CEO, executive wellness coach, and thought leader Naz Beheshti distills the most valuable lessons she learned from her first boss and mentor, Steve Jobs, into a holistic method to live your best life. Presenting the highly effective framework that Beheshti has used with clients for over a decade, this book... read more →
Feb
14
Sep
29
Burnout is a significant public health problem. Just this year, the World Health Organization upgraded its assessment of the threat posed by burnout. The condition, says the WHO, is a “syndrome” involving a range of symptoms related to chronic stress. The WHO statement explicitly ties burnout to the workplace. According to one... read more →
Sep
29
In spite of increased awareness, suicide continues to be a major public health problem in the United States, and around the world. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S., where the rate is higher than at any point since World War II. The majority of suicides... read more →
Sep
29
To everything there is a season. We associate summer with warm weather, vacations, and a more relaxed work schedule. As September begins, we may be mourning the end of summer—but we can also embrace the opportunity that comes with a new season. We can use the approach of autumn to... read more →
Sep
29
Earlier this month, Bloomberg released the results of a survey designed to find the happiest occupations in the United States. The results were surprising and revealing. Firefighters came out on top, scoring a 9 of 10 on the job satisfaction scale. Pediatricians were not far behind. Tied for fourth were communications professors... read more →
Sep
29
In the ten years since Dr. Atul Gawande published The Checklist Manifesto, the use of checklists has proliferated in fields from medicine to investing. Gawande, a surgeon, made a particular focus on the benefits of checklists in hospitals, where they have been credited with saving lives. Charlie Munger, Warren Buffet’s right-hand man,... read more →
Sep
29
Across the board, employee engagement is a top priority for today’s business leaders. American businesses spend hundreds of millions of dollars on employee engagement initiatives each year, but with less than impressive results. What if we are focusing on the wrong thing? What if employee engagement is more of a symptom... read more →
Sep
29
When the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated the Netherlands on Sunday to win the World Cup, a chant broke out amongst the crowd in Lyon, France. “Equal pay! Equal pay!” The sound was described as deafening. It was a striking confluence of sports and politics. While pay equity is at... read more →
Sep
29
Recently I received an email from American Express providing a mid-year summary of my spending. It can be a useful exercise to step back and see longterm patterns and trends we may not be aware of on a day-to-day basis. However, this email spurred me to look at spending differently.... read more →
Sep
29
The optimism of younger workers—both Millennials and Generation Z—is in steep decline. The Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2019 reveals a growing sense of “uneasiness and pessimism” amongst the younger generations, who are desperately searching for “safe havens” and “beacons of trust.” The good news? Millennials and Gen Z show deep loyalty to... read more →
Sep
29
4 Impactful Actions Leaders Can Start Doing Today To Improve Employee Engagement And Company Culture
Leaders either make or break the job for their employees. People typically leave bad managers, not bad companies. It seems obvious: If you want engaged employees, you have to be an engaged leader. You have to engage with your employees. Nevertheless, many leaders engage with employees too infrequently and unconstructively. The millions... read more →
Sep
29
At a time when men need to step up to the challenge of the #MeToo movement, it appears many of them are doing the opposite and standing back. A new survey finds that 60% of male managers say they are uncomfortable participating in regular work activities with women, especially one-on-one like mentoring... read more →
Sep
29
The World Health Organization is finally taking burnout more seriously than ever. Now is the time for business leaders to follow suit. Burnout was included in the previous edition of the WHO’s handbook of diseases, but was described in general terms as a state of exhaustion. The new edition upgrades... read more →
Sep
28
Loneliness kills. It poses a greater threat to health than obesity, and its life-shortening effects are comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Furthermore, it is rampant in today’s workplace. Those are some of the conclusions reached by Vivek H. Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States. Due to the significant... read more →
Sep
28
Gaining a competitive advantage in today’s world is serious business. The problems we face as a society are serious as well. Even the most seasoned business leader can become weighed down with life’s challenges, and we rarely perform at our best when we feel that way. Sometimes we need to... read more →
Sep
28
Resilience is a major weapon in the fight against mental illness. One of the best ways to build resilience is to identify and support those things in our lives that revitalize us. For many people, pets provide significant emotional support and joy. Smart business leaders would do well to be mindful of... read more →
Sep
28
At the risk of stating the obvious: most of us spend a lot of time at work. How we feel about work goes a long way toward determining our mental health. As business leaders, the work experience we create for our employees has a significant influence on their engagement, productivity,... read more →
Sep
28
For all of the progress we as a society have made in bringing mental illness out of the shadows, a stubborn stigma persists. That stigma prevents us from talking openly about mental health issues and prevents those who need help the most from seeking it. The cost to business and... read more →
Sep
28
You have more control over stress than you think. That is the message I would like to leave you with as we conclude Stress Awareness Month. No, we do not always have control over potentially stressful situations. In a fast-moving business world, certain things are out of our hands. Yet we... read more →
Sep
28
Stress is inevitable. We cannot wish or hack it away. However, by being smart—and playful—about stress, we can rob its power over us. We can be proactive instead of reactive. Similar to the skilled practitioner of martial arts like judo (which translates as “gentle way”), we can artfully deflect stress... read more →
Sep
28
Stress is often the byproduct of having a full plate, sometimes an overflowing plate. It is easy to lose sight of the fact that we have much choice about what goes onto our plate. We can choose where to devote our time, energy, and attention. Instead of saying yes to... read more →
Sep
28
When stress inevitably hits us, there are ways to manage it and mitigate its effects. But why wait? Why not be proactive and build up the stress-busting quality of resilience so that, when stress arrives, we are ready for it? Building resilience is like making regular deposits into a rainy... read more →
Sep
28
Let us kick off Stress Awareness Month by looking at the opposite of stress. Certainly, there are times when stress is telling us that something in our lives is straining our capacity—a stressor we need to identify and deal with. However, often times, stress can be a sign that something is missing.... read more →
Sep
28
5 Timely Leadership Lessons From “R.B.G.”: The Oscar-Nominated Documentary About Ruth Bader Ginsberg
“She’s the closest thing to a superhero I know,” women’s rights activist Gloria Steinem says at the start of the film “R.B.G.”. Despite her tiny stature, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has become a larger-than-life-figure in recent years. She has been given a hip-hop moniker—the Notorious R.B.G.—that is featured... read more →
Sep
28
It is tempting to think of happiness as a soft quality, and a largely individual one. In recent years, however, researchers are studying and measuring the collective happiness of organizations and nations. Additionally, they are looking at how happiness relates to productivity and economic growth. International Day of Happiness is... read more →
Sep
28
Economists are debating the possibility of a recession. But could it be that we are already in the middle of a sleep recession? Despite regular reminders of the importance of a good night’s sleep, our collective sleep habits are getting worse. The problem has become so serious that the Centers... read more →
Sep
27
Can women be powerful and likable at the same time? I like to think most people would answer: Yes, of course! However, it seems that as women enter positions of authority and influence, they are held to a different standard of likability. This double standard acts as a glass ceiling... read more →
Sep
27
The work of great humanitarian leaders inspires us. However, it can seem difficult to draw lessons from their lives. We might wonder how, amidst all the challenges we face as busy professionals, we can ever aspire to follow in their footsteps. We can all be agents of change. National Women’s... read more →
Sep
27
If you are ready to raise the bar, hiring an executive coach will help you achieve your goals faster and cultivate lasting positive change in your life. You may need some clarity or are facing specific challenges. Alternatively, perhaps you are doing well but recognize you are not tapping into... read more →
Sep
27
Power struggles and conflict between cofounders always boils down to two missing characteristics—trust and respect. In the hustle and grind of launching a company and making it profitable, it is easy to get lost in the financial and logistical challenges. However, in the end, your success will hinge largely on... read more →
Sep
27
Employees are happy, engaged, and productive when their individual needs and the needs of the organization are in sync. The extrinsic rewards of salary and benefits might be enough to get top talent in the door, but it will not be enough to retain employees or to bring out their... read more →
Sep
27
Employee engagement and wellness are finally taking center stage in the business world. For too long, they have been viewed as the responsibility of the HR department and not an integral part of business strategy. However, it is increasingly clear that unhealthy and unengaged employees are a drag on productivity,... read more →
Sep
27
An executive wellness coach is often misconstrued as a combination of a health and fitness coach who tells you to eat more broccoli and exercise regularly. However, health and fitness is only one small slice of a much larger pie. An executive wellness coach is similar to an executive coach... read more →
Sep
27
An employee wellness program is no longer a luxury but a necessary business strategy to gain a competitive edge on multiple levels. As a corporate wellness consultant and executive wellness coach, I have identified four essential trends that will advance critical measures of success in the following areas: Improved employee... read more →
Sep
27
Diversity and respect for human rights should not be a spectator sport. Yet, recent reporting indicates that is precisely how some men on Wall Street are responding to the #MeToo movement. They are avoiding dinner or one-on-one meetings with female colleagues. One wealth advisor stated that even hiring a woman is “an... read more →
Sep
27
It is that time of year when many of us attend holiday parties and celebrate with colleagues and loved ones while eating and drinking to excess and spending too much money. The Holidays invariably seem to revolve around indulgence—indulgence in food, drink, and shopping. These costly behaviors tend to take a toll... read more →
Sep
27
Every year around this time, some of us approach the turning of the calendar the way Charlie Brown approaches the football in the classic Peanuts cartoon. Even though Lucy has previously fooled him and whisked the ball away at the last moment every time, he is hopeful that this time... read more →
Sep
27
A board of directors provides valuable insight and guidance if you know how to communicate with them effectively. In today’s fast-moving economy, where disruption or surprise can arise at a moment’s notice, business leaders need to be agile and tap into the expertise of their board. This is especially true... read more →
Sep
27
In the last couple of years, Millennials have passed Generation X to become the largest segment of the U.S. labor force. At 56 million strong, the Millennial contingent is only slightly larger than the 53 million Gen Xers in the workforce. Yet discussion around generational conflict in the workplace focuses mostly on... read more →
Aug
07
Gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving. Giving thanks throughout your organization is not only noble—it is smart. Mindful business leaders who are wise and generous enough to make it a year-round practice will be rewarded with healthier and more robust organizations. The benefits of expressing gratitude are well-documented.... read more →
Aug
07
I understand why people talk about work-life balance. However, work-life balance is a weak attempt to help us lead happier and more fulfilling lives. I respect the intentions but disagree with the approach. Framing a discussion of how to lead a fulfilling life regarding work-life balance misses the mark and... read more →
Aug
07
This week’s midterm elections were a refreshing victory for diversity, and for gender diversity in particular. Corporate boardrooms and executive suites suddenly find themselves behind the curve. The striking election results were not just about the triumph of so many women, but also women from such diverse backgrounds. There were... read more →
Aug
07
Articles and keynotes about the importance of empathy and compassion are common in the business world these days. Those qualities are universally acknowledged to be essential in building a winning organizational culture. However, you will never see compassionate leadership in popular lists of the leadership styles one can aspire to.... read more →
Jul
23
When we think about artificial intelligence and human speech we typically think of personal assistants like Siri and Alexa. That technology is still in its infancy. What if the real potential with AI is not to make computers or apps sound more human, but instead, to help humans be more... read more →
Jul
23
Over 70% of employees characterized their relationship with their boss negatively according to a recent Monster poll for National Boss’s Day on Tuesday. Although hardly scientific, the poll is a timely reminder of the power of a boss to make the work experience a good one or a bad one. As an executive... read more →
May
13
When we first feel stress knocking on our door, our instinct might be to run and reach for what we conceive to be the opposite of stress—a carefree zone of comfort and relaxation. Our instinct is a natural impulse. Stress at its worst is a fear-based state, triggering a fight-or-flight... read more →
Feb
26
Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom is a true believer, and like many true believers, he lets his message outrun his evidence. Based on a single study of a Chinese travel agency, he enthusiastically declares working from home a “future-looking technology” with “enormous potential.” Not so fast Bloom’s study comes with serious limitations and... read more →
Feb
26
Mental illness is a stubborn foe. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Advocates must dispel the perception that depression and related conditions are a private concern that belongs in the shadows. Progressive business leaders understand that mental health is a shared concern and that promoting mental health and overall... read more →
Feb
26
Apple CEO and co-founder, Steve Jobs was the most inspiring and inspired individual I have ever met and worked for. Today precisely seven years after his passing his name is still synonymous with visionary, genius, innovator, and icon. He revolutionized the world with ground-breaking innovations with the personal computer, iPod,... read more →
Feb
26
In a business landscape where volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (“VUCA”) is a fact of life, we need to be nimble, flexible and adaptable. We need to be agile. The key to becoming agile is to be self-aware in order to innovate or risk becoming archaic. However, being agile is more than... read more →
Dec
06
A staggering 87% of employees worldwide are not engaged. Employee engagement is sometimes referred to as the holy grail for today’s business leader, and for good reason. According to Gallup, a highly engaged workforce means the difference between a company that outperforms its competitors and one that fails to grow. It... read more →
Dec
06
I often tell my clients that a daily practice of self-reflection strengthens self-awareness and will enable them to make better choices. Leaders who work with me to shape and commit to such a practice are better able to tap into their highest potential for creativity, vitality, and success. Daily self-reflection... read more →
Dec
06
In a wide-ranging interview in 2016, five years after taking over from Steve Jobs, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke candidly about the challenges of running one of the world’s most iconic companies. “It’s sort of a lonely job,” he admitted. Is this evidence that the familiar phrase “It’s lonely at the top”... read more →
Dec
05
LinkedIn has more access than just about anyone to data about a) the skill sets of today’s top talent and b) the skill sets companies are seeking. There is a mismatch between the two that LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner calls a significant skills gap. “Somewhat surprisingly,” Weiner says in an interview with... read more →
Dec
05
If you were an electrician or a carpenter, you would have a toolbox full of the tools you need to do your job. You might have a favorite tool, but that would not stop you from making use of the full array of your other tools. When it comes to... read more →
Dec
05
While a healthy paycheck is certainly of interest to many of us, the most successful employers have come to understand that pay alone does not attract or retain a company’s most desirable and talented employees. There is now greater employee emphasis on whether the organization aligns with their personal values,... read more →
Nov
16
Entrepreneurs seek success at the cost of getting sucked into working 12 to 16-hour days (with the majority of the hours connected to their phone and computers). They find themselves in a daily whirlwind of back-to-back meetings and projects while sacrificing self-care. This is the quickest way to find yourself... read more →
Nov
23
Why science proves you should be giving thanks year-round Thanksgiving is one of the greatest traditions in American culture. A time of year in which we gather around our families and friends and feast on an elaborate home cooked meal until we’re as stuffed as the turkey on the table.... read more →
Aug
31
Leaders recognize the power of meditation to improve business outcomes and quality of life. Ray Dalio, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Ford, and Kobe Bryant are just a few of the many movers and shakers that rely on meditation to relax, focus, and reach their full potential. Their practices areas varied as... read more →