Blog – Page 2 – Christine Maassen

05 Nov

Why we should listen to our tummies and how to do it.

Think and be honest with yourself when answering this question: Did you ever end up in a situation that was not good for you after ignoring the warnings signs? Something was telling you to get out, but you still stayed. Your intuition was to hold back, but you went ahead. I refer to the warning signs as “the tummy” because, for many of us, this is where the signs show up. I’ve been in this position several times. Looking back, I can say that there was a strong signal that I should have paid attention to, yet I didn’t....

25 Oct

The toll of emotional exhaustion, a way to move forward, and what I promise you.

Over the past few months, or perhaps few years, our lives have been acutely and increasingly exposed to repugnant discourse, displays of hatred, and escalating violence. These ongoing demonstrations of negativity fuel divisiveness, fear, and all the outcomes that such emotions can bring. An incessant swirl of questions haunts me. When did it become OK for an individual aspiring to lead a country to rely on insults to make a point? How is it possible to think highly of a person who uses lie after lie after lie as a predominant method to sway people? How could a group...

02 Oct

Work we love – How to flee the vortex.

The Collins Dictionary defines a vortex as “a mass of wind or water that spins round so fast that it pulls objects down into its empty center.” The reference to the empty center jumped out at me. I often think of some of my past roles as an incredible force, a vortex that took over my life. It’s a sneaky energy, often fueled by the glorified status of being busy. Oh, the dangers of busyness. When did exhaustion become a status symbol? The whirlwind does keep you busy indeed. It gets power from title chases, the hunt for rewards...

02 Sep

Bringing humanity to work.

By Christine Maassen
In Announcement, Blog, Business, Leadership
0 comment

Hello Brave Ones, My peeps know that I have been thinking about hanging out my shingle for a while. In fact, I was poised a few years ago when I made the decision to accept a role “in house.” Since leaving that position, I have been reflecting on my professional and personal paths to date. They have been paved with incredible opportunities and events. Many were fun, others not so much but they all brought tremendous learning and growth. From one experience to the next an abundance of lessons and “aha” moments have reinforced my passion and admiration for...

26 Aug

How leadership is a paradox and where it starts.

Regardless of what leadership definition you subscribe to—there are so many—chances are it references influence over others. One of my favorite examples is Brené Brown’s definition from Dare to Lead, in which she described a leader as “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential.” In their book The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner defined leadership as “the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations.” Leadership involves others. It calls on the leader to inspire others. This begs the question, how...

30 Jul

The illusory trickery of control

Do you ever get satisfaction from being able to proclaim, “I have things under control”? I know I do. I’ve got this. I have a plan. I have a handle on things, and people, I’m telling you, it’s all good! Over the years, countless books, seminars, workshops, training sessions, and the like illuminated my path to comprehensive to-do lists, time management wisdom, and other ways of controlling my life. I told you, I got this! At least that’s what I thought. Until it became clear to me that control is nothing but an illusion. It tricks us because...

27 Jun

Chaos and stars

Words have an uncanny ability to find you at the perfect time, if you let them. These words from Nietzsche grabbed me recently: “one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” My recent flow of chaos results from having to say final goodbyes to four loved ones in eighteen months: my nephew, one of my brothers, his wife, and my Dad. It has been a lot to navigate and accept, hence the chaos, and inevitably it got me thinking about my life and what I’m doing with it. In the...

12 Sep

Reality check

It is Saturday, August 15. It must be around 2:30 p.m. We are standing in the open at Glen Oakes cemetery, and the sun is very strong. The temperature is close to 30 degrees Celsius. We are hot, and since most of us are wearing black, the heat feels even worse. We are gathered around the casket. It is covered with flowers—beautiful, white flowers. In a few minutes we will have to leave, and the only thing left to do will be to lower the casket. My brother says, “I guess that’s it.” “I guess so,” I say. Everyone...

30 Aug

Rethinking how we select managers

Or, how we create devastating organizational predicaments Over the past few weeks, I fortuitously became involved in three distinct conversations with friends from very different walks of life. Despite not being related or connected whatsoever, these fine individuals have several things in common: Top-notch skills and competencies in their respective professions Eagerness to see the organizations they work for succeed beyond the stated goals Impeccable work ethics and integrity Education and credentials Strong wills and significant track records and achievements on a variety of projects or roles over a long period of time (several years) Great interpersonal...

16 Feb

We need to talk…

Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most

Not that long ago, I was having a conversation with some of my colleagues, and we were sharing our excitement about the talent and skills of new team members—a lot of “sharp cookies” with amazing potential pretty much summarized our feelings! Now, several people had noticed something about one of our sharp cookies. Let’s call him John. John was probably unaware of a gap in his supervisory skills that stood out for all of us. There was consensus that this gap could hinder his performance. This is when I asked, “Who shared this feedback with John?” And then the...