Remember when your mother told you to sit up straight?  She knew what she was talking about.  Research has validated her good advice. Adoree Durayappah’s article in Psychology Today points out that when a person adopts the upright posture Mom always encouraged, they act in ways that represent power.  And interestingly, as the article points […]

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Do you apologize for everything?  For mistakes others make?  For expressing an opinion that might be unpopular?  For walking into a room?  Do you take the blame for things that have nothing to do with you?  Or when something is clearly someone else’s fault? If you over-apologize, you’re not alone.  For women, it’s very common […]

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Are you busy – perhaps so busy those looking in would say you’re over-functioning?  To nearly any request that comes your way, do you say, “Yes?”  Do you take care of others to the point they regularly look to you to do what they really could do themselves?  Overwhelmed and stressed, at the end of your […]

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Do you ever feel like you’re not really competent, but everyone else is?  Do you sometimes feel like you’re acting as if you belong, but you don’t.  Figure that it won’t be long until you’re found out?  When others praise your work or compliment you, do you doubt their sincerity or feel like the recognition […]

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Do you have the same mindset as Earvin “Magic” Johnson?  He says, “I am a businessman. This is what I do each and every day. I love it. I love coming to work. I never have a bad day.” Do you feel the same way?  Do you love your work?  Daily, do you get up […]

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Dear Teressa, My boss is an excellent manager and a very inspirational leader.  However, I have a colleague, who I think is a good person, but who seems to very much resent this boss. This colleague is also very good friends with my boss’s boss. The colleague is now making life very difficult and taking […]

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Experts say the reason people throw temper tantrums into adulthood is because they work.  This frightening behavior gets the tantrum thrower exactly what they want – even if it is at the cost of co-workers or workplace civility.    The first step to taking the sting out of another’s workplace tantrum – whether it’s your […]

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I meet a fair number of business leaders who say they are empathy-challenged.  Empathy is the ability to recognize and identify the emotions being experienced by another person.  It’s one of the five components of Emotional Intelligence.  Because it enables others to feel like you connect with them, it is an important skill set for […]

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For nearly everyone, there comes a moment when you know it’s time to make a move.  You may be ready to move up to the next level, make a lateral move into a new functional area to broaden your experience, jump into a new industry or company and apply your skills, or do something entirely […]

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The holiday office party offers a unique opportunity for employees to bond with each other and people higher up in the company in ways they can’t during the work day.   It can be more than an opportunity to “let your hair down.”  Company parties are a great time to make an impression that can impact […]

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Dear Teressa, I currently work part time in education and I absolutely LOVE IT!!! But I’m working a full time job I totally dislike. How does a single mother with two children, break into a career that she absolutely loves, even after exhausting her “network,” applying to numerous jobs in the education field, extremely active on […]

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Q: Dear Teressa, I have a burning desire and drive for making my Motivational Speaking business a huge success. It is important to mention that I discovered my purpose (Motivational Speaking) in 2010 but I started speaking at school during my spare time in 2007.  I am a full time employee at a public institution […]

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I voluntarily had myself videotaped twice in the last few weeks. One taping was of a keynote address, the other of a golf lesson.  Both were incredibly instructive.  I picked up specific behaviors, many of them subtle, that I could only fully understand by watching myself in action.  Pictures really speak thousands of words, but […]

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Every week, the content of my blog is based on a real-life scenarios – ones I’ve experienced as a facilitator, executive and personal growth coach, keynote speaker, as well as a manager and leader. Unresolved challenges at work and in life often get in the way of productivity and personal satisfaction. They cause us to question ourselves and the value of contributions we make.  Issues at work also […]

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The relaxed pace of summer is, essentially, behind us. Fall is nearly here. Hard to believe, but true. It’s time to refocus on “work” – whatever your age and stage in life. For the kids, its back to school. If you’re in the responsible adult category, you may feel called to re-engage with the particular […]

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Do you know the work of Seth Godin?  Seth calls himself a writer, speaker and  change of agent.  Everyday, he produces and publishes thought-provoking ideas at sethgodin.typepad.com.  It’s the kind of content that make the reader say, “Hmmm, interesting.” Recently, he wrote a post about the impact of language called, “Words are hooks, words are levers.”  […]

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“I hear and I forget.  I see and I understand.  I do and I remember.” Though Confucius spoke those words long ago, they remain relevant, today. We’re approaching the beginning of the new school year for children and adults who’ve returned to school or who are continuing through the advance degree process.  But even if […]

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Recently I heard a quote that got right to the heart of conflict and how to resolve it.  I’m paraphrasing, but it was along the lines of “conflict does not rise out of a clash of good and bad, it rises out of a clash of good and good.”  In other words, each conflicting party […]

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For many, being assertive is difficult and the reasons are varied.  Maybe you don’t want to hurt feelings or come off as cocky and aggressive.  Or it could be that you don’t have confidence in your own opinion and fear that others will prove you wrong if you speak up. Assertiveness is about confidence.  It’s […]

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Do you ever feel like you just want to whine and complain about your job, your boss, your company, your partner, your life?  We all do.  It’s normal, but there might be good buried beneath the bad feelings on the surface. While we call these feelings negative, they actually hold positive potential.  Don’t ignore them.  […]

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