What if we lightened up a little bit?

I was trying to decide how I would approach a speaking engagement in which most attendees were going to be suspicious of anyone wearing a mask. For me, there was no question that I would wear one (or maybe two), but I didn’t want to start my program […]

The cure for exhaustion

As we enter this time of winter solstice—the shortest days and longest nights—it feels like a time ripe for reflection. It’s been a challenging year world-wide as we continue to wrangle with a pandemic that has left no one and nothing untouched. And I have yet to meet anyone who isn’t exhausted. […]

Bringing our whole selves to work

Nearly all of my speaking engagements these days share something in common. The conference organizers are choosing themes that center around bringing your “whole self” to work.

This trend goes beyond coincidence and crosses all sectors and industries where I’ve spoken these past many months. So what’s going on here? No […]

Wouldn’t it be cool to track the flight pattern of leaves as they fall? I often think about the particular timing of each leaf, the gust of wind or slow separation from the branch that sends it on its way. I smile as I imagine the Olympic dismount of colorful leaves—the spins and twists, and […]

Everyone has rough edges right now. Soft edges have met friction until the slightest of dissonance causes hot reactions. How do you lead in times like this? When resilience is at a premium and there is a constant hum of uncertainty and exhaustion.

Man, there are no easy answers to this one. It is the predicament […]

My heart is full from days on the river in the presence of healers: the furred, feathered, flowing water kind, and the human kind. It began as a Wild idea, to provide a day in the natural world for healthcare workers and hospital chaplains, to offer a soft place to land as they continue […]

Be the Change: speaking up, ‘stepping in it’ (sometimes) and being an ally

Before tears dried or the first expelling of air we didn’t know we were holding was fully released, we are faced, yet again, with more loss of black lives.  Being at the vigil for Daunte Wright the day after his death and […]

The fine art of communicating through tiny screens

I don’t know about you, but I am equal parts thankful for and exhausted by Zoom and all of the various iterations of video conferencing. A year in, many of us have become pretty adept at holding meetings, attending events, and connecting with friends and loved ones online. […]

Herein lies Bear's great wisdom...Purpose Matters. It matters to everyone, not just the leaders. Especially if it's not clear why the change is happening. Perhaps there is a change in priorities based on a vision for the future. Or there is a new regulation or maybe a different protocol that creates more work, not less. It's understandably hard to get on board with some of these changes.