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Why liking yourself is a necessary leadership skill
"It’s not your job to like me, it’s mine." ~Byron Katie There is a saying that I share with clients often (and yes, it is from Al-Anon). “What other people think of me is none of my business.” I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that this can still trip me up. I learned it...
Three things you must do to be more productive
If you are like me, there are many days when I look up from my desk, see that it’s 4pm, and wonder where the day has gone. There are days when I feel that I have been productive, swimming along and checking things off of my to-do list, and I feel great. There are...
Follow your sun
“The flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days.” ~Robert Leighton You know those people that always seem to be perpetually happy? Always in a good mood? Always finding something nice to say about someone or something? Always smiling and cheering others...
The incredible strength of asking for help and being vulnerable
There is a saying in the coach community – that we end up coaching clients on what we need to hear and work on ourselves. Sometimes that’s more true than others. I will come clean. I do find that I often need to hear and work on the same things that I am hearing from...
“Attitude is everything” is true for leadership too
“If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.” ~Amy Tan There is so much going on these days in the world, it’s near unfathomable. I heard a “joke” today that in the 2050s, history students will write theses on one day in 2020. Just one day. There is so much...
Take a risk and speak up
“I have come to believe…that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.” ~Audre Lorde I will often be in a session with a coaching client and they will share with me something that is...
Red flags get your attention, but what about those pink flag moments?
We all know what red flags are – those flashing signals that tell you that something is awry, that there is an issue brewing with someone. When we see those red flags, we are on high alert, on guard, tuned to see if the red flag is giving us important information and...
Why finding your passion is what it’s all about (not the hokey pokey)
"Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." ~Julia Child I often tell people that when I’m working, I never want to stop and when I’m not working, I never want to start. So, I either have figured it out, or I’m maybe certifiable....
That’s right, I was done talking
We have a saying in my house. Or at least I do. “That’s right, I was done talking,” I share when someone interrupts me. “I wasn’t just taking a breath.” Why is it that we, or at least many of us, feel the need to jump in with our thoughts and comments before the...
Taking sides for better communication
“Hear the other side.” ~St. Augustine The other day we were leading a program on Change Management and one of the participants described listening, and the errors that occur in listening, brilliantly. “I’m either thinking through what I’m going to say in response,” he...
Why self-compassion is the essential Thoughtful Leadership practice
I know that we often promote Thoughtful Leadership skills and practices that others may not necessarily see as essential to leadership – like self-compassion. I’m here to argue that not only is self-compassion an essential Thoughtful Leadership practice, it is the...
Three simple practices for a better tomorrow
"None of us can change our yesterdays, but all of us can change our tomorrows." ~Colin Powell I was talking with a new coaching client the other day. He was telling me a bit more about his childhood and some of the painful things that happened to him. I have learned –...