A client called me recently to express concern about disruptive requests the CEO of a company she provides services to was making. He was regularly calling her with demands after business hours, and continually changing the requirements for his projects at the last minute.
Friendship is indeed a gift, and a priceless one at that. I often wonder, though, if the fast pace of modern life is jeopardising friendship. There seem to be many people with little time for those closest to them, and friendship can often be perceived as either a time-consuming luxury that yields little tangible result, or a demanding burden.
When I arrived in the Czech Republic sixteen years ago, the question I most often heard was, "How can I manage the Czechs?” For many years afterwards, this issue remained one of the most pressing challenges for expatriate managers.
The beginning of the year is usually a time when people make firm resolutions in the hope of bringing about effective change in their lives.
While the celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays, for me it is also a chance to celebrate my birthday, as I was born on New Year’s Eve.
As the 5th signs in the Chinese Horoscope, the Dragon signifies luck and he is seen as a powerful almighty king.
The holidays are a time for celebration and happiness; a time to be with family and friends...
Way back in 1955, the monthly magazine Good Housekeeping published a no-nonsense article called a "Good Wife’s Guide". It was a different time for women, and gender-based codes of conduct were far more rigid.
When you learn to speak a foreign language, you don’t necessarily end up always speaking the same language as a native speaker. Not until you have had years of practice.
When I read these comments on foreign policy from the former U.S. Secretary of State, I can't help but think how applicable her statement is to so many situations in our lives.
Several years ago, during one of my early workshops with a group of Czech managers, I was told that I smiled like an American.
David had been on the phone for 20mns waiting for the airline operator to tell him the status of his afternoon flight reservation. Impatient and nervous, he lost his usual control when the lady told him that she couldn’t find it.
Life transitions are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar, and face the future with a feeling of vulnerability. While transitions are as natural as the changing seasons, how many of us really understand the process and know how to make the best of it?
Coming back from his annual management retreat, where one of the participants explained how he incorporated coaching into his management practice and shared the results, a manager - let’s call him Karel - was determined to see how he also could implement coaching in his supervisory role.
Watching the recent Paris International marathon a reminded me of one of the greatest feats in sports history; the first time an athlete ran a mile under four minutes.
People do business with people they know, and like. I believe that those of you who have been going out on a regular basis can vouch for the wonderful opportunities the Prague social scene offers.