Subscribe to Thoughtful Leaders Blog
so you can show up as your best self today and everyday.
Eight ways to avoid blowing up at work
On a recent train ride my husband struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger who was a banker. They talked about the work they do and their families. When my husband mentioned that I am an executive coach the banker smiled and said, "I had a coach last year. I...
Find your “why”
“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.” ~Nietzsche I have friends, colleagues, clients, and family members who are all going through tough times. Lost jobs, reduced budgets, challenging work situations, even more challenging home situations – all...
We often talk about fearless leaders, but here’s how you can tell if you are a fearful one
In one of my first management positions, I had an employee on my team who liked to refer to me as his “fearless leader.” It was mostly an inside joke between the two of us because I stood up for him when he was being given a hard time by another department. Throughout...
Live the wild and precious life you’ve planned
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~Mary Oliver Every time I read this quote, I get reinspired to be even more intentional and Thoughtful with my day, my time, and my life. Whereas I like to think that we get more than one...
Can bad bosses be saved?
Often we assume poor leaders and bad bosses are hopelessly stuck in their worst behaviors. Yet a recent post, Bad Leaders Can Change Their Spots, at HBR.org shares research that shows that, with clear developmental focus, the lowest-rated leaders can show significant...
Do what makes you come alive
"Don't ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and do that." ~Howard Thurman Simply put, we are more invested, and therefore generally more successful, when we do what makes us come alive. For many of us, what makes us come alive may be something that...
What to do when your team won’t talk to each other
I was meeting with a client the other day, and he was lamenting about the leadership team he’s on. “We’re just not willing to have the hard conversations,” he told me. “Everyone is afraid of giving tough feedback to each other, so nothing gets said.” Unfortunately, we...
One way to keep today strong, productive and fun
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strengths.” ~Corrie ten Boom Our brains have this faulty belief that we are better prepared for whatever may happen when we have thought it through carefully. Very carefully. When we have, in fact,...
The Zen of giving feedback
Feedback is something we all hate to do. I teach this stuff and yet I sometimes cringe at having to deliver constructive feedback (we consultants and coaches call it "constructive" or "developmental" instead of "negative"), and I can forget to offer positive feedback,...
The one thing so many of us will not give ourselves
“As soon as you trust yourself you will know how to live.” ~Johann Von Goethe I think I annoy my coaching clients. Over and over I annoy them. They turn to me when they have a choice to make or have to decide between two options. "What should I do?" they ask. "What...
Are you lonely? Many of us are and here’s how leaders can help themselves and their employees
Recently the topic of loneliness, isolation, and the need for connection has come up more often in my conversations with friends and clients. It’s been in the news quite a bit too. Dr. Ruth Westheimer was recently named the first Loneliness Ambassador in the US for...
Let’s celebrate our differences
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” ~Audre Lorde There are so many ways that we are all different. How we look. How we act. How we think. What we like. Whom we like. Where we’re from....