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The true meaning of accountability
"I need people to be more accountable." It's a statement I hear often from leaders as they express frustration with poor performance, mediocre results, silos within their organization, and other ills. If only people would be "more accountable," then they would step...
Is fear getting in your way?
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." ~Anonymous We've all heard it many times. We've probably said it in fact. Fear, and especially fear of being wrong, kills creativity. It makes sense. How can we possibly be creative - how can we try new...
Why a pink flamingo is an essential leadership tool
I was on my side porch the other day, chilling, enjoying the breeze, and doing a bit of writing for work, when I looked through the trees over to my neighbor's yard and saw a huge pink flamingo. And I mean huge. Now I probably should clarify that through the trees was...
Four key steps to being, and getting more done
"The way to do is to be." ~Lao Tzu We've become, in many ways, a culture of doing. We all (at least most of us) have endless to-do lists, and the pleasure surge of crossing things off our lists actually compels at least some of us to write things down just so we can...
Three traps that may prevent you from having that difficult conversation
One of the hardest things to deal with at work is the tough conversation that you know you need to have. Whether it's an employee who is performing poorly, a colleague who is creating a toxic environment, or a peer who consistently undermines you, for most of us, it...
Again, five simple questions to help give you what you need
It’s that time of year again. Time for us to practice what we preach. Again this year, with all that has happened and still keeps happening, we’re once again taking the month of August off from the Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog – to recharge our batteries, renew, and think...
Does intention even matter?
Whenever we teach communication skills, we talk about the importance of intention. One of the first things you see on our website - "Be intentional." Obviously, we think that intention is everything. But, in some ways, it's also nothing. It is important to be...
It only seems impossible
"It always seems impossible until it's done." ~Nelson Mandela I've shared this quote with clients a lot recently. So many of my clients seem to be at a point of decision or choice, or at the beginning of a new chapter that seems daunting - albeit maybe exciting - to...
Stop holding yourself back
One of the most rewarding parts of the work I do is watching my clients soar - when they realize what's standing in their way, address what's standing in their way, and truly soar. And become the leaders, and people, they want to be. Over the years, as I've watched my...
It’s more than the thought that counts
“All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.” ~James Russell Lowell Recently I watched a former colleague struggle with how to show up for her team at work. Her organization had gone through a merger and a few "restructures" -...
Avoiding the big mistake new leaders make
A friend recently shared a dilemma she was having at work. She has a new boss, a vice president hired from outside her organization, who is starting to stumble badly after barely a year in place. I asked her what she thought was getting in the way of his success and...
Don’t overthink it. Go down the chute.
"You can't be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute." ~Tina Fey Tina Fey is loved (and laughed at) by many, many people. And rightly so. She's funny - hilarious even - and smart. And gutsy. Which is why she has...