• Tag Archives ptsd

  • Never Underestimate The Power Of Human Connection

    Posted on by Tim

    The company I work for, Improving Enterprises, sponsors an annual employee retreat. It might be the most anticipated event of the year and this year was not exception.

    It was my first year attending and I didn’t know what to expect. I was not really fired up about going, which is normal for me now, but not prior to 2020. To be honest, I was not happy about flying or spending time in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    It’s probably just me. I’m sure many, if not most, of my colleague REALLY look forward to the trip and the time in Vegas. Me, not so much, and I know why; PTSD.

    The stress of getting to and being in Frank Sinatra’s town was overwhelming. Part of it was the digital billboard on the buildings, part of it was the mass of people, and part of it was the smell of smoke from legalized marijuana being smoked.

    Hotels on the Las Vegas strip
    Taken on a bridge at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

    So what about the human connection?

    Aside from the sensory overload, aside from the deliberate discomfort, I was in Las Vegas for one reason. I was there to connect with people I had been working with virtually for months, reconnect with co-works I had not seen in person (in some cases for a couple of years), and to meet other “Improvers”.

    The experience with fellow Improvers was delightful. My personal, one-on-one conversations energized me. Finally, the weekend room mate paring was perfect as Andrew and I connected within minutes of his walking in the hotel room door.

    For me, hanging out and having fun with “my tribe” made my deliberate discomfort worth it. I’m not saying it was easy, it was easier. I got to recharge when I needed and to work with a minimal schedule.

    In my mind, I overcame myself to make the most of my first, Improving Las Vegas experience.


    📂This entry was posted in Personal 📎and tagged

  • Team “Human” And How Co-workers Can Make You Laugh, Smile, And Be Happy

    Posted on by Tim

    This was originally posted on LinkedIn. Team human, we’re all on it.

    How were you this week with your team at #humans_being?

    To follow up on my post on Monday, I wanted to share my experience this week showing up with my colleagues. I didn’t experience tech issues this time around, which was wonderful!

    Our learning session on teamwork was thoughtful and thought-provoking.  We tested a couple of approaches in the process of creating the learning experience.  IMO, I’m happy with the outcome, but I could improve my timing and sharing.

    For me, using electronic tools is easy.  Mural, PowerPoint, and Teams are not overly challenging to get proficient at using.  They are and have been part of my way of working for a while and are an enabling constraint for me to deliver content and information that is intended to enable learning.

    Not everyone is so fortunate.  Not every electronic tool is built for #accessiblity or #ease_of_use.  I am mindful that while I might make training #look_easy, it is not easy to #create and #facilitate engaging training.  The electronic tools might hinder learning and prevent the experience of #humans_being.

    Here in the United States and Canada, we are heading into a holiday weekend.  I want to challenge you, my followers, and my connections to consider how the fall or spring seasons might be for you and your teams.

    Old Town Dubrovnik, Croatia

    Team human

    Be mindful that we are still moving through stressful times that serve to create PTS.  Be thoughtful about meeting people where they are at in their career journey, both at work and socially.  Take time to be empathetic and compassionate with yourself and with the people around you.

    Enjoy your weekend and please share your stories.  I have two ears, two eyes, and one mouth, so I should be listening and watching twice as much as talking!

    Huge thanks to Janelle, Lisa, Nicole, and the rest of my Improving colleagues for being a part of the learning journey and showing up!


    📂This entry was posted in Teamwork Technology Training 📎and tagged

  • When Technology Fails, Drink Adult Beverage And Have A Few Laughs

    Posted on by Tim

    This was originally posted on LinkedIn. Empathy and humanity are essential to “showing up”.

    “Showing up” can be frustrating and fun.

    On Wednesday evening, I planned on presenting training for my colleagues at work on “teamwork”.  I prepared, sourced the content and slides, set up exercises in Mural, and opened the Teams call 15 minutes before the meeting start.

    Teams would not let me into the meeting that I set up! Strike 1

    My colleague Ali scheduled another Teams meeting and I joined that call.  I was just getting started and after 15 minutes or so of delay when Strike 2 happened.  My computer froze up.  Reboot, nothing, crickets, another 10 or more minutes gone.

    I was finally able to rejoin after the second reboot, but only one screen was working with my WFH setup. I needed two to move between the Teams discussion and Mural to avoid delays.

    St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy

    Empathy and humanity

    Here’s where empathy and just “humans_being” kicked in.

    After a short discussion and out of respect for everyone and the remaining time, we agreed to reschedule the session.  To my amazement and delight Ali, Janelle, Lisa, Nicole, and Patrick stayed online to just talk and connect!

    What I thought was a bit of missed opportunity and wasted time turned into a chance to connect more, laugh more, and share more life.

    It was also the first time I talked about how I navigate life, finding my “new normal” daily, with the challenges around PTS.

    Oh, in case you are wondering, there wasn’t a Strike 3!  I plan to be up-to-bat next week swinging for the fences, “showing up”, all with other “humans_being”!


    📂This entry was posted in Technology 📎and tagged