When you say it out loud, in English, it sounds like a bold command. It’s a pun that seems to cry out a directive to improve or ‘evolve.’ – Sasha Sagan
March forth! Use this unique day on the calendar to motivate you to move forward, even if you think you’re not ready. Try the thing. Apply for the job. Take the next step in your journey. We’ll also practice how we serve ourselves with Roger Federer, and build some trust in our teams. How will you March Forth this season? Share here.
:: Image of the Week
Image Credit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mordygolding/
:: Gratitude and Recognition
What Every Leader Needs To Know About Employee Recognition
In this episode of the HR Leaders podcast, Joe Gage, CHRO at Bon Secours Mercy Health, explores how they’ve revamped their people strategy to enhance recognition and engagement among healthcare workers. Joe provides insights into implementing new platforms and strategies to better connect with and support their team.
https://hrleaders.co/podcast/what-every-leader-needs-to-know-about-employee-recognition
“Be happy for what you have while working for what you want.” – Helen Keller
Nominations open for FP&M Recognition Awards
Each year, Facilities Planning & Management (FP&M) recognizes employees whose work adds value to UW‒Madison. Nominations are now being accepted for the FP&M 2025 Employee Recognition Awards. FP&M staff work behind the scenes keeping campus running day and night. They are responsible for the planning, maintenance, operations, safety, and sustainability of all 939 acres of campus. Any member of the campus community can nominate an FP&M employee or team for an award. Complete the nomination form online or print and submit a form in any of six languages. The nomination deadline is March 17.
Learn more at go.wisc.edu/nominate-fpm.
:: CSN’s Book of the Week Recommendation
Win the Inside Game: How to Move from Surviving to Thriving, and Free Yourself Up to Perform
In this highly anticipated book, the bestselling author of Do Hard Things Steve Magness—“one of the giants of modern thinking about high performance” (Alex Hutchinson)—flips the script on the pursuit of excellence, shifting our thinking from high-stress survival mode to fulfillment-oriented thriving mode to creates sustainable success at the highest level, in what Amy Morin, author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do calls “an essential read for anyone interested in self-discovery and meaningful success.”
Striving is in our nature. We all want to perform at our best when it matters most. But in today’s world, many of us feel lost, isolated, and overwhelmed. We’re paralyzed by fear of failure and crippled by insecurities. We know we’re capable of more, yet no matter how hard we try, we feel stuck. We’ve been sold the wrong path to success and personal fulfillment.
Renowned performance scientist and bestselling author Steve Magness reveals a new path to sustainable success. In Win the Inside Game, Magness argues that excellence and fulfillment are not mutually exclusive; we can and should seek both. When we measure our worth by our achievements, cement our identities to our careers, and sacrifice our well-being in the pursuit of external validation, it backfires. We default to survival mode, protecting and defending ourselves instead of being free to fulfill our potential.
In this, his most personal book yet, Magness draws on his vast wealth of experience as an Olympic coach and whistleblower, highly popular consultant, and premier expert on performance, as well as scientific findings, interviews, and case studies, to provide a three-part framework to help us learn to focus on what really matters and achieve success.
- Be—Clarity on Who You Are
- Do—Clarity in Your Pursuits
- Belong—Clarity on Where and How You Fit In
Redefining the trend carved by bestsellers such as Be Useful, Range, and Hidden Potential, Win the Inside Game seeks not only excellence but inner and personal growth. In realigning our focus from something externally motivated and fear-based to internally motivated and driven by personal conviction, Magness provides the tools for us to free ourselves up to perform and ultimately achieve a fuller sense of self and purpose.
Read a recent interview with David Epstein and Steve Magness on his new book here: https://davidepstein.substack.com/p/rewriting-your-personal-narrative?publication_id=1024339&post_id=156404173&isFreemail=true&r=3c3hz&triedRedirect=true
“It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity.”– Horace
:: Self-Leadership Development
Roger Federer on Self-Forgiveness
Tennis great Roger Federer gave a commencement speech at Dartmouth which included an essential lesson in self-forgiveness. Federer emphasized the importance of treating each point in tennis as the most critical one at that moment, but once it’s over, it’s history. He said, “This mindset is crucial because it frees you to fully commit to the next point (and the next, and the next) with intensity, clarity, and focus.”
The Power of Self-Forgiveness
Forgiving yourself is not just a platitude; it’s a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. We often hold onto our mistakes, wishing the past could be different. The irony is that by clinging to our failures, we perpetuate our own suffering. This mental and emotional burden drains our energy and diminishes our potential.
Self-forgiveness allows us to release this burden, freeing up mental space and emotional energy to focus on what truly matters: the opportunities ahead. It’s about shifting our perspective from regret to learning, from self-criticism to self-compassion. This shift is transformative; by accepting and moving past our losses, we open ourselves up to future wins.
Watch his speech on dealing with failure here: https://youtu.be/L0L5t_1A-4Y?si=JT8RMT6MiEyLwJpW
“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.” – Cormac McCarthy
:: Mental Health and Self-Care
Joy Practice: Go for a Sensory Walk
Walking, particularly walking in nature, is one of my favorite Joy Practices, even in winter. This week’s Joy Practice is to bundle up, put on good shoes or boots, and go for a walk outside. For this walk, take some time for yourself, if possible. Walk for 20-30 minutes and be present to your senses. Notice how your feet feel on the ground and how the air feels on your face. Listen for birdsong. Breathe in the smell of the water and trees. Do you taste anything? Look to the near and far horizon–what colors and shapes do you perceive? Experience all the senses as you walk. With your return, do some light stretches and observe how you feel in your body, mind, and heart.
This recommendation came from artist Sarah Guthrie from her website: https://www.artistgu3.com/blog/be-a-source-for-joy-where-to-start
Your Emotions Debunked
With emotions on edge around the world, take a moment to watch how HMI’s founding neuroscientist, Dr. Richard J. Davidson, debunks some interesting internet moments about our emotions on WIRED’s Tech Support. Viewed over 1 million times, we hope this light-hearted piece offers some useful intel for navigating your feelings and, perhaps, some familial conversations through the holidays. We will be featuring more from Dr. Davidson in the future!
https://hminnovations.org/well-being-tools#emotional-styles
:: Diversity and Inclusion
The Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership
Diversity of markets, customers, ideas, and talent is driving the need for inclusion as a new leadership capability. Here are six attributes of leaders who display the ability to not only embrace individual differences, but to potentially leverage them for competitive advantage. Read this Deloitte article from 2016 for a detailed look into inclusive leadership.
:: Work Culture & Team Development
How to Build an Unstoppable Team
A strong team starts with a leader who truly cares. Caring isn’t soft. It’s intentional. It’s challenging. It’s transformative. Here are 8 ways to show your team you care (enough to build them up), on a post from Nico Torres Santana.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
How Employee Engagement Drives Success
Leaders play a significant part in driving meaningful work and creating thriving workplaces, but employees also need to take ownership of their roles and actively contribute to the culture.
As Gianna Driver states, “Engagement is something we all own and are responsible for.”
In this episode recorded live from CultureCon in Madison, WI, Nikki sits down with Gianna Driver, Chief People Officer at Lattice, to uncover the real magic behind thriving workplaces. Spoiler: It’s not just about retention or productivity—it’s about creating deep, human connections. Gianna takes us on a journey through her 20+ years in HR, sharing how the pandemic brought engagement into crystal-clear focus.
Key Takeaways:
- Engagement as Lifeblood: Employee engagement is essential for both retention and thriving, especially during difficult times like the pandemic.
- Human-Centered Leadership: The most effective leaders prioritize transparency and vulnerability, allowing for authentic human connections in the workplace.
- Symbiotic Relationship: Engagement benefits both the individual and the business—engaged employees are more productive, creative, and loyal.
:: Trust, Psychological Safety & Belonging
Building Trust with Charles Feltman
Charles Feltman invites us to think about trust a bit differently. Instead of framing trust as a binary, he suggests that we examine trust through four assessment domains: care, sincerity, reliability, and competence. By doing this, we can better identify our concerns, communicate them, and make a specific request for the other person to shift their behavior.
On this episode of Coaching for Leaders, Charles explores these four domains, featuring in his newly revised classic: The Thin Book of Trust (3rd edition).
When preparing for a conversation, Charles invites us to follow seven steps:
- Identify the assessment(s) you are concerned with: care, sincerity, reliability, and/or competence.
- Define the standard you are using.
- Identify the specific actions or behaviors that have led to your assessment of distrust.
- Consider what you are doing that may be contributing to the situation.
- Determine what you need from them in order for them to regain your trust.
- Decide if you are willing to talk to the person about it.
- Ask the other person if they would be willing to have a conversation with you.
https://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/conversation-with-someone-you-dont-trust-charles-feltman/
:: Communication
How to Encourage the Right Kind of Conflict on Your Team
Tensions are inevitable in the workplace. But there is a difference between healthy and unhealthy conflicts. Healthy team conflict moves a team towards its goals and builds productive, respectful, and trusting relationships. Unproductive conflict, on the other hand, holds a team back. Here are four ways to encourage healthy conflict on your team:
1) Tell your team that disagreements are expected and a normal — and productive — part of collaboration, teamwork, and innovation.
2) Name positive tensions.
3) Separate the people from the problem.
4) Stay calm.
https://hbr.org/2025/02/how-to-encourage-the-right-kind-of-conflict-on-your-team
:: Upcoming Events
Navigating Career Transitions with Authentic Purpose
Sarah Johnston, a recruiting and hiring coach, has an upcoming LinkedIn Live interview. On Wednesday, March 12 at 12:00pm EST she’ll talk with Suzy Welch, renowned author, television commentator and educator. Suzy’s insights on careers and leadership have helped countless individuals navigate the complexities of the professional world.
In this conversation, They will delve into Suzy’s expertise in navigating career transitions, embracing new challenges, and the importance of continuous learning in today’s ever-evolving job market. We’ll also learn about Suzy’s upcoming new book release!
Register here for this live LinkedIn webinar by clicking the Attend button here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/navigationcareertransitionswith7290779296896348163/theater/