Recently I was guest on the Leadership Hacks Podcast with my esteemed colleague, Jill Windelspecht, a fellow executive coach and organization consultant. Jill invited me to bring my best hack (shortcut/workaround) to the conversation, so I showed up with the most basic tool in my box: Breathing. You’ve heard me say it before: if you … Read more
Imagine you have decided to travel. You call your travel agent or visit online and share, “I am going to Paris!” “Great!” they respond, then ask. “From where are you departing?” And you say, “I don’t know.” What will that agent tell you? “Sorry, I can’t get you TO somewhere unless we know … Read more
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I. What Is Happiness To You? I recently began work with a coaching client based in Taipei, Taiwan. We are literally halfway around the world from each other geographically, yet both interested in the same topics. As we began our work together, he shared that he was excited to work with a Happiness “expert,” … Read more
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ I. Do You Ever Say “That’s Just Who I Am.”? I recently attended a small, multi-day conference that provided us—speakers, participants, and organizers— the opportunity to form a community beyond just the scheduled sessions. Our conversations over meals and breaks ranged across diverse topics, from applying our conference learning to work to travel adventures, … Read more
387 words of content, but it’s mostly about the pictures. Approximate reading time: 1.5 minutes, and a 9-minute video for later, in which you’ll learn how to change a habit and build a confident body. And isn’t your Happiness worth it? This newsletter speaks to Leadership, Happiness, and Coaching in your life and work. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ … Read more
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ STOCKING STUFFERS Like the little gifts stuffed into Christmas stockings or given to children for Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, this month offers a wide assortment of challenges and sweets ANNUAL RE-RECRUITMENT Special year-end reminder to leaders and managers: don’t forget that employee engagement is driven by conversation that helps people feel connected to their … Read more
Do The Holidays Make You Stressed? Next week in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday rooted in our agricultural past, when all would gather to give thanks for a good harvest that would see the community through a harsh winter. I confess that, for all the holiday’s focus on gratitude, I am not … Read more
Reflecting on a Transition In January I will celebrate my 20th anniversary as a business owner. Before becoming a solopreneur and The Executive Happiness Coach(r), I spent 20 years as a leader in the corporate space, so I’ve called myself “a recovering corporate executive.” As I shift toward having more time OUT than IN the corporate … Read more
A Story About Leadership I’m currently working with three clients who, in different ways and for different reasons, are working to improve their organization’s Performance Management systems. The three cultures differ dramatically, as do the issues that need addressing. Yet a common issue has emerged at all three: we need to do a better job of setting … Read more
Happiness is Noticed for its Absence… Picture this: I am sitting in a room with a leadership team who are frustrated with high levels of behavior often associated with employee disconnection: turnover, absenteeism, gossip, backbiting, lack of discretionary effort, cliquishness, zero input during meetings, constant griping about even the tiniest things, and a pervasive sense … Read more