Wake-up Your Brain
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Deri’s blogs and video posts include emerging information, tools, tips, and strategies for living a positive, mentally-healthy life – at work and beyond!
We Called It a ‘Walkie Talkie’—We Didn’t Know It Was Also a ‘Brain Gain’
My friends, Audrey and Jacqueline, and I started walking over the last few years – especially during the long winter, in-between our southern get-aways. We knew we loved our “Walkie Talkie’s”; the exercise, connection, and camaraderie were always invigorating. What we did not realize is the real brain-boosting power of combining walking and talking; improving…Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I recently returned from The First World Congress on Positive Psychology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.??In keeping with the P theme -?one word encapsulates my experience there: Powerful!? What follows is a summary of a few of my key?take-aways from the Congress. Ed Diener spoke on ?New Findings on Happiness?: there is a difference between wanting and…
Leadership is about Asking, not Telling
A client emailed me last week.?? ?Deri, I can?t stop thinking about what you said in the workshop?about how leaders often talk too much, when they should just be quiet and listen instead.?? During the workshop ?Emotional Intelligence: The Leader?s Advantage? I shared with the group something that Marshall Goldsmith shared with a thousand or…
Abundance or Scarcity?
A colleague sent me an email the other day.? It was a ?thank you? note for my generosity.? This colleague had asked me to speak with one of her contacts who is planning to start a speaking, training and consulting business such as mine.? My colleague was impressed at how freely I shared my experience…
The Positive Psychology of ?Meaning?
I dragged my butt over to the school to set up for Staff Appreciation Week.? ?How come it?s always the same people who volunteer for these things?? I muttered to myself, a bit resentfully.? My children?s school has over 600 students, and yet it appears that it is the same small group of parents?volunteering for…
Happiness, Productivity and The Law of Attraction
I believe that most of us understand that, generally, happier employees are more productive; they achieve better results for themselves and for the organization.? There is a lot of research to support the importance of positive emotions at work.? Much of my work is with leaders in organizations, who certainly understand this connection; and who…
Mentoring Magic
I have delivered workshops and keynote presentations?on the?topic of Mentoring for the last 5 years.? My clients, like any organization today, are realizing that there are tremendous benefits to be derived from having a formalized Mentoring program in place.? Some of the benefits are: addressing gaps in knowledge management/corporate memory, as older workers plan to…
Smile; and the World Smiles WITH You!
I have always been fascinated at this time of year.? People are generally pretty happy as the holiday season approaches; although we are busy, we tent to more often smile at each other and wish each other a ?Merry? this or a ?Happy? that.? Have you noticed that when someone smiles at you, the urge…
How Positive Psychology can Work at Work
Check out Martin Seligman talking about Positive Psychology on Ted.com.? I had the privilege to see Dr. Seligman speak at an Appreciative Inquiry conference last year and I was impressed with his ability to simplify what could otherwise be a complicated subject.? I believe we have enormous opportunities to integrate the results of his research…
Presume Innocence
Presume innocence.? What a nice mantra for life (if not for all, at least for?many parts of life).? This has come up a number of times in my seminars and keynotes of late.? The idea is that when we decide to ?presume innocence? on the part of?others, we are often more flexible, resilient, and effective…


