A week ago, I had a very interesting experience.  I decided to sneak away from the office on a Wednesday afternoon and play hooky with a great friend of mine. We went to this gorgeous outdoor Scandinavian spa with hot and cold pools, a steam room, a sauna, and the usual promise of blissful escapism. … Continued

Last week, I read a quote that reminded me why I quit career coaching almost as fast as I started career coaching:  “If you wait until you’re motivated, you’ve already lost.”   The piece goes on to highlight some examples, like “Surgeons don’t always feel like doing surgery. Teachers don’t always feel like teaching. Parents don’t always … Continued

What if you already had exactly what you were looking for? When most of us think about the new year, we think about what we want compared to what we have. We want more success, prosperous relationships, money, travel, quality time with family, or more JOY!  More joy, right? Who doesn’t want more joy? But as … Continued

“Why can’t I just do this stuff at home” is what I thought after an obscene amount of jumping jacks and skipping rope. Last week, I was in a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout class at 6:30 am. Now, to get there, I had to shovel my car out of seemingly endless snow, which, to … Continued

I am starting to see a new trend of burnout in both professional men and women. And no one is talking about it.  Women are delaying motherhood and investing heavily in their careers: Professional and relational landscapes for men and women, specifically couples, have changed in the past few decades. As a result, so have … Continued

For most professionals, this is the time of the year when they receive career-defining feedback to set the tone, expectations, and goals for the following year. In my career, I have received good and not-so-good performance reviews. However, over the years, I have experienced and heard of some that suggest performance reviews are unnecessarily ineffective … Continued

Which of these two people do you recognize?  One: the breezy, charismatic speaker, the one who makes audiences want to lean in and learn, the person who captivates and excites.  The other one: dry, shy, possibly withdrawn. This is the one who reads their presentation word for word, clears their throat 18 times in as … Continued

In most professions, you’re paid, depended upon, and expected to make decisions. You’re required to know the risks, consider the facts, and deliberate between options.   Sometimes – you make it look easy. And if you’ve been in leadership for more than a moment, some of what others may consider the most challenging decisions to make … Continued

Is there a connection between business and the wild? There is. Consider that the wilderness environment – like business – can be unforgiving, challenging, dynamic, unpredictable, perplexing, and vast.  In the wild, just as in business, we must be able to conserve our energy and state of mind, take the lead from the rising and … Continued

On International Women’s Day, I headed out with three incredible women I know to a local business event. It felt great to get out with friends after weeks of omicron keeping most people home.  As I caught up with one friend, she shared her excitement as she was planning a retreat in Costa Rica in … Continued

When I think of leadership, I think of how much a great boss can make the work experience fantastic and even give your personal life a lift. By contrast, a lousy boss can make life feel miserable.  Even for myself, I think of one of the first bosses I had when I was an intern … Continued

Last summer I was listening to another podcast by Glennon Doyle and had another ah-ha moment worth sharing. Before diving into the meat, let me start by explaining my values from a young age. I remember believing I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up (thanks, mom). I also remember thinking … Continued

Last week, my husband and I visited a new local food shop in our area. We were standing there looking at the menu when the man behind the counter said, “Excuse me, sir, can I ask you a strange question?”  Both of us were a bit startled. My husband agreed, and the man proceeded to … Continued

Friday, after my morning shower, I walked out of the bathroom to my husband standing in the doorway waiting for me. Although he rarely cries, his eyes looked full of pain. He said, “did you hear…. baby… text… did you…” Although he never got the words out, my brain started to slowly knit the pieces … Continued

Can a great leader succeed even if they don’t have industry or relevant experience? For eons, hiring managers have grappled with this question in the hiring and promotion process. To expound: “He’s never worked in the industry before.” “She has only been a manager for three years.” “Jack already has the group’s pulse. So why … Continued

Leadership in the wild is very different from the leadership we see or experience in corporate life.   After my podcast interview with Jeff Barrett, the Founder of Blue Mountain Wild school, I was giddy. I was excited because it made me think of leadership differently and with a fresh perspective. Let’s consider the stark contrast … Continued

I recently had a challenging but thought-provoking experience with an interior designer. I had this renovation project I wanted to do, and I quickly realized I lack creative thinking around interior design. So, I found a referral for an interior designer. Shortly after I paid the retainer, I began getting invoiced by the hour or … Continued

I recently spoke with a client who shared a challenge she had with her VP. From her perspective, it seemed like he lacked a sense of urgency at the right time. He leads a team of leaders who are all managing multiple complex projects that, in the end, are interdependent for the final product to … Continued

Do you ever catch yourself saying “if I only had this, then I would be happy?” Some days you might be debating with your spouse over an upcoming home renovation, and then woken up at 3:00 am by an upset child, and left laying awake thinking through that difficult conversation with someone at work. A … Continued