5 Tips For Powerful Team Building & Development
“Whether we're talking about leadership, teamwork, or client service, there is no more powerful attribute than the ability to be genuinely honest about one's weaknesses, mistakes, and needs for help.” - Patrick Lencioni When business leaders ask me what are the...
Why Are Business Leaders So Stressed? Here Are Some Answers
I was recently having lunch with my friend Susan, who also happens to be the director of a nonprofit organization. She was feeling quite stressed (as so many other clients are), as we discussed some of the biggest challenges leaders are facing now as a result of...
Top 3 Tips to Manage Workforce Re-Entry
Well finally, here we are - at a place we’ve anticipated for well over a year. With COVID-19 vaccinations readily available and on the rise, companies are beginning to gather employees together in-person, and resume brick and mortar activity. But as I often tell my...
25 Motivating Quotes: Vacation, Taking A Break & Self Care
While summer isn’t yet officially here, it sure is starting to feel as though it is. I’ve noticed an added excitement in the air, which I’m assuming is a result of hope. Thanks to the COVID-19 vaccine, I sense a new level of hope … people are planning summer vacations...
4 Big Reasons Why People-First Leaders & Organizations Are Winning
When I first entered the corporate workforce in the late ‘80s, I was working as a Management Trainee in a male-dominated industry, and believe me when I tell you it was an only-the-strongest-survive culture. In other words, I lived through a slightly less lethal...
The Power of Offsite Meetings
The last time you attended an offsite meeting, was it amazingly productive and inspirational, or was it, well, an epic fail? Whether you call them retreats, team building events, away days or workshops, offsite meetings can have a powerful impact on employees and...
15 Celebration Quotes for 15 Years of Vida Aventura
I’m a firm believer in celebrating everything, often from the biggest of birthdays to the smallest of weekly or daily “wins.” So it’s no surprise that we’re celebrating Vida Aventura’s 15th Anniversary all month long. That’s why I wanted to share 15 of my favorite...
Let’s Celebrate! A Year in Review & Vida Aventura’s 15th Anniversary
It might seem a little unusual to publish a “year in review” at the end of March, because aren’t those supposed to be reserved for Baby New Year? Not this time, and there are two big reasons for it. First, I wanted to share some of my reflections on the past 12...
Organization Development: Spring 2021 Means Brighter Days Ahead
Can you sense it? We’re just days away from the official start of Spring, and there’s a magnified sense of hope and renewal in the air. The Vida Aventura team is bursting at the seams, ready to get back to anything resembling “normalcy,” although as I’ve discussed...
Post-Pandemic Challenges For A New Corporate Culture
Over the past year, two big challenges my clients have consistently faced are to keep leaders and teams connected, and nurture relationships in the midst of a drastically altered workforce. Thanks to virtual team building events and initiatives, we’ve seen incredibly...
Why Team Building & Collaboration Should Be A 2021 Priority
Just how important is team building and collaboration in 2021? According to results of The Ken Blanchard Companies® 2021 HR/L&D Trends Survey, they’re ranked first in the top five areas of focus specifically for training delivery. The remaining four, in order, are...
Survive or Thrive? The Choice Is Yours
Being a leader comes with many challenges; you wear many hats and multitask throughout the day. When you’re constantly being pulled in different directions, you’re often not performing at your peak; you’re spending your days working reactively putting out fires,...
How to Help Your Team Get the Most Out of Company Events
Typically, most employees dislike attending company events. In addition to being mundane, these events are unpopular with employees because the topics are nowhere close to their preferences. Because of this, employees find other essential activities to attend to...
2021 Team Building, Learning & Leadership Trends During COVID-19
Something I never thought I’d say in the first month of 2021 is that I’ve become somewhat of a virtual training master. Well, maybe not exactly a master, but when the pandemic hit last spring, I joined thousands of others in quickly learning how to transition...
Several Tips to Help You Usher in the New Year
Are you ready to say goodbye to 2020? I would guess your first response to that question might involve a string of choice expletives, perhaps accompanied by some very specific hand gestures, just for emphasis. I wouldn’t blame you. The transition from one year to...
26 Leadership Book, Podcast & Video Recommendations from Vida Aventura
Part of my work with executives, leaders and teams is to encourage continued learning, growth and development. Since this is the time of year when many of us are taking some much-needed time off (hopefully), I wanted to share some of my favorite resources I recommend...
Dear Business Leaders: Say Thank You and Use Your Words
The topic of virtual holiday gatherings is a hot one for my clients. Without the option of in-person celebrations, corporate executives and leaders are coming up with some really creative alternatives, like delivered gifts or meals, online cocktail parties and virtual...
4 Leadership Lessons on Value and Trust
If you lead a team then you know it takes a lot of work to both empower your team members and ensure they feel valued and appreciated. Studies show that businesses with engaged and happy team members are 50% more productive and have 26% higher revenues. So, being able...