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How to be a ridiculous figure part I: Recognition

September 16th, 2009

the-consequence-of-being-in-a-hurry

The confident professional who stumbles clumsily up the stairs…

The narcissist with the smug smile, oblivious to the spinach in his teeth…

Leaving a rest room with a foot long flag of toilet paper on our shoe or at our beltline…

Let’s face it, we are only human.  And when we are trying to operate smoothly, or even normally, we wear egg on our faces from time to time. These are unintentional incidents that may be forgotten after a while.  But, there are many more things that we do to ourselves that seem to be remembered in perpetuity. 

In fact, we may not realize just how ridiculous we can appear to other people. But the problem is not solely about embarrassment.  That is a lesser concern when we consider the haunting specter of self imposed security breaches.  Read more…

Self Scrutiny, Staff relations, Uncategorized

“You Animal!” – ACA recap

August 18th, 2009

Most of us find it easier to complain than to solve.  In other words, identifying problems are often easier than finding solutions.  This is not some scathing admonishment of humanity.  Rather, it is an observation of how we tend to think. 

 

catwoman

 

On Sunday, August 9, 2009, while at ACA in Nashville, I presented a module on division between staff in our vocation.  “You Animal! An anthropomorphic look at staff relations in corrections” is the full title.  Read more…

Staff relations, Training, Uncategorized

Re: Lurking beneath the surface part 1 – divisions

August 18th, 2009

zabranskya on 08/13/2009:

I really liked this article. Good job Joe~

Thanks so much.  I am pleased  that you liked it.  And the very first paragraph was is based on true events.  It is funny how a tiny gnat in the perfect cup o’ joe can point to life and vocational lessons.  You may also enjoy “lurking beneath the surface II – The Cure

Uncategorized

The no-expression expression

June 16th, 2009

She had been called to duty. She sat in the front row of the jury box.  Never before had she faced such weighty decisions. 

 There was more on her mind, though, than the verdict.  It seemed to her that the prosecution, defense, and the judge were gauging her expression through the trial.  Every time she looked up, at least one of those three were reading their effectiveness by looking at her eyes. She was the barometer, and she did not like it.

Like it or not, there are those among us who reveal our innermost thoughts through expressions.  Non-verbal communication, as conventional wisdom has it, accounts for over 90% of all communications. Read more…

Self Scrutiny, Uncategorized

Do I creep you out?

May 27th, 2009

 

You can take the person out of the corrections. But can you keep corrections out of the person? Can professionals clock out and leave all deeply ingrained corrections habits behind the walls? Or are we doomed to perpetually monitor and observe even when we are in our relatively safe place away from the institution? Read more…

Inside Out, Self Scrutiny, Uncategorized