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I recently introduced my son to the Choose Your Own Adventure books, which I loved as a kid. It was thrilling as a reader to decide where the story went. Choose wrong, and you may fall off a cliff. Choose right, and you may save the day.

We recently wrapped up the 5-Day Ideal Life + Work Challenge. About 110 people had joined us. Afterward, we conducted a survey to gather feedback and understand what participants wanted to do next.

As you may guess, with a...

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I was scheduled to lead an Enneagram workshop for a team, but as the time approached, I was feeling anxious and uneasy about it. But why? This would be the third time training this particular team, and I felt comfortable with them. I had already been teaching the Enneagram for several years, so it wasn’t new material. Why was I feeling stressed?

Then it hit me. The last time I was with this team, we had a wonderful workshop. But as I walked to my car to leave,...

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I recently led a Strengths workshop for the leadership team of RIVANNA Medical, a medical device manufacturer and distributor based in Charlottesville, VA. The company was started in 2010 by graduate students at the University of Virginia when they recognized a need in the marketplace. Now the company holds 45 global patents and is on its way to disrupting—and improving—the way ultrasounds are performed.

This workshop was memorable for a couple...

_{Simmons Family Ranch}

Life offers a series of invitations. Some you welcome with open arms. Some are hidden, and it takes a bit to recognize the invitation. And some you resist. But the reason you go from one place to the next in life is that you say yes to the invitations. A person who awakened me to the invitations in my life is my friend Terri Joy.

For example:

• When I resigned from my job of 20 years to work for myself full-time, it became an invitation to live anywhere, prompting a move...

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What are the primary concerns on employees’ minds when it comes to work? A recent study by Mercer US asked 4,000 US-based workers about their topmost needs in the workplace. In addition, the report compares the results of the 2022 list to those on the 2021 list.

The needs vary from year to year, for example:

• covering monthly expenses was #9 in 2021 but topped the list at #1 in 2022
• personal relationships appeared in 2021 but didn’t make the...

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A few weeks ago, a coach asked me critical questions during our session together, and it transformed the way I was thinking. Before I reveal the gilded inquiries, let me explain the backstory. Our family had recently moved to Charlottesville, VA, under the premise that I would work for myself. But after a few months, I became interested in returning to the workforce. I

missed being part of a team, serving a common mission, and...

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Here's a video where you can learn about our Six-Factor Employee Engagement model. It’s the result of five years of field research, learning from experts, and presenting findings to practitioners. We field-tested it, created practices, modified them, and measured results. Now I’m happy to share these ideas with others.

When employees are engaged, they’re so committed to their work and workplace that they’re willing to give...

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About two weeks ago, my computer and online accounts got hacked. It started with an email from Spotify alerting me of suspicious activity. Then one came from Uber, then Amazon, and on it went. I began changing the passwords to my accounts. I logged into my system’s security log, which showed multiple attempts to infiltrate my setup and steal my passwords.

As a result of the cyberattack:

• Fraudulent purchases were charged to my bank account
• My email...

I’ve worked with hundreds of workplace teams around the topic of CliftonStrengths®. If you haven’t heard of CliftonStrengths, it’s a system for bringing out the best in people. The main application is in the workplace, but there are advantages to using it in your personal life as well. Throughout my career, I’ve seen three types of strengths work. Which are you best at?

Introducing Strengths

The first type of work is introducing strengths. Not everyone has heard of...

Employee engagement is the ability to be motivated, dedicated, and emotionally connected to your work and workplace so you give your best, discretionary effort. Engagement doesn't happen by chance - it takes intention and effort. But you can strengthen your workplace.

Here's an infographic on ten ways to engage employees:

Do you like this infographic? You can download the full size version.