I’ve learned a lot about leadership over the years. The biggest lesson? Being authentic makes you a better leader. That means showing up as your true self at work — and for me, that means embracing being an introvert. Doing that has helped me improve the way I communicate with others, embrace new thoughts and ideas, and foster trust throughout my team. Years ago, I was part … [Read more...]
It’s Not You, It’s The System: Reframing Imposter Syndrome
Recent headlines have touted the record-breaking 10% representation of female CEOs in the top Fortune 500 companies for the first time in its 68-year history. Forbes, for example, led with New Year, New Glass Heights: Women Now Comprise 10% of Top US Corporation CEOs. But should we really be celebrating a figure like 10%? At a time when women outnumber men in college … [Read more...]
I Should Have NEVER Hired My Spouse
If you've hired your spouse, I hope that it's working for you. It didn’t work for me. I discovered things about both of us that I wish I had considered (or known) beforehand. I'm not saying that hiring family doesn’t work. It can and does. In fact, I have two members of my family who work for me now. However, the process of hiring them, the on-boarding process, and the review … [Read more...]
The Crisis of Managing Generation Z
A good friend asked me recently, “What’s the single most debilitating thing facing the generation entering the workforce?” My fast answer: critical thinking. With managing emotions a close second. I’m not a generations researcher by career focus. I wound up studying this in response to a growing number of befuddled clients – and apparently most CEOs in Davos last month, asking … [Read more...]
How to Keep Your Team from Melting Down During the Holiday Season
It's that time of year again! The holidays are upon us and, for many businesses, that means an increase in workload and stress levels. How can you keep your team from melting down during this busy season? Here are a few tips: 1. Identify Goals and Prioritize Identify goals that must be met and determine priorities that must be handled now vs. what can wait until the holiday … [Read more...]
How to Master the Art of Communicating for Business and Career Success
You want to be a great communicator in business. We all do, but communication is one of those skills that takes practice – a lot of practice. The good news is you can learn to be a great communicator if you’re willing to put in the effort. First, you need to understand what good communication looks like in the workplace, and then, you have to learn how to master the art of … [Read more...]
Should You Bring Your “Whole Self” to Work?
It's no shock that the past two plus years has shaken both employee and employer paradigms of work. Since 2020, an emphasis on DEI (or DEIJ, or DEIB) - whatever your acronym - has put more awareness on the part of the powers that be that they need to make some pretty drastic changes to the workplace. The shift towards distributed work, focus on mental health and wellness, … [Read more...]
Why Your Feedback May Not Be Getting Results: 5 Antidotes to Bad Feedback
When you hear the word “feedback” what comes up for you? Do you welcome it or cringe and run for the hills? My guess is most of us are at the latter edge of the spectrum. Why? Because most of us have been the receiver of unhelpful feedback at best or feedback that damaged relationships at worst. If you’re in a position where you give feedback (and really this should happen … [Read more...]
You Don’t Owe Anyone Anything. We Owe Ourselves Everything.
You may feel a bit ruffled by the title of this post. But wait?! Isn’t that selfish and egotistical? Before your thoughts go there, think about this: how often have you said yes when you really wanted to say no? How many times have you sacrificed something you wanted, or didn’t know what you wanted, because you were so focused on pleasing someone else? How much does getting … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Turn Professional Wounds into Power: Why Being Your Own Leader Can Be Healing
Have you been stuck in the same position at a job without opportunities to develop into a role that supports your growth as a leader? Perhaps you were promised an interim review that never came to fruition, or doors continually failed to open despite advocating for a role that excites you. Many of us have been there, and for those of us with an entrepreneurial flair, that … [Read more...]