Read. Be inspired. Go love.

Is it really possible to create a way of working based on love not fear? Yes. It’s not only possible. It’s essential. Learn more from this collection of more than 100 posts to inspire and guide you.

 

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Here are some common tags: Leadership Women Teams Compassion Diversity Everywhere I Go Human-centered Kindness Emotions Authenticity Workplace

Make meetings more human: the check-in
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Make meetings more human: the check-in

You’ve seen this happen, probably multiple times each day. A group of people come into a room and sit down around a table just before a meeting. Barely looking at each other, they might mumble a greeting but give their devices their full attention. When the appointed time arrives, they launch in to the agenda items and get to work.

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Everywhere I go: people want to be human.
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Everywhere I go: people want to be human.

We want more from our work than just a paycheck. We want to be valued. We want to contribute. We want healthy relationships with our colleagues. We want to be ourselves. We want to find meaning. It doesn’t seem like too much to ask. But apparently, it’s hard to come by.

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Make meetings more human, please!
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Make meetings more human, please!

We don’t know who they are, what they care about, what they’ve experienced, what they value, what their talents are. We don’t know what they’ve just come from or what they are carrying. We don’t know if they are distracted or worried. But never mind all that. It’s time to be a professional and get to work.

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New movements
Renée Smith Renée Smith

New movements

We make work more human, when we are human and loving. For those of us who are public servants, we make government more human, and we know THAT is sorely needed. You already are doing this. You are already feeling the impact. Keep going. Keep loving. And let me know how it’s going, won’t you?

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The ripple effects of kindness at work
Renée Smith Renée Smith

The ripple effects of kindness at work

In this post, Denise Matayoshi Miño shares how the kindness of her team members during a difficult transition impacted her family and the children they fostered forever.

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I am a public servant
Renée Smith Renée Smith

I am a public servant

Sometimes the truth is that we are thrilled. We are delighted by our work and grateful for the privilege of contributing. We can’t wait to get to work each day. We love the challenges we face, the service we offer, the skills we learn, the way we express ourselves to the world in our work.

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Why do we make the workplace so hard on ourselves?
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Why do we make the workplace so hard on ourselves?

Read the latest business news, research, or blogs, and talk with almost anyone who works, and you’ll hear the same themes: Struggles with disengagement, poor well-being, lack of diversity and inclusion, burnout, conflict, bullying and harassment, unethical behavior, poor performance, challenges to creativity, and lack of problem solving.

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A love story about work: caring for Cindy during cancer
Renée Smith Renée Smith

A love story about work: caring for Cindy during cancer

During these initial days after her diagnosis, Cindy’s leader and team were there for her in all kinds of practical ways. They helped her arrange transportation, fill out paperwork, and apply for FMLA. They helped her navigate it all. And as her situation unfolded, they continued to help.

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When I say the "L" word
Renée Smith Renée Smith

When I say the "L" word

When people ask what I do, I tell them it’s my job to talk about the “L” word at work, to foster cultures that are comfortable with The “L” Word. My work is especially to bring The “L” Word to public service and to help government organizations craft cultures with The “L” Word at their core.

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Covering the basics: what is fear and why is fear important?
Renée Smith Renée Smith

Covering the basics: what is fear and why is fear important?

I’m not a neurologist nor a psychologist; rather, I’m trained as a social scientist. So when it comes to those fields, when I say basic, I mean basic. But over time we will hear from experts who can help deepen our insights. You may have expertise to share too. I look forward to that!

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A workplace that works
Renée Smith Renée Smith

A workplace that works

We go to work each day to earn a living so we can make a life for ourselves and our loved ones. But we don’t sign up to be humiliated, to be ignored, to be betrayed. We sign up for the workforce at 18 or maybe 21 to contribute, to do something we enjoy, or at least don’t mind, to make a difference in some way.

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