up one day... Read more

  Posted on 26 April 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• (From the Archives) A Mysterious Encounter in Penn Station

  

  Here is a repost for you (again). This is one of my favorite true stories ever. Sorry I am being so lazy on the new material, but I am quite caught up in other... Read more

  Posted on 21 April 2011 DIARIES, SELF EXPRESSION

• Four Ways To Deal With an Intimidating Audience

  

  A friend of mine, Mark, was recently telling me of his harrowing experiences with his Board of Directors each month. I wouldn’t have expected him to be the... Read more

  Posted on 15 April 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Why Guilt-Ridden People Make Better Leaders

  

  Hey, guess what? You don’t have to feel so guilty any more for feeling guilty!  A research study by Francis Flynn from Stanford’s Graduate School of... Read more

  Posted on 08 April 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY

• Your Life is Perfect

  

  My management team got together the other day to review our progress on a major corporate initiative. About a year ago we had laid out a huge, exciting new... Read more

  Posted on 05 April 2011 BUSINESS, RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Bad Boy

  

  Like most healthy adults, I feel guilty sometimes. Not just for the bad things I do, but also for the list of things I could do, or should do but I don’t. Read more

  Posted on 02 April 2011 LIFE COACH, LIFESTYLE, SPIRITUALITY

• Your Company Will Save the World!

  

  Right before I left for my Caribbean cruise earlier this month, I grabbed some magazines piled high on my office desk and stuffed them into my briefcase. Read more

  Posted on 29 March 2011 BUSINESS

• How To Know When You’ve Finally Arrived

  

  I once heard a story about Henry Kissinger falling asleep in the middle of a very important meeting. Everyone noticed, but no one dared say anything because he... Read more

  Posted on 25 March 2011 BUSINESS, SPIRITUALITY