RESOURCES from 4word
God Has Used YOU To Change Lives This Year
4word founder Diane Paddison pens her annual "thank you" note for all that 4word has been blessed with this year. Read More
How Nike Company Culture Does Gratitude Well (And You Can Too)
Read how Nike company culture prioritizes expressing gratitude and appreciation to their employees, and how your company can too. Read More
3 Ways Gratitude Can Become a Good Business Practice
Do you practice gratitude at work? Do you think showing gratitude might portray you as weak? Learn why it's actually a great business move. Read More
When Our Work is a Lifeline
Work is a complicated thing. It’s often hard - it’s supposed to be! - and events in the workplace can leave us frustrated at the end of the day, in need of a hot cup of tea and a hug. But our work can also be life-giving, fuel… Read More
Single Mom, You’re My Hero
Working mothers are everyday superheroes in my book. They are not only nurturing a home and family, but also nurturing a career and all of the responsibilities that come with it. As a working mother myself, I understand the daily struggle with "mom guilt" and making sure that… Read More
Don’t Let Work Come to Dinner
No one wants workplace stress and drama. It's not like we go into the office in the morning and announce to our co-workers that we are currently accepting exorbitant doses of gossip, last-minute deadlines, impossibly difficult clients, and emotionally draining decisions regarding work/life balance. (And if you are… Read More
Why You Should Be a Mentor (Yes you. Yes now.)
We talk a lot at 4word about the value and necessity of having mentors in your life, but that’s really only one half of the mentoring equation. Are you actively mentoring someone right now? If not, then now is the time to consider it. No matter where you… Read More
It’s Time to Change the Office Culture
Does this sound familiar to you? The meeting is about to start when the committee chairman catches your eye, and you realize that you’re the only woman in the room, and you know what’s coming next: “Diane, would you mind taking notes for the meeting today?” What do… Read More
Promotion, Please!
Is it time to ask for a raise or promotion? Is it past time? If you’re dreading (or avoiding) those conversations, you’re certainly not alone. But the conversation itself might not be as important as you think it is. Most people focus on the actual negotiation. They are… Read More
It’s Time to Get LinkedIn
Are you active on LinkedIn? If not, why? What comes to mind when you hear about it? That it’s just for business people? Only people looking for jobs use it? Isn’t it just a giant resume? It’s true. LinkedIn is primarily focused on reaching the professional world. It’s… Read More
Be Their Boss Of The Year
It’s not always easy being the boss. Most of us spend much of our working lives just figuring out how we personally work best. As a manager though, it’s not enough to be good at getting your own work done. Now you have to take a lot of… Read More
Wasted In The Workplace
A few weeks ago I had the chance to ask Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria about the continuing inequalities many women experience at work. In response, he noted that "Since 54% of college graduates are women, it is a waste of a valuable resource not to have… Read More
Let It Go, Let It Go
What’s getting on your nerves at work? After decades in the corporate world, I’ve encountered my share of office annoyances. Tom had a habit of dominating meetings, cutting people off or talking over them to make his points. Rachael was such a multi-tasker that I never really knew… Read More
Want Flexibility? Just Ask.
One of my favorite Bible passages for navigating life is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…” These verses… Read More
Take a Break, A REAL Break
We are working too hard, and it's bad for us and for the companies we serve. Every year, Americans accrue billions of dollars worth of vacation days that they are not taking. Most of us are skipping lunch breaks too, in favor of eating lunch at our desks… Read More
5 Steps to Mentor Bliss
So, you know you need mentors, right? You don’t have to take my word for it. If you have any doubt, pick up almost any career guidance book or magazine, or check out this research from Catalyst showing that employees with mentors tend to earn more, advance further,… Read More
What Will You Be When You Grow Up?
How do you know what you’re supposed to be when you grow up? I thought I knew going into college. I was determined that my future would be in fashion merchandising. I declared my major early, I worked all of my summer jobs in the same industry, and… Read More
How to Max a Mentor for Success
So, you know you need a mentor. Here’s what else you need to know. 1. If you can’t find a mentor on your own, you can have someone else do it for you. Knowing that you need and want a mentor in your life is one thing;… Read More
What Does YOUR Office Bully Look Like?
The mother of Josh, one of my former co-workers, used to always tell the story of how, during his high school years, Josh confronted a bully that was tormenting one of his younger brothers. Josh cornered the bully in the locker room and pinned him against a locker while… Read More