Shows
My Circus, My MonkeysWhat We Wish We'd Known About SupervisingIn 2017, Alicia and I founded Strengths University to help supervisors feel more confident, empowered, and less stressed. Alicia joins me on today's episode to talk about what we wish we would have known about supervising before we started Strengths University and really researching how to be an effective supervisor. Please enjoy this replay of episode 111 while the host, Anne Brackett, recovers from a recent car accident. Even if you've heard it before, it's a great time to think about how you might want to upgrade how you supervise your team for the upcoming year. If yo...
2025-07-2329 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAddressing Complex Trauma in the Workplace: An Interview with Laura Jarvis BrackettFor many of us in Higher Ed, this semester has risen to the level of traumatic. Now we are used to dealing with trauma to a certain extent, but today I want to tackle a new topic for us - complex trauma. And to do this I’ve invited my sister, Laura Jarvis Brackett, a trauma focused therapist, back to discuss what complex trauma is and how it might be impacting you, your team members, and even your students. Now this is a longer episode, but I given the complex nature of the topic and our current political climate, I...
2025-05-281h 00My Circus, My MonkeysHow Can I Develop Younger Leaders & Truly Adjust Our Culture?Have you found it challenging to develop your younger employees into the leaders of tomorrow? In this episode, we answer a question from a listener that begins with, “Dear Anne, I am feeling like it is hard to build up the next cycle of leaders in my department.” And ends with “What types of things can I focus on to truly adjust the culture?” So we discuss not only how to grow leaders, but also how to truly adjust your culture so this process becomes automatic. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader...
2025-04-1623 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow to Create a Trauma Informed WorkplaceIf you're a supervisor, you probably love folks who are team players. You know, the people who over perform, exceed expectations, and give 100% for your students and Institution. I've had folks complain and worry about this new generation of employees because they don't go above and beyond. But did you know that the very attributes we love to see in our employees are also trauma responses? In this episode, I have a guest, Laura Brackett, a Licensed Professional Counselor, who specializes in treating adults healing from trauma. Laura breaks down how trauma often shows up at work and how y...
2024-03-1337 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Truth About Best Friends at WorkYou've heard me talk about employee engagement and Gallup's Engagement Survey the Q12. Well, one of the Q12 is about having a best friend at work. And it can seem like one of the oddest of the Q12. In this episode, Anne and guest, Alicia Wojciuch, celebrate their 15th Friendiversary by discussing this often misunderstood engagement element. Having a Work Best Friend (WBF) can improve you and your team's engagement, productivity, and communication. Learn why it's so important and how you can encourage your team to find their WBF. If you’re listening to this podcast, you tak...
2024-02-0130 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWhat’s the Most Important Thing You Can Do for Yourself and Your Team In August?August in Higher Education is out of control! You probably get stressed just thinking about it. But that's exactly the problem - stress. Stress makes us less productive and effective. That means you and your team are working harder and getting less done. Let's change the August narrative. There's one thing you and your team can do to lower your stress, increase your productivity, and improve your wellbeing. You'll find out what that one thing is in this episode. Register for the 14-Day Self-Care Challenge Here - https://strengthsu.kartra.com/page/selfcarechallenge If you’re li...
2022-07-2720 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow to Make Sure Your New Employees Stay Your Employees: Onboarding 101When you hire new staff members, you want them to become engaged and productive employees, as soon as possible, right? Unfortunately, too many folks leave this up to chance. Yes, you're busy and excited someone else is here to help get things done. But just throwing them into the fire is a surefire way to keep them from being successful, and it might even drive them right back out the door. In this episode, we look at how to properly onboard your new staff members, so they quickly feel like part of your team and start contributing to the...
2022-07-1327 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Great Team Player HoaxAre you a team player? What about the folks on your staff? In Higher Ed, a team player is the person who goes above and beyond their own job to pitch in where necessary to make sure things are working as smoothly as possible, right? They come in early, stay late, and pick up the slack when necessary. The more of those team players you have, the more likely you have a winning team. At least, that's what we tell ourselves. In reality, we're constantly asking our strongest players to stop focusing on their own role so t...
2022-06-2929 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThree Steps to Building a Winning TeamAs we plan and prep for the fall semester, nothing could be more important than building a winning team - one that can best support your students. The Great Resignation has had a serious impact on staff in Higher Education. Whether you've already lost folks or want to make sure your team stays intact, if you don't invest in your team you're not going to have seasoned professionals in place to make sure student engagement and retention stays where you need it. In this episode, we talk about three ways supervisors can build a strong team that will be...
2022-06-1512 minMy Circus, My MonkeysDo You Have Enough Space to Do Your Job Well?If you're like most folks in higher ed these days, you have lots of stuff to do and not a lot of time or resources to do that stuff with. That can lead to overwhelm, stress, and even as hard as you're working - a lack of productivity. When we don't have the space we need to think, pivot, and replenish, we can quickly become overwhelmed and overreact to situations. All of this sends us right into a stress response which further diverts our energy away from the very things that we were trying to get done. In this...
2022-06-0111 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWhat Are You Actually Responsible For?You have a lot on your plate. But how much of it is actually your responsibility? Sure, maybe it is now because you agreed to it, but I mean before when it was first presented to you. In Higher Ed, it's considered being a good team player to take on additional work. The problem is, the more responsibilities you take on, the less energy you have for things that are actually your responsibilities. In the worst cases, those additional responsibilities start encroaching on your values. In this episode, we talk about how volunteering can lead to exhaustion, keep you...
2022-05-1820 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWhere Is Your Energy Going?Energy is your most valuable resource. Unfortunately, most of us spend the day leaking energy in 100 different directions instead of focusing it on the things that matter most. In this episode, we talk about why your energy is so important for your productivity – both on a day-to-day basis and to achieve your goals. Learn how to start better managing your energy, so you can get more done more quickly and still have energy left at the end of the day. Want to take your energy management to the next level? Register for the summer session of the Sup...
2022-05-0413 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow to Plant Seeds for Future Success in Just Two Minutes a DayWrapping up our spring themed April this episode focuses on how you can plant small seeds now that will give you huge benefits later, starting with just two minutes a day. If you think you'd love things to be different but you just don't have the time or energy to invest in professional development, you'll want to listen. We talk about how you can develop new, better habits now - one's that will literally just take a few minutes. Those small changes will compound over time and help you accomplish your goals more effectively. If you're interested i...
2022-04-2709 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow Clean Are Your Systems? | Spring Cleaning Challenge IIIIn our third spring cleaning challenge, we dive into our systems. Whether it's your system for managing your email or a departmental procedure, your systems are the key to your success as a supervisor. The more aligned your systems are with your goals, the less energy you and your team need to expend to get things done. Unfortunately, most of our systems aren't very effective. In this episode, we talk about how to assess and tweak one of your systems, so you and your team can start saving time and energy now. If you’re listening to this...
2022-04-2016 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThrow Out the Stories That Hold You Back | Spring Cleaning ChallengeWe're continuing our focus on spring cleaning this week, but turn our sights on the stories we have that keep us from achieving our goals. In this episode, we talk about where our stories come from, how they impact us, and how we can reprogram our brain by creating new, upgraded stories that are aligned with our goals. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has gre...
2022-04-1318 minMy Circus, My MonkeysToo Much on Your Plate? How About a Spring-Cleaning Challenge?It’s spring. That means time for spring cleaning. In Higher Ed, we love adding things to our plates, but aren’t great at weeding out things that may not be serving us or our students. In this episode, we’ll discuss the benefits of doing some spring cleaning on tasks that probably aren’t the best use of our time and energy. You’ll also get a spring-cleaning challenge that will help you and your team be more effective. Registration is open for the summer Supervisor Strengths Institute! For more information and to register, check out our website...
2022-04-0613 minMy Circus, My MonkeysIs There a Dark Side to Being a Team Player?Have you ever wished one of your staff members would be more of a team player? Have you ever been told you’re a team player? Or maybe you’ve been told you weren’t acting like a team player at some point. If you're a supervisor, you're very familiar with the idea of being a team player. In this episode, we talk about how to distinguish between using the term team player in a way that builds the team vs. one that damages employee engagement, trust, and ultimately team success. If you’re listening to this podcast...
2022-03-3018 minMy Circus, My Monkeys5 Ways to Increase Employee Engagement NowEmployee engagement is just as important as student engagement to student success. Unfortunately, if you're a supervisor you're probably feeling so overwhelmed you don't have the bandwidth to start thinking about employee engagement. What is it? Is it that important? And what do you do to increase it? In this episode, we'll answer all of those questions and give you five ways you can start to increase employee engagement now. Want to know more about employee engagement? Register for our webinar, "Refocusing on Employee Engagement Ensures Team, Student, and Institutional Success" on Monday, March 28 @ 1PM (CST) here...
2022-03-2312 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow to Increase Your Daily Dose of Self-Care in 5 Minutes or LessAre you getting enough daily self care? Or if you don't like that term, are you doing enough on a daily basis to help yourself recharge and recenter? If you're like most folks in higher ed these days, the answer is no. In this episode, we talk about nine ways you can work in more daily self care on a daily basis in five minutes or less, and why it's important that you do. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to...
2022-03-1611 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow Can I Get All of This Done and Still Be a Good Supervisor?I've been fielding some variation of the question, "How Can I Get All of This Done and Still Be a Good Supervisor?" for quite a few people during coaching lately. People are struggling because there's too much work to do, too few people to do it, and they can't keep up this pace for much longer. In this follow up episode from "The Freedom of the Impossible," I go short and sweet about the answer to this question. If you've been struggling as well, listen to this episode. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your...
2022-03-0208 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThree Secrets to Improving Employee RetentionThe last two episodes were focused on helping job searchers be more prepared. So this week we're focusing on the other side of the equation - keeping your people from leaving in the first place. If you're a supervisor, the last thing you want is an unexpected departure, especially if that person is one of your key players. In this episode, you'll find out three secrets to improving employee retention, so you spend your energy keeping your team engaged and serving students, instead of using that energy to find replacements - or in some cases, do that persons work...
2022-02-2319 minMy Circus, My MonkeysApplying for the Right JobsIf you're looking for a new job, it can be tempting to throw a wide net and apply for anything that seems interesting or do-able. But more applications doesn't equal more interviews. When you're looking at job descriptions, don't skim - assess whether it would really be a good fit for you. That means understanding how your talents show up and what they need from a work environment. In this episode, we'll talk about why you should be more selective when applying for jobs, how to screen job descriptions, and why it's so important to customize your resume, cover...
2022-02-0915 minMy Circus, My MonkeysPrepping for Interview SeasonThe spring semester typically offers many job opportunities for folks in higher ed. If you plan on applying for jobs soon, you'll want to listen. Typically we prepare for job hunting by updating our resume, but in this episode we'll talk about a better first step. Resumes focus on what you do. Instead, you need to think about who you are and how you do your job. Every candidate is going to have similar qualifying experiences. What interviewers want to know is if you'll be the best fit for their team and organization. Listen to find out how focus...
2022-02-0216 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThree Reasons Understanding Your Talents MattersYou've heard us - and maybe other folks - talk about why understanding your talents is so important. But it's not like you're a failure. You've gotten pretty far in life, why should you bother with all this self-reflection when you've got plenty of other things to do? In this episode, we talk about three reasons understanding your talents matters. Specifically, we discuss how knowing and reflecting on your talents can increase your productivity, maximize your energy, and improve your relationships. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You wan...
2022-01-2617 minMy Circus, My MonkeysGetting to the Root of Why Your Employees Might Be FailingAs supervisors, we have to deal with performance management. Sometimes our employees simply aren't living up to our expectations. This can be stressful when you're already overwhelmed with just trying to get your own work done. But when you identify an employee that's failing, are you looking at the entire picture? Yes, there are employees who simply don't care or aren't trying. But more often than not, the cause of employee failure isn't actually an individual problem. In this episode, we look at how the systems in place and even how we as supervisors might be contributing to our...
2022-01-1922 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Freedom of the ImpossibleDid you start this semester feeling behind and overwhelmed? The amount of work many of us are asked to do seems out of reach. So what can you do to decrease your stress and improve your wellbeing when you're being asked to do the impossible? In this episode, we'll discuss how changing your belief about your current workload can give you more freedom, make you feel more confident, and improve your wellbeing. You can't do the impossible. The only question is, how do you want to feel about that fact? If you’re listening to this podcast, you...
2022-01-1213 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThree Easy New Year's Resolutions That Will Give You and Your Team Exponential ResultsIt's New Year's Resolution time, but who has the time or energy? You know things need to be different, but you're already exhausted from just trying to keep up. In this episode, we discuss three easy things you can do to get exponential results for you and your team. With as little as two minutes a day, you can start making changes that will lead to a more productive and less stressful 2022. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead you...
2022-01-0516 minMy Circus, My MonkeysInvesting in Yourself for a Better 2022In the final part of our 2021 Wrap Up series, we tie everything together. If you've been struggling to balance your supervisor role with the giant pile of work on your desk, you're not alone. Supervisors aren't given the training or support they need to be successful, but in this episode we talk about how you can invest in yourself and transform from an overwhelmed and stressed supervisor into confident, empowered, authentic leader in 2022. Find out more information about and register for the Supervisor Strengths Institute, here https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/supervisorstrengthsinstitute If you’re listening to th...
2021-12-1918 minMy Circus, My MonkeysBecoming an Authentic LeaderIn part three of our 2021 Wrap Up series, we talk about how you can use your unique talents to transform from an overwhelmed supervisor into a confident, authentic leader. When you focus on your talents and become more aware of how they show up for you, you can see how they help you be more productive and when they're getting in your way. The difference between the two is you maximizing your energy or wasting it. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. Yo...
2021-12-1727 minMy Circus, My MonkeysTransforming Into an Effective SupervisorIn the second part of our series to wrap up 2021, we look at how you can transform into a more effective supervisor by upgrading your systems. In this episode, we talk about how our brains actually work, including the important role our subconscious plays in being a supervisor. When your systems aren't aligned with your goals, you waste you and your team's energy. Learn how to quickly assess the systems you use to supervise your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You...
2021-12-1529 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAn Opportunity to Supervise DifferentlyIf you're tired of feeling tired and overwhelmed, maybe it's time to supervise differently. Most supervisors haven't been given the training and support they need to be successful, so if you're struggling you're not alone. In this episode, we talk about how important it is to get research-backed training on how to effectively supervise to conserve energy. When supervisors don't have the knowledge and skills to effectively manager their team, your energy and that of your team is wasted. Learn a simple way you can start understanding how you're spending your energy each day. If you’re lis...
2021-12-1321 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Best Gift You Can Give Your TeamThe holidays are upon us. Most supervisors try to do a little something to show their team their appreciation for what they've done throughout the year. But one of the best things you can give your team is your own investment in your role as a supervisor. While that may just seem like something for you, by investing in your growth as a supervisor you're actually improving your teams' daily experience. In this episode, we'll talk about why it's such a great gift for your entire team and two great ways to get started. If you’re lis...
2021-12-0116 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAre You Making Your Job More Stressful?Higher Ed is stressful. The amount of work folks expect we do is impossible, but to make matters worse we often unknowingly increase our own stress. In this episode, we're going to talk about how our talents, systems, and stories can create more work for us. We'll also talk about how you can stop yourself from doing it. For more information about the Supervisor Strengths Institute - https://www.strengthsuniversity.org/supervisorstrengthsinstituteIf you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to...
2021-11-1718 minMy Circus, My MonkeysCan You Create an Entire Team of MVPs?In a recent article in Inc.com, "Why Your Most Valuable Employee Is Often the 'Invisible' Employee," caught my attention. It talked about how seemingly unimpressive employees that seemed to fly under the radar solving problems without much fuss were actually valuable because they reduce a supervisor's stress. I was intrigued, but as I read the article I realized there were some important gaps. In this episode, we talk about what you need to do as a supervisor to turn your team into these hidden gems who reduce your stress by working behind the scenes to solve problems and...
2021-11-1017 minMy Circus, My MonkeysOne of the Scariest Things to a Supervisor with (Insert Your Talent Here)It’s October so as we prep for Halloween, we thought we’d explore some of the scariest parts of being a supervisor. Now there are general scary things that impact most supervisors – like downsizing or budget cuts, but the rest of the scariness is really determined by your talent themes. In this episode, we talk about how to identify those things that are most scary for you as a supervisor in terms of your talents and how those things can be huge energy drains if not addressed. We also talk about what you can do to make those things...
2021-10-2020 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWe Didn't Have a Podcast Last Week Because My Strategic Was SadThis is a weekly podcast, but last week it didn't happen. Why? Because my Strategic was upset. In this episode, we talk about what happened to me last week that prevented the podcast and how our talents can be impacted by what's going on around us, including stress and our emotions. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you sta...
2021-10-1318 minMy Circus, My MonkeysGive Yourself Some Grace. You’re Doing the Best You Can.It's a stressful and overwhelming time for supervisors in higher education. Getting frustrated with ourselves because we're not doing things differently just adds to the stress without leading to positive changes. In this episode we discuss how we all need to give ourselves some grace, because we're doing the best we can. We also discuss how to make meaningful change when it's time, that can make our lives better and less stressful in ways that build ourselves up instead of tearing ourselves down. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader ser...
2021-10-0612 minMy Circus, My MonkeysFocusing on Your Favorite StrengthOur talents automatically show up every day - for better or worse. They'll often show up in a way that helps us accomplish our goals, which is a Strength. But sometimes they actually get in our way and are showing up as a weakness. Because our talents are on autopilot, the only way to really know if they're helping your or getting in your way in different scenarios, is to pay attention and reflect on them each day. But thinking about all 5 or 10 of our dominant talents can be overwhelming. Instead, just focus on your favorite talent theme. It's...
2021-09-2916 minMy Circus, My MonkeysDo You Know Your Blind Spots?We've talked about how our talents can show up as strengths or weaknesses in other episodes, but what if we don't know how our talents are showing up. When this happens and it's showing up as a weakness, it's a blind spot. In other words, you keep doing _____ and getting negative results but you don't even know you're doing it. That can cause stress and frustration to you and those around you, wasting time and energy. In this episode, we talk about how to find your blind spots so you can make the changes you need to be more...
2021-09-2218 minMy Circus, My MonkeysA Wholistic Approach to SupervisingWe've talked about quite a few topics in different episodes of this podcast. In this episode, we put things together to show how important it is to take a wholistic approach to your supervisor role. It's far to easy to think of professional development as learning new supervisor skills, but if you don't put that information into the context of who you are, you'll most likely have trouble implementing what you've learned. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead you...
2021-09-1525 minMy Circus, My MonkeysEmbracing the Ideals of Labor DayWe just celebrated Labor Day. Hopefully everyone had an opportunity to rest and recover from the beginning of the semester. If so, you have the Labor Movement's efforts to thank for this long weekend. The Labor Movement worked to support workers so they had a safe environment in which to work and get a fair wage for a fair day's work. These ideals should not be a thing of the past. In this week's episode, we talk a bit about the history of Labor Day and the advances the Labor Movement made to make life better for the one's...
2021-09-0827 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWhat's Your New Academic Year Resolution?Now that all the students are finally on campus, it's easy to fall into our fall semester routine. But before we do that, we need to think about whether everything in that routine is productive. It'd going to be a busy and stressful semester, but what's one thing you can pick to change up your habit or systems to make you a more effective leader. In this episode, we talk about why making some changes is beneficial. We also review two main categories of potential areas for change that might make the biggest impact - managing our energy and...
2021-09-0118 minMy Circus, My MonkeysYay! We Did It! Let's Celebrate!It's almost September. That means we made it through August - trainings, registration, move-in, orientation, and that first week of classes! But before we jump into our fall semester routines, let's take some time to celebrate. In this episode, we review why it's so important to celebrate milestones like this - even when it seems like the work is still stacking up. And don't forget to join us for our free webinar, Keeping Your Team Motivated Throughout the Year, on September 7 @ 12PM (CST). You can register here - http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=yvvbwmabb&oeidk=a0...
2021-08-2511 minMy Circus, My MonkeysFocusing on the 20 PercentIt's still August. You're still busy...probably too busy. In this episode we talk about the Pareto Principle, otherwise known as the 80-20 rule. What's the 80-20 rule? Research has show that typically you get about 80% of your outcome from only 20% of your effort. What does this mean? That huge to do list you have can be trimmed way down and still be extremely effective. It's often our own talents that are adding on extras that cause us more work and stress, but don't necessarily add a huge amount to the end result. When it's August and we have...
2021-08-1817 minMy Circus, My MonkeysBack to School Guided MeditationWell it's August. Sigh. If you have a huge to-do list but not enough time or energy, check out this episode. Taking time out of the chaos to be mindful and replenish your energy is a must if you want to get ready for the fall without sacrificing your well being. In this episode, we'll go through a short, 9 minute, guided meditation that you can easily fit into your schedule to help keep you energized and present. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more eff...
2021-08-1114 minMy Circus, My MonkeysTrain Your Team So They Don't Need YouWe often get career advice that encourages us to become indispensable. This is both exhausting and keeps us from working on the big picture things we need to do as leaders. Instead, train your team well and empower them to solve problems and make decisions without you. Your role becomes focused on training, setting expectations, coaching when necessary, but allowing your team members to grow, develop, and become better professionals. This approach can increase the engagement of your team members and reduce your stress as a supervisor. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your rol...
2021-08-0414 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Supervisor Fall ChecklistIt's almost August, so I'm sure you've got a huge to-do list to make sure the students have a smooth transition and are set up for a successful semester. But have you done the same for your team? In this episode, we're going to go through a checklist to make sure you're setting your team up for a successful semester. The more engaged and productive your team is, the more successful your students will be!Enter the Birthday Giveaway through 7/31... https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/4xBPXSN/mcmmbirthdaygiveawayRegister for the fall Supervisor Strengths Institute by 7/30 t...
2021-07-2828 minMy Circus, My MonkeysStop Trying to Do Everything by Yourself!We're taught to believe that we should be independent and do everything by ourselves. But the opposite is true. One of the five guiding principles of the CliftonStrengths framework is, "We need other people." As supervisors, we often forget this and feel like it's all on our shoulders. In this episode, we go into depth about why asking for help and delegating are actually better uses of your resources. When you look to others to help you expand your views on the world, you become a more effective supervisor. Links for this episode...Enter our b...
2021-07-2120 minMy Circus, My MonkeysLet's Make Annual Reviews Easier and More MeaningfulEvery year around this time, HR emails us reminding us it's time for the old annual reviews. Unfortunately, those reviews seem to just add stress without much benefit for us our our team members. Instead of rushing to get them done - trying to remember everything that happened over the course of a busy year, let's reimagine how we approach the annual review process. In this episode, we'll talk about how to combine the annual review with consistent coaching throughout the year to increase productivity, engagement, and decrease stress for all the involved parties. If you’re lis...
2021-07-1429 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Importance of CelebrationWe're busy. We're stressed. Taking time to celebrate usually doesn't factor in to our priorities. But it should. In this episode, we begin a month of celebration for the birthday of this podcast! We also talk about why celebrating is so important. Celebrating isn't about having a party, it's about being grateful for what we have and how far we've come. It's about being mindful - present in the moment and full of joy and pride for a job well done. Celebration takes us out of our daily autopilot setting and gets us more in tune with our conscious...
2021-07-0820 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAre Your Talents Stressing You Out?We all have talents. When we use them productively, they show up as Strengths. But when we don't use them so productively, they show up as weaknesses. When that happens, it generally means more stress for us. Sometimes we create more work for ourselves. Sometimes we get overly involved in our stories, which causes more stress. Either way, knowing more about how your talents are showing up, allows you to better manage them, AND keep them from adding to your stress. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You wan...
2021-06-3027 minMy Circus, My MonkeysDo You Know the Biggest Problem Supervisor's Have?If you're a supervisor, you've probably encountered your fair share of problems. Maybe problems are all you've recently been spending your energy on. In this episode, we're going to focus on the biggest problem all supervisors face. Once you've identified it, we'll talk about how you can treat that problem like an opportunity, and become an even more effective supervisor. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This pod...
2021-06-2325 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Five Guiding Principles of Using StrengthsIf you use CliftonStrengths - or if you've been wondering what all the fuss is about - definitely listen to this episode. The Strengths framework can be an immensely powerful if you use it the intended way. In this episode, we talk about the five guiding principles of using CliftonStrengths so you get the maximum benefit. It will help you and your team be even more productive, positive, and creative. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to...
2021-06-1618 minMy Circus, My MonkeysSummer Self Care ChallengeFor most of us working in Higher Ed, the summer months are typically less crazy...at least less so than the academic year. Let's take advantage of this "down time" - lol - to invest in our wellbeing and start a new self care habit! In this episode, we'll talk about how to break down your new, desired behavior in a way that works with your brain and turn it into one of your auto-pilot settings. If you have just 2-minutes a day, you can do this challenge. And if you don't think you even have 2-minutes a day...
2021-06-0921 minMy Circus, My MonkeysInside the Supervisor's BrainWhat's really going on in our brains, as we try to sort out how to be a more effective supervisor? It's probably not what you think. We're in a field that focuses on growth and development, but most of us don't even understand how our brain learns and operates. In this short episode, we'll go deep to find out how our conscious and subconscious brain work together to keep us going day to day. Once you understand what's really going on behind the scenes, it will change the way you approach change for you, your team, and your students.
2021-06-0215 minMy Circus, My MonkeysTwo Perspectives on OverwhelmAre you overwhelmed at work? What about your team? From what I've seen, many folks in higher education are - especially supervisors. In this week's episode, I reflect about a period of overwhelm I recently had from two perspectives. When we're overwhelmed, we need to focus on both perspectives in order to move out of overwhelm into productivity and health. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less str...
2021-05-2617 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWithout Well-Being You're Not Supervising WellWell-Being is another buzz word at work. It's important to be well across different areas of your life, like career, social, physical, etc. But how well are we right now - both collectively and as individuals? If you're not well, it impacts how well you supervise. If your team isn't well, it impacts how well they do their job. In this episode, we'll discuss how important it is to put your well-being first, as well as what happens to our productivity when we're not well. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a l...
2021-05-1927 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAre You a Coach or a Boss?The idea of coaching is fairly new in many fields. In this episode, we talk about how being a boss or even a supervisor isn't enough. Employees want coaching. We'll explore what coaching is vs. managing or supervising. We'll talk about the benefits of supervisors getting coach, as well as, coaching their own team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to...
2021-05-1221 minMy Circus, My MonkeysIs Burnout Affecting You and Your Team?We talk about burnout in our profession, but what exactly is it? How does it impact us? And what do we do to prevent it - or come back from it? In this episode, we talk about what burnout actually is, look more closely at whether you're close to burnout - if not already there, and what to do to protect yourself from the effects of burnout. We also talk about how important it is for supervisors to take care of themselves if they want to be effective and really serve their teams and their students. If y...
2021-05-0632 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWhat is Your Authentic Leadership Style?Supervisors are pulled in so many directions it's hard to know where to focus. The most effective leaders invest in their talents. When you understand how your talents show up for you, you'll uncover who you are when you're at your best. In this episode, we’ll talk about how to discover what your Authentic Leadership Style is and how using one to stay focused as a supervisor can benefit you and the people around you.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You...
2021-04-2817 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Key to Reaching Your GoalsWe all have goals. Goals can be helpful. They show us which direction to head. But lots of people have goals they never meet. In order to reach your goals, you need to have effective systems. In this episode, we talk about how your systems impact what you do on a daily basis. We also talk about how to assess your current systems, so you can make the adjustments you need to be more successful. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You wan...
2021-04-2123 minMy Circus, My MonkeysCreating Hope for the FutureIn the last episode of our series on the four basic needs of followers, we'll look at hope's role in you and your team's wellbeing. We'll discuss how hope is connected to engagement and ways you can increase your teams sense of hope. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next...
2021-04-1427 minMy Circus, My MonkeysCreating Stability for Your TeamThe third basic need of followers, is stability. Without a sense of stability, people start to worry about what's going to happen and their brains go to fight or flight. When that happens, productivity and engagement go down. In this episode, we go deeper into the third of the four basic needs of followers. We talk about why it's so important, and ways you can create more stability for your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your tea...
2021-04-0726 minMy Circus, My MonkeysShowing Your Team CompassionIn the third episode in our series on the four basic needs of followers, we discuss Compassion. We go into more depth about why compassion is so important, how it's connected to engagement, and ways to bring more compassion to your role as a supervisor. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for t...
2021-03-3021 minMy Circus, My MonkeysEstablishing Trust with Your TeamLast week, we talked about the four basic needs of followers - trust, compassion, stability, and hope. This week, we're going into more depth on how important trust is and how you can better develop trust between you and your team members. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re ready for the next step...
2021-03-2426 minMy Circus, My MonkeysFocusing on the Needs of Your TeamIn these chaotic times, it's easy for us as supervisors to focus on what we need from our team so we can get all the things we need to do done. But as leaders, we need to make sure we're meeting the needs of our followers. When we don't, productivity, employee engagement, and employee retention suffer. In this episode, we'll talk about the four basic needs of followers and why we need to make meeting those needs a priority. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be...
2021-03-1723 minMy Circus, My MonkeysMy Top 3 Tips for Interviewing Using a Strengths FrameworkIt's interview season in Student Affairs! If you're job hunting, listen to this episode! If you're not job hunting, share this episode with folks you know who are. We'll talk about my top three tips to stand out in an interview by focusing on your talents. We'll also talk about the flip side for each of these tips - the biggest mistakes people make during an interview.If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. An...
2021-03-1021 minMy Circus, My MonkeysMaking Performance Management as Easy as 1, 2, 3Performance management - making sure our team is meeting their objectives - is a crucial part of being a supervisor. Unfortunately, it often seems overwhelming when we think about setting expectations, coaching them, and holding folks accountable. The good news is it doesn't have to be so stressful! In this episode, we'll discuss how you can systemize the performance management piece so it's less stressful for you and your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to...
2021-02-2418 minMy Circus, My MonkeysA Valentine's Gift of Self Care for You and Your TeamHappy Valentine's Week! When we think of Valentine's Day, we usually think of what we can give to others. In this week's episode, I have a gift for you and your team. I created a guided meditation designed to help you recharge and focus on how important it is for you to nurture yourself and your unique gifts, so you can bring your light to the world. There is a brief intro and and wrap up, but the meditation itself is just under eight minutes long, so short enough for you to justify taking time out of your day...
2021-02-1713 minMy Circus, My MonkeysYour Brain on StrengthsYes, this is a throwback to the 80s "brain on drugs" ad, but it's because in this episode we talk about how our talents show up in our brain - physically and metaphorically. Over the course of our lives, our talents have become wired into our brains. We look at how these super highways of information help us get where we want to go - and sometimes where we don't - at lightning speed and what that means to supervisors and their teams. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader ser...
2021-02-1023 minMy Circus, My MonkeysDeconstructing Mediation for Your TeamThe past two weeks we've talked about dealing with conflict on your team. This week we're going to take a closer look at the mediation process. Not every conflict between or among coworkers will need a mediation, but unfortunately sometimes it's necessary. It can seem stressful for all parties involved, but especially you as the supervisor and mediator. Join me as we break down how to prepare, what the actual mediation should look like, and what do do after you're done. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want...
2021-02-0332 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWorkplace Conflict Part II - Managing the DramaIn last week's episode, we focused on what's going on behind the scenes when conflict unfolds. It's not unusual for coworkers to disagree, but when those disagreements aren't resolved in a professional and civil manner it can impact the entire staff. When supervisors ignore these conflicts, it can negatively impact employee productivity and engagement. This week, we talk about the three things supervisors need to be doing to prevent workplace conflict from becoming disruptive drama. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You wan...
2021-01-2729 minMy Circus, My MonkeysWorkplace Conflict Part I: The Root of the ProblemConflict seems to be around us everywhere these days. In this week's episode, we're going to focus on workplace conflict in the first episode of a two part series. Maybe you're personally having issues with someone on your team or on campus. Maybe you're trying to figure out what to do about two teammates who don't seem to get along. We'll talk about what's going on behind the scenes that makes these conflicts so messy. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You wan...
2021-01-2023 minMy Circus, My MonkeysFinding Strength and Peace in the Midst of ChaosOver the past year, we've encountered numerous overwhelming, heartbreaking, and stressful events - including last weeks attack on our nation's Capitol. In this week's episode, we talk about how we need to both make sure we're taking care of ourselves and refocus our talents to make a positive difference amidst the chaos around us. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to...
2021-01-1328 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThree Things to Know to Keep Your NY ResolutionThe new year typically brings thoughts of how you can improve for the upcoming year. This can be in the form of an official New Year's Resolution or just something you decide would be beneficial for you, your team, your students, etc. The problem is surveys say very few people actually achieve their NY resolutions (only around 8%!). In this week's episode, we'll talk about how to approach these changes in a way that works WITH your brain, so you can be part of that 8%! If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a lea...
2021-01-0629 minMy Circus, My MonkeysIntroducing MindfulnessIn several episodes, we've talked about how meditation and mindfulness can help you become less stressed, more productive, and a better supervisor. In this week's episode, we talk more in depth about what meditation and mindfulness is and why it's helpful. I also take you through a guided meditation to help introduce you to the practice. Please Note: Do NOT do the meditation portion of this episode while driving or doing anything that requires your full attention! If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more eff...
2020-12-3021 minMy Circus, My MonkeysStop Wasting Energy!!!We've talked about becoming more aware of how your talents show up and assessing your systems in past episodes. Since we talked about energy last week, this week we're revisiting these ideas in light of our new understanding of how important managing our energy really is. We'll talk about how we're wasting our energy on a daily basis, and what you can do to be a better ward of your most valuable resource!If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to le...
2020-12-1618 minMy Circus, My MonkeysYour Greatest Resource as a SupervisorWhat's a supervisor's greatest resource? Money? Time? Your team? Nope. Your greatest resource is your energy. In this week's episode, we'll talk about why you need to start thinking of yourself in terms of energy if you really want to be more productive. At our core, we are energy, so until we start protecting, managing, and replenishing our energy we can't bring our best to ourselves, our staff, or our students. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your tea...
2020-12-0926 minMy Circus, My MonkeysCoaching 101The new thing is for supervisors to coach their team members, but what even is that? In this weeks episode, we'll talk about why coaching is important, what it looks like, and how setting up a consistent coaching system will make you a more effective supervisor and reduce your stress. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But...
2020-12-0223 minMy Circus, My MonkeysGiving Feedback and Advice to Your TeamYour employees need ongoing feedback and development. It impacts not only their performance, but also their engagement. In this episode, we'll talk about using a strengths lens to give your team members feedback and advice that helps them be successful. We'll also talk about how setting up a system to provide consistent feedback can improve your team's engagement and productivity. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This pod...
2020-11-2528 minMy Circus, My MonkeysThe Assertive NoBeing able to say no is crucial if you're a supervisor. Unfortunately, not many people have the assertiveness skills to do it regularly. When you can't say no, your schedule and energy get eaten up by things that aren't necessarily priorities. In this week's episode, we'll talk about why being able to say no is so important, the three types of yeses that might be getting in your way, and how to start being more comfortable saying no. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be mor...
2020-11-1836 minMy Circus, My MonkeysPutting Things Together to Solve Your ProblemsWe've covered quite a few topics during the podcast so far. In this week's episode we put together what we've learned about talents, stories, skills, and habits to solve problems and achieve objectives. When you assess how each of these things can help you or get in your way to fixing the problem or achieving your goal, you can create an action step that helps you avoid pitfalls and get to where you want to go more effectively. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be mor...
2020-11-1137 minMy Circus, My MonkeysA Supervisor's Most Valuable ResourceWhen we think about everything we need to get finished, we tend to focus on time. How much time do we have and how long will everything take? We think, if we only had more time we could get everything done. But the supervisor's most valuable resource isn't time, it's energy. We worry about managing our budget, time, our team, and other resources, but we rarely think about managing our energy. In this episode, we'll talk about why energy is so important and how you can start becoming a better guardian of our own energy and that of our...
2020-11-0428 minMy Circus, My MonkeysBeing a Better Virtual SupervisorSupervising can be challenging when there's not a pandemic going on. In this episode, we'll talk about how to assess how you're doing supervising under this new virtual reality. Most people aren't even aware they aren't getting the support they need from themselves or their supervisors. We'll talk about how to look at this from the lens of your talents, make the changes you need to improve your wellbeing and your supervising. Then we'll talk about how to do the same with your team, so they have an action plan to get through this chaos with less stress and...
2020-10-2833 minMy Circus, My MonkeysInvesting in Your TalentsWhat's the best way to increase your productivity? Invest in your talents! Step one is to figure out how your talents are showing up for you everyday. Talents don't always act like Strengths. When we're not paying attention, they can be just as likely to show up as weaknesses. Once you know how your talents are really impacting you, you can move onto step two - investing in your talents. Whether it be through new knowledge, skills, or more practice, when you focus on professional development through the eyes of your talents, you can maximize you productivity and lower...
2020-10-2130 minMy Circus, My MonkeysEmployee Engagement 101We know how important student engagement is, but how much do you know about employee engagement. Gallup research estimates 70% of employee engagement is directly impacted by an employee's direct supervisor. In this episode, we'll talk about why employee engagement is just as important as student engagement and the twelve questions you can use to help you build an employee engagement strategy with your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably wan...
2020-10-1436 minMy Circus, My MonkeysAssessing Your SystemsJust like your habits drive your ability to achieve your goals and an individual, our organization's systems and processes impact our ability to reach our institutional goals. We're so busy, that we rarely take the time to assess how well our systems are working. When we encounter a problem - retention, diversity, mental health, etc., we're quick to develop new initiatives to fix it. In this episode, we'll talk about the benefits of taking the time to weed out the ineffective parts of our processes before adding new things to our plates. If you’re listening to this...
2020-10-0734 minMy Circus, My MonkeysUsing Habits to Maximize Yourself, Your Team, and Your StudentsHow often you find yourself wanting to make a change, but it never quite happens? Or how many times have you worked with team members or students to help them improve their performance, but they can't seem to make the changes either? The problem is, we don't understand how our brains work. In this episode, we'll talk about how the conscious and subconscious brains actually impact us everyday. Based on that information, we'll discuss how important it is to focus on habit development instead of motivation to help ourselves, our team, and our students make changes for the better.
2020-09-3036 minMy Circus, My MonkeysManage Your Thoughts, Then Your TeamLast week, I talked about how managing your thoughts is one of the best ways to manage your emotions. In this episode, we talk about ways to cut out unhealthy and unproductive thought loops. We also discuss the importance of silence in creativity and your brain's health. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great information and tips to get you started. But if you’re re...
2020-09-2337 minMy Circus, My MonkeysDemystifying Emotions in the WorkplaceMany people don't believe emotions belong in the workplace. The problem with that is it's one of our most primary functions as human beings. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about emotions. In this episode, we'll discuss what emotions actually are, the purpose they serve, and why they are important for supervisors to understand and manage. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater success. And you probably want less stress. This podcast has great inf...
2020-09-1642 minMy Circus, My MonkeysHow Our Stories Impact Us as Supervisors MEGA EditionWe all have stories and beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. Some of those stories help us be productive, but some serve a huge hurdles for us both as supervisors and just as humans. In this supersized episode, we'll talk about how to identify which stories are getting in your way, where they come from, and how you can start to change them. Rooting out those beliefs reduces our stress, lets us be better supervisors, and improves our lives. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You wan...
2020-09-091h 05My Circus, My MonkeysHolding People AccountableHolding your employees accountable is one of the hardest parts of a supervisors job, but it's also one of the most important. In this episode, we'll talk about why people have such a difficult time with accountability. We'll also talk about how you can develop a system that combines setting expectations, coaching, and the accountability piece together to make the process less stressful on you and your team. If you’re listening to this podcast, you take your role as a leader seriously. You want to be more effective. You want to lead your team to greater suc...
2020-09-0232 min