Be Kind, Not Nice

I recently received a bit of wisdom from a colleague of mine, and it was very important in a conversation I had today with a client, so I”m passing on to you. First, an important distinction between being NICE and being KIND Nice is about what the other person is thinking and feeling–it’s their perception … Read more

Don't Use these Four Dirty Words at Work!

Here are four words that you should not tolerate in the workplace: FAKE – this is toxic for a leader.  If you do not show up in an Authentic way, people will sense it.  Be genuine. FEAR – when we are uncomfortable, we tend to withdraw.  Leaders must step into the DIScomfort of difficult conversations, … Read more

What are you planting for your future?

I recently took inspiration from a retelling of this story, which speaks to the power of Integrity. The Emperor and The Seed (unattributed) Once there was an emperor in the Far East who was growing old and knew it was coming time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or one … Read more

Exercises to Strengthen Your Emotional Muscles

You do crossword puzzles and Sudoku to keep your cognitive skills sharp, and you walk and life weights to keep your body strong… but what do you do to strengthen your EMOTIONAL muscles? Here are a handful of exercises to improve your Emotional Intelligence — an especially critical skill set for leaders and influencers.

Stop Managing, Start Leading Your Life

Many people think the terms Manager and Leader are interchangeable. I use these words to define two DIFFERENT roles we must play to be successful, at work and in life. Both are important, yet in different ways – and the most successful among us strive to achieve a balance between the two…

7 Ways to Turn Your Organization Upside Down

One of the major obstacles to change and growth in an organization is something we call “Organizational Inertia.” In physics, inertia is: the tendency of matter to remain at rest if at rest, or, if moving, to keep moving in the same direction, unless affected by some outside force.” In common language this means that … Read more