Understand the difference between fear and anxiety

Understand the difference between fear and anxiety. Both can cause a weakened immune system, both can cause memory distortions, both can cause a disruption in cognitive processing. While these two experiences affect the body similarly, they are not the same. Fear is defined by psychologists as a present reaction to a present stress or threat. Anxiety is a present reaction to a not-present stress or threat. The meaningful difference is that in fear, as soon as the threat or stress is gone, the fear also is gone. In anxiety, since the stress or threat is not present (either recollection of the past, or worrying about the future), it is possible that the stress or threat never goes away, and the physiological effects last indefinitely.

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Local Entrepreneur Recognized as Arizona Diversity Leader of the Year

Eric M. Bailey, a local communication expert, is the 2020 recipient of the Diversity Leader of the Year award given by the Diversity Leadership Alliance and Arizona SHRM. This award recognizes community leaders who have demonstrated excellence in promoting diversity and inclusion, as well as creating ways to hold uncomfortable conversations in the workplace to better unite people.

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
How to Have a Productive Political Conversation

As we gear up for election day in November, the political divide will be at an all-time high. The public can have a difficult time understanding and processing the different arguments. Even through disagreements, it’s important that people come together to communicate these distinctions and have productive conversations.

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Chandler Podcast Aims To 'Cure Stupidity'

A Chandler couple has launched a new podcast to explore the complexities of human behavior and teach listeners how to be a little more accepting of other people’s flaws. Eric M. Bailey and his wife Jamie are putting their relationship on public display each week by recording a frank, open conversation between themselves and then posting the audio online for a podcast they’re calling “The Cure for Stupidity.”

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Major Organizations Commit To Diversity, Partner With Nationally Recognized Communication Consulting Firm

Bailey Strategic Innovation Group, one of the fastest-growing communication consulting firms helping break down the barriers of human communication in the brain, has recently partnered with several national organizations and entities across a variety of industries looking to improve diversity, inclusion, equity, access, communication, team building, and more. Due to the current COVID-19 environment, Bailey Strategic Innovation Group has been able to accommodate more companies and municipalities as all training, seminars, and keynotes have been conducted virtually. As the pandemic continues, the consulting firm expects to return to in-person engagements once it's safe, while also continuing digital connectivity.

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Develop a Diversity & Inclusion Plan that Isn’t Fluff. Here are 5 easy steps…

The country is talking about race and racism in a way that many have never before experienced in their careers. Organizations are beginning to develop, review or refresh their diversity plans in response, but don’t want to appear as if they are reacting to the broader national conversation. For many, this was something that was in process already; for others, it’s altogether new. Some believe that the negative perception of being reactive is worse than doing nothing at all. This is the first step in taking a stand in support of homogeneity.

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
“But when is International Men’s Day!?”

This question, which can seem insensitive, offensive, and ignorant all at the same time - is, unfortunately, a symptom of a deeper problem in our society. Every year, I hear several men ask this question on social media and in person. Every year, I enter the same conversation slowly picking apart their shallow arguments. Every year, I hope that it’s the last time that I hear it, and every year, I’m wrong. I cannot imagine what the experience is like for a woman who has to hear this question every single year.

Read More
Opportunity to Adapt

I was recently talking with a business owner who had a very bleak outlook on the future. He started the conversation by saying, "I hate technology!" Not the typical mindset of a Gen Xer.  He owns a chauffeur company and shared that he is worried that autonomous vehicles are going to put him out of business. 

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Don’t Stop Being Thankful, Your Life (and Your Brain) Will Improve.

Every year around the holidays, my family goes around the table and shares something that we’re grateful for.  It can seem corny at times, but it’s a tradition, and we always do it.  The shares usually run the gamut from the expected to the unusual.  But no matter what is shared,  the experience never fails to put a smile on all of our faces.  The interesting thing is that there’s a scientific explanation as to why we’re smiling... Gratitude changes us.

Read More
We're having the WRONG conversation about Millennials

In my years of work with Human Resources departments, I've sat in on many-a-seminar called something to the effect of, "Managing a Millennial Workforce" or "Managing Millennials." These presentations are often boiled down to three points:

  1. Millennials are entitled and narcissistic.
  2. Millennials fear commitment and change jobs every two years.
  3. Millennials need to be appreciated all of the time. 

When we place negative generalizations on an entire group of people from a certain ethnic origin, we call it racism, and it's appalling. When we do the same for a single gender, we call it sexism, and it's appalling. It's appalling because we are making gross generalizations of an entire group of people even though they have individual personalities, strengths, ambitions, and motivations. This is the major flaw in our conversations about Millennials, we frequently ignore that they are more than just a group, they are a group of individuals.  Read the Full Article

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Forbes: Use This One Parenting Skill And Become A Better Manager

Like many of you, I’ve spent years studying literature on leadership, management and improvement. After reading countless books and articles I realized that although my reading was about business, I could always find a way to apply the concepts at home with my family. The more I experienced this, the more that I realized that the analog goes in both directions. Management is parenting; parenting is management.

As this reality washed over me, I realized that the element missing in most business books is one of the softest and most powerful skills -- a skill that parents employ daily and instinctively: unconditional empathy.  Read the full article

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
The Burning Platform is Managerial Suicide

Remember 1999, when we all had Nokia phones in our pockets? I bet that if you think about it, you can still hear that iconic electronic ringtone. If you can’t, here’s a refresher that is likely to get stuck in your head for decades.

In 1999, Nokia 3110 sales figures eclipsed 160 MILLION, making it one of the most popular phones ever made. And then a few years later, when most of the world was reaching for their 600 MILLION iPhones or Galaxy smartphones, Nokia sold less than 7 million across all of their phone offerings. That was when rumors were going around about Nokia’s impending demise. In 2011, Stephen Elop, Nokia’s then CEO, delivered his infamous speech about a burning platform.  Read the full article

Read More
Eric M. Bailey
Huffington Post: What I Learned about Life and Leadership by Tripping (Hard) Over a Hurdle

It is often believed that success begets success. But there is a reason that only 40 of every 1,000 businesses exist for longer than 10 years. Research overwhelmingly suggests that success and growth lead to a reduced need to innovate. Many think, “It has worked so well, so far - why would I need to change?” This sentiment is called complacency.

I came face-to-face with my own complacency on May 27, 2000 at the Washington State Track & Field Championships. Read the Full Article

Read More
Eric M. Bailey