The Whipp

I was on a train back from Madrid to Málaga with my family and another family after a weekend packed with 45,000 people running the Madrid Marathon. The nine of us were finally heading back to Estepona when things started to go sideways. First came the texts from friends already home in Estepona, three hours … Continued

I was chatting with a new friend recently about this incredible community of families I travel with. Imagine a group trip… with no drama, no fuss, no weird group text politics. Just good humans, great kids, and a shocking lack of side-eyes and over-organizers. It’s like a unicorn of group dynamics. As I was gushing … Continued

I was talking with a client recently who was wrestling with a big decision. One of those career-changing, life-altering, “is-this-a-genius-move-or-a-terrible-mistake?” kinds of decisions. And as we talked, he kept circling back to the same thing: “I feel anxious. I feel uncertain. I feel like I might be making the wrong choice.” And then came the … Continued

Let’s talk about loyalty. Not the kind your dog shows when you so much as think about opening the fridge, but the human kind—the kind that shows up in workplaces, boardrooms, and even friendships. Some people are drawn to power like moths to a very expensive, well-lit flame. They meet someone powerful—maybe a CEO, an … Continued

As a leadership coach and a mid-life human myself, I find myself asking: Should a coach stick strictly to leadership topics, or are we truly in service to a leader if we address the bigger, more personal obstacles that inevitably impact their work? Let’s start with the reality. Leaders are not just their job titles. … Continued

After a year-long, down-to-the-studs home renovation—including new insulation, windows, roof, HVAC, and more—I thought we were set for whatever Mother Nature threw our way. But as this winter’s extreme cold set in, I noticed something troubling: long, drippy icicles hanging off every side of the house. Not exactly the picture of energy efficiency I had … Continued

If you could peek upstairs in my brain during a typical workday, you’d probably find a golden retriever energetically wagging its tail, ready to help and leave people feeling happy. That’s who I really am: someone who genuinely wants to be of service, to contribute, to make things better for the people around me. And yet, despite … Continued

Since we are officially past the “Happy New Year” greeting window according to Larry David, I’ll just say I’m thankful to be back in your inbox. This week, I want to share a profound experience I had at MEA’s Transitions Retreat in Santa Fe, New Mexico. When I arrived at the retreat, I was burnt out (yup, I’m an … Continued

Dessert First: Part Six (of Six) Part One: New view, new you: The power of a workation Part Two: Dessert first: Putting fun before function Part Three: How to build a strong community Part Four: Too happy to be busy  Part Five: I’m here for a big life We’ve covered so much in my dessert-first … Continued

Dessert First: Part Five (of Six) Part One: New view, new you: The power of a workation Part Two: Dessert first: Putting fun before function Part Three: How to build a strong community Part Four: Too happy to be busy When you’re surrounded by people from different walks of life, backgrounds, and cultures, you start … Continued

Dessert First: Part Four (of Six) Part One: New view, new you: The power of a workation Part Two: Dessert first: Putting fun before function Part Three: How to build a strong community In my first book, Too Busy to be Happy, I focused on what can happen to us mentally when we let certain … Continued

Dessert First: Part Three (of Six) Part One: New view, new you: The power of a workation Part Two: Dessert first: Putting fun before function Part Four: Too happy to be busy By now, you probably know that I spent 12 weeks in Greece this year with 22 other families. It was a life-changing experience, … Continued

Dessert First: Part Two (of Six) Part One: New view, new you: The power of a workation Part Three: How to build a strong community Part Four: Too happy to be busy What would happen if we turned our days inside out? Or upside down? If you read Part One of my series on living … Continued

Dessert First: Part One (of Six) Part Two: Dessert first: Putting fun before function Part Three: How to build a strong community Part Four: Too happy to be busy This past April, I took a leap of faith. Or rather, a leap of fortune. I packed up my family and my business, Leader in Motion, … Continued

You can tell a lot about a boss from how they react when you give your notice of resignation. I’d argue it says even more than when you start a new role. While saying goodbye to your top talent is never easy, I’ve noticed time and time again that standout leaders have the ability to … Continued

Is there anything worse than having to beg for recognition? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into this issue with coaching clients and within organizations. It comes in many forms: Star performers who aren’t being compensated fairly or who deserve a pay increase but haven’t gotten one; employees who are clearly ready … Continued

Ever had that awkward moment when someone lets you know that you have broccoli between your teeth? It’s not the most comfortable experience–and for a moment, you’re likely going to feel very embarrassed–but deep down, you know they did you a huge favor.  This is a perfect metaphor for a critical concept in leadership: giving … Continued

As someone who’s spent the better part of her career on coaching and leadership training, you know that effective leadership is important to me. I know what a difference high-quality leadership can make when it comes to a business’s overall success. So a few weeks ago, when one of my clients approached me with challenges … Continued

If you’ve been paying attention to the Best Boss Ever podcast, you know that there are a few topics that come up regularly–and one of them is confidence. So often, when talking to guests about their “best boss ever,” we end up touching on the way that boss enhanced my guests’ confidence. This is just … Continued

As many of you know, I’ve been hard at work on my second book and it’s brought up a lot of memories. It’s also made me take a hard look at what brought me to this place in my career, and why I’ve had such a strong focus on creating more “best bosses” as part … Continued

We so often hear that life is all about balance, and while in many ways that’s true, I think the term work-life balance has led us astray. Because at the end of the day, it isn’t really about “balance”—it’s not always going to be 50/50 when it comes to work and personal life. It’s not … Continued

It seems no matter what we do, stress is an inevitable part of life. And this is especially true when it comes to work. Whether you’re stressing about finances, promotions, deadlines or a difficult colleague, there always seems to be something in the workplace that adds to our woes.  And sometimes, that difficult colleague is … Continued

It’s a good question, isn’t it?  Status is one of those things that we don’t actively think about, but it’s ingrained in our society and more specifically, corporate culture.  By nature, when you get the bigger title, the bigger job, the higher salary, the better office, there is an assumption that you’ve now elevated your … Continued

In episode 55 of my podcast, Best Boss Ever, Jon Cogan shared his experience with his “worst boss ever”—a leader who epitomized the antithesis of ideal leadership qualities. This particular boss was notorious for deflecting blame and hoarding credit, a behavior pattern that demoralized the team and eroded trust. It highlighted the frustration and disillusionment … Continued

In today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving world, thinking of leadership as a one-stop destination is like expecting your smartphone to never need an update—it’s pretty unrealistic. For years, I’ve been asking leaders to think of leadership as a practice, much like a legal practice or a yoga practice; one that’s focused on growth and adaptation rather than … Continued

In today’s world, your personal brand is more important than ever. I talk about this a lot with high-potential leaders, because how you’re seen by those around you greatly influences the way people respond to you. It’s a piece of the leadership puzzle that we don’t often think about, but it’s so important to your … Continued

The world is changing. The days of employees spending 30+ years at one company are over. And the same way employees are showing less and less loyalty to their employer, employers are showing less and less loyalty to their employees. “Mass layoffs” is a term heard ‘round the world, and it seems to be affecting … Continued

For better or for worse, you likely attribute a number of traits to one (or both!) of your parents. The way you look, the way you talk, and the way you think can all be traced back to your genetic makeup and formative experiences in childhood.  But there’s one area of your adult life that … Continued

Can you be a leader if you “officially” have nobody to lead? That’s a question that’s come up quite a few times recently. For example, I’m a solopreneur. While I have a number of adjacent businesses and contractors I work with to execute various areas of my business, I don’t have a team that directly … Continued

I’ve been traveling a lot for work lately, and last week, I had the privilege of staying in a gorgeous hotel. However, when I woke up for my day of meetings, I realized there was no hot water. I tried and tried again, finally giving up and resigning myself to an ice-cold shower. (So much … Continued

When you write a book called Too Busy to be Happy, it’s only natural for clients to ask about said busyness. How can they reserve more emotional real estate for their personal lives? How can they get ahead professionally without consistently giving up their free time? Is it necessary to always go “above and beyond” … Continued