This is the time of year when stress is running high while patience is running low—especially at work. So here’s a simple tip to help you get what you need from your team, peers, or even your boss without adding fuel to the fire. It’s basically the Occam’s Razor approach, named after the Franciscan friar … Read more
Communication – customized for your listener – is one of the most critical elements of leadership. Here are some strategies to demystify the process.
Depending on which of the many research studies you read, between 8 and 19% of people who set New Year’s resolutions actually stick to them. No doubt, you figured this out years ago when you bought that January 1st gym membership. Yet, 2020 was such a heartbreaking year, it’s important that we go into the … Read more
Back pre-Covid, I was speaking at a tech company and, after my leadership talk, a young woman approached me with that question. Why am I always underestimated? She went on to tell me she’d graduated with honors from a top college, worked on Capitol Hill for a year, and had two years of experience with … Read more
I’d be willing to bet that it’s no coincidence that the first month of Q4 is also National Women’s Small Business Month. Both give me a sense of energy and drive, like that last caffeinated spurt as you sprint to the finish line of a huge project. In celebration of women business owners everywhere (yay … Read more
No doubt you’ve heard the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Allow me to add, “And if you want to succeed, make sure others do as well.” It’s only lonely at the top if you’re up there all by yourself. And who wants … Read more
After my early jobs as a talking Christmas tree at a local mall, a tap dancing bear at Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park and…yep…the hand model for a Fancy Feast cat food ad, I realized that that particular career path did not bode well for my future. So with my theater arts degree firmly in … Read more
A very wise member of my Wednesday coaching group asked me what I wanted to leave as my legacy. After getting past the eerie notion that I was about to write my own obituary (a worthwhile exercise, btw), I gave the question some serious thought. No surprise, I thought about my personal legacy first. Specifically, … Read more
I’ve never been to a high school or college reunion. When you go to a different school every year, people tend to lose track of you. But I had a great virtual reunion recently with an old friend from my uni days. As we strolled down memory lane, mindful of knee problems and early-onset osteoporosis, … Read more
This week’s Twitter hack got me thinking about my past career as head of public relations and communications for three major Hollywood studios. You might not think that my entertainment background would qualify me to talk about crisis communication, but you’d be surprised how much you learn when you’re the spokesperson explaining mass layoffs, lawsuits, … Read more