Embracing the moments that matter (or what an Irish Ball & imposter syndrome have in common)
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication
There are so many moments in life that can seem small but upon some quiet reflection you realize they have so much in common. Here are 7 of those moments & experiences that I was able to come up with in a very short period of reflection that all have something very special in […]
Tags: alyssa burtt, confidence, facilitation, gratitude, international dance day, marsha shandur, storytelling
What do you do when you realize your kid’s spring break starts today & not in a week as you’ve planned?
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Diversity & culture
Flashback to last week. After a who’s on first type of conversation with a teacher, the air was sucked out of my gut faster than a cheetah chasing it’s prey & all the hairs on my arm stood at attention while I had a slight taste of bile in my mouth. I had just […]
Tags: communication, Conflict resolution, insight, life lenses, perspective
5 lessons from trekking with camels
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Travel
A blast of pungent, loamy, putrid smell wafted by my nose. Next came an odd, indescribable sounds of protest – a whine, guttural groan & deep, back of the throat rumbling wrapped into one. Turning around I saw our beasts of burden for the first time – 3 camels that would accompany us on a trekking safari […]
Tags: collaboration, fit, pacing, perspective, reflection, second look
Two simple ways to get out of marshmallow sticky conflict
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Conflict resolution
How do you illuminate the boxes that are limiting your thinking & unstick stuck thinking? First of all, identify the boxes. If you think you’re a Carrot Life Lens™ … (See A from last week’s post if you need some background info) Pat yourself on the back for your amazing systems & ability to […]
Tags: carrot lens, mountain lens, perspective, point of view
How to identify when frustration is limiting your flexibility
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Conflict resolution
Quick – what the stickiest substance you can think of? Marshmallows that have been roasted over a campfire & are now all over your fingers? Chewing gum that’s annoyingly smeared on your favourite top? Whatever substance you’re thinking of, multiple that by 100 & you’ll have an idea of how stubborn we humans tend […]
Tags: biased thinking, flexibility, stress
How I found options with a fan when faced with cheetah, leopard and lions
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication
The muddy, churning river matched the churning of my stomach. I couldn’t tell if it was because of excitement or fear. I love to take the wheel, be in charge, explore, and seek out adventure. Which is why I found myself needing to cross this river while on safari in Kenya, which is where I […]
Tags: failure to communicate, holly weeks, options, stress, stuck
“I tell it like it is as seen through my narrow view lens.” ~Tom Peters
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Business & organizational development, Communication
We all have lenses that influence what we see as important, what we pay attention to, what we take action on & what we ignore because we sense it’s unfamiliar, awkward, uncomfortable or simply not a priority. In my last post I talked about how a question my then boyfriend asked me led to […]
Tags: carrot lens, mountain lens, perspective, tom peters
From mud to migraines – how marrying my opposite gave birth to Life Lenses™
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication, Conflict resolution
‘Do you get headaches doing that?,’ my boyfriend asked me, genuinely puzzled, while peering over my shoulder. ‘Say what?!,’ I thought, confused as mud, as I continued making my lists, relaxing into the task of sorting through the flotsam & jetsam of our lives & putting it all down in neatly organized lists. (Yes lists, […]
Tags: diversity, ease, life lenses, perspective, productivity
Why Mom’s Time Is Different From Dad’s Time or the Search for Wormholes
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication
Loved this article about how moms & dads see time differently from the Wall Street Journal so much I thought I’d share it with you… Several years ago, while observing a parenting group in Minnesota, I was struck by a confession one of the women made to her peers: She didn’t really care that her […]
Learning from one of the world’s best pickpockets … yes pickpocket
Posted by Lee-Anne Ragan | Filed under Communication
Hailed as the greatest pickpocket in the world, Apollo Robbins studies the quirks of human behavior as he steals your watch. In a hilarious demonstration, Robbins samples the buffet of the TEDGlobal 2013 audience, showing how the flaws in our perception make it possible to swipe a wallet and leave it on its owner’s shoulder […]
Tags: apollo robbins, perception, TED