Celebrating Our Similarities . . . And What Makes Us Unique

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

The Ted Talk, Who Are You, Really? The Puzzle of Personality, appeared in my Twitter feed today. As my work often focuses on personality, and specifically how personality impacts communication, conflict, and career I thought it was worth watching. I was right! In his 15-minute talk, Dr. Brian Little explores some of the commonly known […]... Read More

Who Are “We,” Really? Specialist, Generalist, or Both?

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

In July 2015, Life Strategies was again named as one of Business in Vancouver’s Top Sales and Management Training Firms in BC. We are often on this list and it is always a privilege to receive this recognition. However, it also causes us to pause to consider our corporate identity. Many on our team would […]... Read More

Building a Workplace Culture That Embraces Diversity

Posted on August 2, 2013August 20, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD 1 Comment

I’ve spoken and written about the benefits of diversity for years and on six continents. However, as the adage goes, “we teach what we need to learn” and I’m definitely still learning. This year I’ve had the privilege of co-leading a research team to learn from internationally-trained professionals themselves about the challenges in the foreign […]... Read More

Success flow chart made with white chalk on a blackboard

Leadership During BC’s Business Transformation

Posted on October 28, 2011August 28, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

BC’s career development sector is working its way through one of the biggest transformations in its history. A fundamental shift in service delivery and funding structure will see over 400 employment service agencies replaced with 73 (read more at http://bit.ly/vjaJ5p, starting on page 20). As one might imagine, there is great debate about whether this […]... Read More

Fun in the Workplace

Posted on July 21, 2011August 28, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

Did you know there are more than 2 million results when you Google “fun in the workplace”? Clearly I’m not the only one who believes work should be fun! Some of the sites highlight the importance of laughter (e.g., Did you know that preschoolers laugh 400+ times per day compared to 15 times per day […]... Read More

Keeping the Disconnected Team Connected

Posted on July 18, 2011August 28, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

With today’s flexible work arrangements (e.g., telecommuting, job sharing) and geographically dispersed teams (e.g., satellite offices and multi-national corporations) it is becoming more difficult for employers to build a sense of “we,” maintain a stable and consistent corporate culture, and foster supportive communication and cooperation between team members. Employees who don’t physically work together may […]... Read More

The Synergy of Teams

Posted on June 28, 2011August 28, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

People are constantly asking me how I do all that I do – my response invariably is that “I have a great team!” At its simplest, synergy is defined as “two or more things functioning together to produce a result not independently obtainable.” Research has demonstrated that synergistic teams can out-produce even the most talented […]... Read More

Rain Rain Go Away – Thriving Through Difficult Times

Posted on July 2, 2010August 28, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD 1 Comment

Although the West Coast of Canada is well known for it’s rainy days, by July we’re usually basking in the sun. Unfortunately, we’re currently under siege with April-type showers and it’s beginning to get hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Will the rain ever stop? Will we ever get a […]... Read More

New Beginnings

Posted on April 6, 2010August 29, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD 1 Comment

It’s officially spring…a time of endings and new beginnings. William Bridges introduced a transition model that involves 3 different zones…an ending, a neutral zone, and, finally, a new beginning. This is a good time of year to reflect on what each of those zones holds for you. In Canada, April marks the beginning of a […]... Read More

Celebrating the Holiday Season With Your Work Team

Posted on December 2, 2009September 2, 2014 by Deirdre Pickerell, PhD Leave a comment

Tradition is defined by dictionary.com as “a customary or characteristic method or manner.”[1] At Life Strategies we have several holiday traditions that bring us together as a team. Each year, around December, we get together to go out to an event. In my time working with Life Strategies we have gone to a Pantomime play […]... Read More

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