The Thoughtful Leaders Blog
Posted by Lisa Kohn on April 26, 2012
 To grow as a leader, or in any endeavor, it is essential to build upon your strengths. And in order to do that, you must be aware of your strengths – the specific things that make you you, that make you great, and that make you good at what you do. This awareness is something many of us have trouble identifying and embracing.
A great way to find your strengths is to do some research. To spend time in reflection; to look around you and notice what you love, what you excel at, where you truly shine. Your research should include asking others – to reach out to those people who know you really well and ask them to notice and to list the best things that make you you. Noticing the strengths in others, and contemplating which of those you might also possess, is another way to find your strengths.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on April 16, 2012
“I don’t get angry, I grow a tumor.” Woody Allen
Anger is underrated. Or over-criticized. Too much anger can certainly be destructive – personally, professionally, mentally, and physically. However, too little anger can also wreak havoc.
A client recently shared with me a situation he was facing at work. He felt judged, unsupported, and criticized by a co-worker…and he was proudly telling me how he took it all in stride, didn’t even feel angry, and simply went on. When I asked him if he was experiencing any lack of patience at home, or tiredness and headaches, he sheepishly said yes to a few of those, and asked me why.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on March 15, 2012
 This seems to be very blatant, obvious advice, yet I think it’s advice we can all heed – both in it’s specifics and in it’s overall concept: to make sure we’re fully focused when we communicate with others, put things in writing, and send them out through cyberspace.
When you’re out drinking, when your filters may be a bit less engaged, it is NOT the time to answer emails, or IMs, or even phone calls, of a work-related nature. You may feel charged to get one last thing done, or inspired with a pithy response or brilliant idea, but it is easy to say or type the wrong thing, dash off a nasty-gram, or use inappropriate humor when we are not really focused on our best communication.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on February 2, 2012
 I wish I could say that I thought of this leadership approach myself, but I can’t. One of my clients a few years back shared this with me, and I’ve been passing it on ever since.
It is an adage to live and lead by. So often what we tell others about ourselves is exactly what we wouldn’t want others to think. “I don’t know how I’ll get this done,” we offer. “I’m swamped and don’t know what to tackle next,” we share.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on December 12, 2011
“Anyone who takes himself too seriously always runs the risk of looking ridiculous; anyone who can consistently laugh at himself does not.” Vaclav Havel
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on December 5, 2011
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.” Carl Jung
One of the true gifts of my profession is witnessing clients have an “aha” moment. You see the realization hit them as they recognize a self-defeating pattern they’ve repeated over and over…and then devise a plan to break the pattern, or grasp the negative self-talk that they’ve engaged in for years…and begin to question that self-talk and believe a different truth, or acknowledge the rightness of many of their gut instincts…and begin to trust themselves and their leadership more than they ever have before. There often is a pause in our conversation, a moment when they reflect, a silence as they internalize, and then they emerge from their contemplation with a newfound strength that is palpable. And engaging.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on July 7, 2011
I must admit my blog today is very personal…but Thoughtful Leadership is personal and it’s based on bringing our whole self to everything we do and every way we lead. I know my leadership today, my very essence today, is flavored by an extremely private and emotional experience, and if I’m truly living “thoughtfully” then I must acknowledge my situation, my feelings, and my thoughts.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 5, 2011
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That’s what makes you a winner.” Venus Williams
This morning was a high because I had a client who was on a high. He was feeling so sure of himself, so complete, so utterly unstoppable – it was contagious and I couldn’t help but smile.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on June 27, 2011
“It takes two to speak the truth – one to speak and another to hear.” Henry David Thoreau
Usually when I think about this quote, I envision myself in front of a classroom, emphasizing the importance of listening and truly hearing in building effective relationships. These are both important; that is an undeniable truth.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on May 26, 2011
I have a client who is in overwhelm. How do I know? She personally told me that she has thousands and thousands of unread emails…that she will never get to. And everyone around her has confidentially told me that my client simply promises too much, overcommits, and just plain old “works too hard.” In essence, she “overpromises” and “underdelivers” – which is the exact opposite of what we coach our clients to do. We strongly suggest that they “underpromise” and “overdeliver” – thereby giving themselves some breathing space and wowing those around them with on-time (and even early) delivery of stellar results.
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View Robyn McLeod's profile
great thoughts, if we think of all the recent firings and abuses because of communication mishaps, this is sound advise. Didn’t know what to expect when I saw the title.
Thanks for your thoughts Dwight. It is too easy to communicate these days without thinking carefully through what we’re saying and what the ramifications, intended or not, may be.