Karen’s Articles
When Objectives Collide
When I was in graduate school at Johns Hopkins University, I took a course on Facilitation held by the esteemed professor, Roger Karsk. At the end of the semester, Roger offered me a job as a teaching assistant and I sprang at the opportunity. Ever since then I...
Green Eggs and Ham and Vacations
Yesterday I conducted a class. There was a lively discussion about boundaries and respecting the “off” time of colleagues and employees. I said that receiving an email during the weekend was like getting a mental ping when you are trying to watch a movie, mow the...
What’s Going Right May Disappear
In organizations, we tend to focus on what is going wrong instead of what is going right. When we fail to pay attention to what's going well, it can evaporate quickly. -- Karen Snyder For more of Karen's workplace wisdom, check out her book Eating Worms:...
She Gave Me More Than My Wallet
On April 28, 2018, I was driving home from a speaking engagement with the Training Officers Consortium. I spoke on how to resolve conflict in the workplace and then I packed up my bags and started driving. It was pouring; not one of those gentle spring rains, but a...
Commit to a Complaint-Free Day
"Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining." -- Theodore Roosevelt Research shows that habitual complaining affects us mentally, emotionally, and physically. Complaints are negative by nature and expressing that negativity generally...
Do You Know What Eudaimonia Means?
Returning to the office is good for you! In the fall of 2021, I was invited to attend and present at a meeting with a client. I had been working with the employees of this organization for 8 years. We had been through the pandemic together for the preceding 18...
Policies Will Never Hide True Philosophies
I have respected my colleague Joe Mull ever since I met him. I follow his blog and this weekend he alerted his readers to this article from Inc. magazine. It discusses an executive’s email that garnered a wider than expected distribution, and the resulting fallout...
How Do You Handle Hillbillies in the Workplace?
In order to create a respectful and inclusive culture, organizations need to provide regular diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. But once you have had that basic training, how can you mix it up and make it relevant year after year? At Concordia...
Should I Brush My Teeth?
This morning I was thinking, “How can I stand here in this warm and lovely bathroom brushing my teeth while bombs are exploding on the the other side of the Atlantic?” I often watch TV news at night. In the morning, I read the top stories online. At midday I...
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