Gem

What happens when personal preference starts functioning as a workplace standard? It’s a question we will all encounter, whether we’re the ones who need to examine our own preferences and how they shape what we believe is or isn’t appropriate, acceptable, or right for someone else, or we’re on the receiving end of someone else’s […]

Here’s why performance alone doesn’t move opportunity — and what actually does …   Delivering results is still necessary.However, it is not enough. In every organization, people with strong track records are routinely passed over, stalled, or underestimated—while others with similar or even lesser results move faster, gain backing sooner, and are trusted with bigger […]

Read any headline, whether about the workplace or the state of the world, and you’ll see positions that are diametrically opposed. One side insists the other is harmful. The other fires back with the same charge. In other words, “unsafe” has become a catch-all phrase. But not everything that feels unsafe is truly unsafe. Sometimes […]

At Chapter tOO, we talk a lot about optimization. People, leaders, workplaces — that’s our lane. But every path to optimization starts with the individual. And because so many people are losing the plot and tying their self-worth to work, it’s time we had a real conversation about identity. Why now? Because the odds are […]

Ask any leadership framework or HR textbook and you’ll get a list of “essential competencies.” Communication. Decision-making. Vision. Emotional intelligence. Strategy. The lists keep growing, and the frameworks keep multiplying. Over the years, we’ve seen how organizations lean on competency models to define what leaders “need” to succeed. These models aren’t without value, but they […]

“Look at the stars, look how they shine for you…” That’s a line from one of Coldplay’s most iconic songs—Yellow—and ironically, it’s the lyric that’s been echoing across the internet in the wake of what’s now known as the kiss cam moment. The band may have been playing what’s since been dubbed “The Jumbotron Song” […]

Editor’s Note: In recognition of National PTSD Awareness Day (June 27th), this first-person essay from our Founder & CEO, Charmaine Green-Forde, offers a rare, unfiltered look at the toll toxic workplace culture can take—especially from behind the scenes in HR.   Is the danger of toxic workplace culture overblown—or are we just used to it? […]

As May begins, we find ourselves at the intersection of two significant observances: Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. These observances hold profound importance for our communities and workplaces, highlighting the need for ongoing dialogue and action. Mental health is a universal concern that transcends cultural and ethnic […]

Overworked, exhausted, and feeling the constant pull to respond to work emails or messages after hours? You’re not alone. The blurring of boundaries between work life and personal life has become a pervasive issue, leaving many employees feeling drained and burnt out. This pressure not only takes a toll on mental health but also undermines […]

Grief knows no expiration date; it accompanies us throughout life, regardless of time or circumstance. Why is this so top of mind today? Well, it marks the 4th anniversary of the death of a very close friend, Rhonda, who died from cancer.  Four years later, the pain and grief of that loss still floats around, […]