In a recent Success.com article, contributor Jamie Friedlander shared three stories of successful people who decided to start something before they were ready.  Each person took a chance and pursued their business goals instead of spending time over-planning and over-analyzing.    Friedlander, herself, was put in that position early in her career and her gamble paid off.  She […]

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Part 1 I enjoy ads and commercials. The good ones stick with me. I’m impacted by their images, sounds and words. The best ones have a dramatic tagline or slogan – a succinct, repeatable core message about the product or service that conveys the essence of what the company wants you to believe and remember. […]

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My book, LIES That Limit, makes it clear that mindset – what we believe, how we think – is everything. Mindset is the composite of our beliefs and assumptions – our theory about life, other people, even ourselves. We feel safe when we make choices consistent with our story about the way things are. Yet, […]

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Which Black History month events are you attending? Whatever you do, go with a beginner’s mind. Even if you don’t typically participate in such programs, go with an open, nonjudgmental mindset.  You’re bound to learn something – about yourself, your colleagues or the history of people of African descent in the US. In fact, here’s […]

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What’s your approach to introducing a new initiative? Do you plan alone or with just a select few?  Do you make the decisions and tell others?  Do you push for closure, focused primarily on getting the task done? If you answered, “Yes” to the above questions you may find that your good ideas often fail […]

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What are your thoughts about the idea of being self-made? Recently, I saw a man wearing a t-shirt with the caption, “SELF-MADE!” It was written in CAPS and seemed to scream at me, emphasizing the point. It got my attention, perhaps because earlier that day a client and I talked about how interdependent we really […]

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What’s your office environment like these days? Many companies are moving to the new open space concept. Doing so represents a change – and in many cases, a significant one. If your work environment is shifting to the open plan, with fewer to no walls and private offices, utilize change management techniques as you lead […]

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My husband likes to say, “A plan is one thing. Planning is everything.” His mantra speaks to the idea that a plan is an important tool, and being flexible and adapting as you move forward is essential to success. Do you create a plan and get locked in, when what’s really needed is the flexibility […]

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If you’re sitting at your desk, or standing at your workstation, doing the minimum, hoping the day will end soon, too bad! You’re dying a slow death and you’re contributing to the demise of your employer. Anyone can have a slump. You just don’t have much energy and, in a way, you don’t even care. […]

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Buddha said, “Those who have failed to work toward the truth have missed the purpose of living.” This reminds me to look beyond the story of my limited, personal truth about situations and people. Whether in the workplace or in our private lives, we have to look beyond our limited understanding to see truth. For […]

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Keen observers of self and others have a competitive edge. But, too often, our willingness to pay attention is dialed down too low. Much that we should see, and could capitalize on, passes us by. We’re blinded by the habit of inattention. We’re no longer fully present, noticing what’s going on within us and around […]

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While facilitating a workshop, the participants, all senior leaders, began talking about how hard it is to get their people to buy-in to important changes. They described their workforce as resistant to change. I asked them to think about themselves and recall the day they received word of their promotion…to remember all they thought and […]

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Jeffery Davis of trackingwonder.com suggests that after a period of intense focus on a task, its helpful to change your rhythm by doing something different; interject something pleasurable and off task. He recommends taking a 5 to 20 minute relaxing, fun-filled break to clear your mind. Consider going for a walk, listening to music, dancing, […]

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Crying can be an indicator of pain, a call for attention, comfort or support, an expression of intense emotion. Crying can also be a way of relieving pressure, letting go of held emotions. Traditionally, crying in the workplace has been taboo, largely due to the long-held belief that tears make you appear weak, vulnerable, emotional, […]

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BRGs, or Business Resource Groups, are also called affinity groups, Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, and business network groups. If your company sponsors them, be an active participant…or start one. Here are just some of the benefits of being a member of BRGs: You get to interact with people who have a sense of shared […]

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  Every day opportunity knocks. Do you recognize it, allow it in and leverage the moment? Or, do you let the door close and, later, walk away thinking, “I wish I had said or done something.” Take advantage of the breaks that come your way. Pry open those windows that are slightly ajar. For example, […]

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  You know how critically important credibility and trustworthiness are in relationships. Interaction by interaction, your credibility and trustworthiness are established in the minds of others.   In the micro-movements and subtle energy of day-to-day exchanges, your reputation is built and reinforced. People hear what we say, but more importantly, they notice what we do. If […]

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  “At work, do you have the opportunity to do what you do best, every day?” That was the question the Gallup organization asked people who participated in their research. In 2001, they found that only about 20% of people responded, “Yes,” to doing, on a daily basis, what they were good at and enjoyed. […]

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    Do you feel destabilized when change, conflict or unexpected opportunity show up in your world?  When thrown off balance by the stuff of life, do you tend to reach for the comfort of the familiar?  With a sense of urgency, do you attempt to short-circuit rising tension and ambiguity, alleviate fear, and “right” […]

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    We signal our thoughts and feelings to those around us, even when we don’t intend to. Inadvertently, the truth creeps out. So, if you’re unhappy at work, it’s unlikely that you can keep it a secret. Rather than allowing discontent to fester and intensify, respectfully, take steps to right the situation. For example, […]

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