Hey Babs, “None of it Was Wrong Per Se”
Babs responds with, "this is seriously shouty red flag stuff". Hey Babs, I just got shoulder tapped for an executive position in the organization that I’ve been working in for the past five years. I started as a middle manager of public-facing units and quickly moved...
Updates and New Email
Catching up, smoothing out the business bumps, and making time for something new. I love my work, but I’m not so keen on sending out invoices or using social media or figuring out how my calendar interoperates with, well with whatever it interoperates with. I’ve been...
How We Talk About AI
My grandfather said “pony up” to me a lot when I was a kid. I was one disappointed kid waiting for that pony. Too many of us are still either talking about LLMs, ChatGPT, and hallucinations as the coming of the end of the world or exclaiming “cool” every...
Winter Renewal Coaching Offer
I am offering, just for subscribers, Winter Renewal coaching sessions at a 50% discount. Each 55 minute session is held via Zoom and includes a follow-up homework email. This is my way of celebrating this community of readers and giving back to you good folks who...
December 2025 List
1 Today Was Fun, A Book About Work (Seriously), by Bree Groff (2025) This book is an engaging and easy read that pokes at things that need poking at. And it left me with a bit of unease. I’m all for being more intentional with good vibes, friendliness, and the...
Hey Babs, The Missing Connections
The story that Babs got tired of waiting for, so made it up. Sort of. Hey Babs, We recently worked with a consultancy firm to design and implement a complete overhaul of our organizational structure and service delivery. The changes are transformative and include...
A Bit of Finish Sisu for Your Workday
In short, it is time for a new Nordic trend. Luckily, Finland has just the thing: sisu—a personality trait or philosophy combining inner strength, perseverance and a can-do attitude towards adversity. It comes from a country that has been through plenty. Ruled...
October 2025 List
Whispered messages on the mound, the trashing of psychological safety, Babs being a small fish, and Dostoevsky. 1 Amongst the home runs, 100 mph pitches, wild catches, and all the lovely team player dynamics like hugging, my favourite part of Game 5 of the World...
Language Lessons, Expense Approvals, and Conferences as Treats
The high costs of low integrity. Exchanging Atoms I’m a big fan of meeting in person. There’s something about the exchange of our teeny-tiny atoms that only happens when we are leaning in, breathing the same air, and sharing the rhythm of our heartbeats and brain...
Hey Babs: My Rights and the Team Agreement
Babs responds with wants are not rights and a bucket of dandelion wishes is not an agreement. Hey Babs, I consider myself a seasoned professional with solid emotional intelligence and excellent team skills and I’m feeling more than a little thrown by a situation on...









