by Dana Theus | Oct 15, 2024 | Career Development, Coaching Advice, Communicating With Confidence
Key Takeaways:
-
Women often build great networks but hesitate to use them—and that hesitation comes from deep, gendered wiring. Many women feel “icky” about leveraging relationships for professional gain, confusing authenticity with self-sacrifice. It’s time to rewrite that internal script and own the value we bring to the table.
-
Celebrate rejection—it’s not personal, it’s directional. Shifting your mindset from “rejection equals failure” to “rejection equals clarity” frees up energy and emotion to keep moving toward what works. Detach from the outcome and trust the process.
-
Specificity is your superpower. Vague asks like “help me find a job” rarely go anywhere. But asking for a quick intro, industry insight, or vendor referral? That’s doable—and it builds confidence while reinforcing your network’s ability to support you.
-
Give to grow, but not until you burn out. Building network karma means being generous, yes—but not at the cost of your own time, energy, or goals. Give authentically, and learn to say “no” when a “yes” isn’t aligned.
-
Networking is a bundle of skills—not just one. From setting boundaries to asking clearly to managing emotional triggers, effective networking is layered. Women succeed when we work through all those layers—honestly, imperfectly, and on our own terms.
There is simply no career development strategy–whether you work for someone else or for yourself-that rivals an expanded personal network. This means you need to learn how to build your network in order to find the kind of career satisfaction you want today–and into the future. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, especially for women. I’ve puzzled over this phenomenon for a long time because, even though I have an extensive personal and professional network–and I love meeting people!–my network hasn’t always been as helpful to me as some men I know. So what’s going on? Why do women network in ways that don’t always help them professionally?
As a coach, I’ve looked this even more deeply. I used to wonder: Is there something I’m doing wrong that makes my network less useful? Am I meeting the wrong people? For a few years I felt like a fraud teaching people how to network in my workshops and yet not feeling that accomplished at it myself. Then one day I put two and two together and started implementing some of my own advice more intensely and bam! I connected the dots and my network started to perform more reliable. Here’s the essence of what I’ve learned in the process. (more…)
by Mary | Oct 12, 2024 | Coaching Advice, Personal Mastery
Key Takeaways:
-
Authentic leadership isn’t about sticking to a fixed identity—it’s about aligning with your core and adapting in service of something bigger. Henna Inam’s definition of authenticity goes beyond “just be yourself”; it’s about being present, honest, and willing to evolve moment by moment to lead with purpose.
-
Facing discomfort—your “dragon”—is part of the journey. Whether it’s setting boundaries, shifting careers, or just speaking up when it’s hard, real leadership means choosing courage over comfort to stay true to your values.
-
Self-awareness is the foundation. The book’s 7 practices—from “Befriend Your Body” to “Dance with the Dream”—aren’t abstract concepts, they’re tools for noticing, unlearning, and growing into the leader you’re becoming.
-
We sabotage ourselves more than we realize. Hiding emotions, chasing perfection, doubting decisions—Henna names the quiet traps we fall into and offers practical ways to break free so we can show up fully and authentically.
-
To lead others well, start with yourself. The connection to Agile practices—transparency, reflection, adaptability—runs deep. Strong, authentic teams are built by leaders who are first willing to do their own inner work.
The chapter “Face the Dragon” in Henna Inam’s book, Wired for Authenticity, Seven Practices to Inspire, Adapt, and Lead resonated with me.
Generally, I have no problem speaking up and sharing my thoughts. However, I hate disappointing others, so it can be difficult for me to set boundaries or speak my truth when I know it will upset someone else. I’m working on improving this, but standing up for myself can be difficult.
I think this is why I was excited to read Henna’s book. Being an authentic leader and speaking my truth is something I strive for in my work everyday – in fact, it is the basis of it.
I usually work with product teams that practice Agile methodologies. Agile is an approach to making software, guided by 12 principles addressing teamwork, collaboration, flexibility, and achieving results.
The Agile community frequently discusses transparency, honesty, serving a team, adapting to change, and setting goals. We talk about being authentic. A lot. And the approach is becoming mainstream because it’s a more efficient and effective way to work.
Given all that my colleagues and I discuss regularly, I was curious how she approached authenticity and leadership.
Henna opens her book by clearly defining authenticity:
“Authenticity is not deciding who you are and then rigidly applying this to every leadership situation. Instead, authentic leadership is leading adaptively from your core, choosing who you need to be to serve the greatest good in this moment.”
–page 1
In our individual journeys, I think we all ask ourselves, who is the “real me?” I know I am a work in process, constantly testing and refining my identity and boundaries. With that said, it takes a while to learn the truth about we really are, what we want, and what we value. It’s hard. And sometimes it’s hard to make the right decisions to express yourself and what you need because it’s not the comfortable path.
Henna continues defining authenticity as it not only come from being honest with yourself – each of us needs to slow down, get centered, be present, go beyond our “hardwiring” and experience, to really listen to that inner self and learn what inspires us. According to Henna, we tend to hide – and hiding doesn’t contribute to great leadership.
“Authentic leadership is the full expression of “me” for the benefit of “we.”
–page 7
What stops us? Often self-sabotage. It happens for men and women, similar yet different. It’s about not speaking up, replaying and questioning actions and decisions, compartmentalization, protecting the ego, hiding emotions, and more.
To get beyond these and be truly authentic, she presents 7 practices:
- Befriend your body – 93% of our communication is non-verbal – our body exhibits what we are feeling, consciously or unconsciously. To be authentic– mean what we say and say what we mean – we need to be connected to our body and aware of what we are feeling. Henna provides excellent guidance on how to get there.
- Stay curious – Being curious helps us constantly learn and grow. She encourages the reader to ask questions about everything and challenge every view. Know what drives you.
- Let go – She identifies 9 ways we hold ourselves back from being ourselves and achieving our highest good. She also coaches us how to move past trying to control what we can’t control (other people, situations) rather than what we can control (our emotions, actions and decisions).
- Give yourself an A – Accept yourself – even your “inner loser.” She guides us how to rewire our neural pathways to maintain high self-worth regardless of circumstances.
- Choose Be before Do – “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” (p.111) This is one of my favorite sections. We live in a “doing” culture, believing that we need to take action to get anything done. At times, the best way to get anything done is to let life unfold, be in the moment, and reflect upon what you want.
- Face the Dragon – My favorite example is how a baby learns to walk. A baby needs courage to try, fall down, and try again until he succeeds. We need to bring this courage into our daily lives – to try, to fail, to keep going. Courage is hard!
- Dance with the Dream – Passion is important. We need to put our passions into our work to make our dreams come alive. Living your passions is the only way to be true to yourself.
She structures each practice into sections:
- An overview providing guidance and sharing stories
- An exercise to find your ally, or inner persona that reflects that trait
- Summary of 3 big ideas from the practice
- Questions to ask yourself for self-work
- Activities to change yourself
Before she describes how to lead an authentic team, she encourages you to go to her Web site and complete an evaluation to help you learn about your own authenticity – strengths and weaknesses. It’s only when you are aware of yourself that you can lead a team to authenticity.
The sections about leading authentic teams reminded me of those Agile methodology discussions –honesty, transparency, team/self awareness, openness. She described how you can apply the 7 practices to your teams, and I learned a few ways I can bring this to Agile teams I work with to make them stronger.
Henna’s book is a hands-on manual that will change you.
How did I change? I need to grow my own business and make time available for additional clients and other work. Her book influenced me to take the plunge and shift my 40 hrs/week contract gig to 20 hrs/week. It’s a difficult switch – knowing where money is coming from to some uncertainty – but it’s a switch I need to take to do what’s best in the long-term. I’m now “facing the dragon” and standing with courage to make my dreams real. I look forward to re-reading Henna’s book and experiencing another shift to become the leader I am meant to be.
Authentic Feminine Leadership
Reimagine feminine success
FREE SUBSCRIPTION
unlock your authentic relationship with power
by Laurie | Oct 10, 2024 | Coaching Advice, People Skills
Key Takeaways:
- Jerks at work are energy vampires—don’t let them drain you. They’re out there slamming doors and yelling, but your power lies in how you respond, not react.
-
Don’t take it personally (yes, really). Their behavior is about them, not you—and when you stop buying into their opinions, you stop giving them control over your mindset and your day.
-
Breathe—literally. A few deep, belly-filling breaths can snap you out of stress mode and flip the switch back to focus and calm. Fast, free, and effective.
-
Handle it like a pro: respond with facts, not gossip. If it needs to be reported, keep it clear and drama-free—your credibility (and sanity) will thank you.
-
Find your “productivity vortex” and get back to your peak. Whether it’s a stretch, a quote, or a five-minute meme break—do what it takes to reset and show up like the pro you are.
There is nothing that will ruin your day or drain your energy faster than having to deal with a jerk at work. You know whom I’m talking about.
The guy who slams a door in your face.
The gal who yells.
The guy who throws a temper tantrum when you disagree with him.
Yes, it would be great if this kind of thing didn’t happen. Yet it happens all too often (I worked with someone who did all of these things and more for 8 years) and without human resources coming to the rescue. Even if HR intervenes, dealing with a jerk at work takes a lot of energy and suppresses your productivity and creativity.
They call these jerks “vampires” for a reason. They suck you dry of energy and creativity. Until the difficult person gets sent packing and even if they don’t, you have to deal with him or her. Here are some practical tips for navigating jerk-ism and sailing through your day with a smile on your face and your energy and productivity in tact.
Don’t Take It Personally
I know it’s hard when someone yells at you or slams a door in your face to not take it personally. It is, however, essential. If you want to get on your with your day and create excellent results, you must let it go and not take it personally.
I recently re-read “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz. Agreement #2 is “Don’t Take Anything Personally.” In his words:
When you take things personally, then you feel offended, and your reaction is to defend your beliefs and create conflicts.
When we take someone’s behavior personally we wallow in self-doubt, anger, fear, or a myriad of other streams of thought that take us away from the task at hand. We wonder when HR will reprimand her. We think about revenge. We do everything but focus on performing in excellence.
How do you not take things personally? You recognize that none of what the jerk says is true. Their opinion of you is not true because opinions are not true. They are simply that person’s opinions.
You may think, “but that person will spread those opinions to others and ruin my reputation.” This is where we open the door for fear to enter. We believe that person will ruin my career. We must stop them. These seem like valid concerns.
Before you yourself travel the bunny trail of worry STOP. Don’t react. Instead respond if necessary to clear up the facts. Then get back to work. The facts are in your performance. This is great news because it’s the only thing you can control.
Now that you are not take this person’s behavior personally, let’s dive into some practical strategies to get back on track and moving forward.
Reclaim Your Power and Pose With These Easy Steps
A confrontation with a jerky colleague is disruptive. The key to igniting your productivity and performance is to get back on track quickly. Here are 3 easy steps to get your day back on track.
1. Re-center yourself with deep breathing. When dealing with a jerk, your blood pressure rises, your body releases cortisol and your heart beats faster. This is your fight or flight response in action. The key to getting back to work is switching back into your rest, relaxation and healing mode where you can focus and get some real work done. (No this does not mean get a cocktail and put your feet up, I have a faster solution). Breathing is your body’s reset button.
Take a deep breath in through your nose so it’s nice and slow. Fill up your belly first. Hold for 2 seconds, and then slowly exhale. Do this 3-5 times.
2. Respond appropriately and with the facts. Sometimes our encounters with the workplace jerk are something that needs to be escalated. The person’s behavior isn’t just an annoyance to you but truly harms the workplace. In that case, respond appropriately.
That means not engaging in gossip with all your other co-workers. Don’t rehash what happened with everyone in your life. That won’t heal the matter.
Instead, talk to someone who can address the matter. Whether that is human resources or your boss, tell them what happened. Stick to the facts and you’ll have more credibility. Be brief. Be clear. You want them to get what happened and why it shouldn’t be tolerated. Anything else is a distraction.
3. Get into the productivity vortex. Before you sit back down to get to work, step into your productivity vortex. We all have a zone where we are operating at peak. Like any star athlete, you likely have a routine to get into that zone. If you aren’t aware of one, start to observe what things help you get back into peak performance. Some great options are: stretching, going for a walk, drinking a class of water, reading inspirational quotes, watching funny videos or playing a video game for 5 minutes. Experiment and find what works for you.
Work is no fun when there is a jerk around. However, they don’t have to ruin your day or make you skip a beat in your project. Remember to start with not taking it personally.
How will you address the jerk in your office today?
Originally on: The Ignite Wellbeing Institute
Break Free from Emotional Triggers
Free eCourse
When you’re emotionally triggered, your reactions to stressful situations (and people) feel out of control.
All the stress reduction in the world can’t help you if your emotional triggers are in charge.
These 3 lessons will get you back in the driver’s seat.
by Dana Theus | Oct 8, 2024 | Coaching Advice, Leadership
Key Takeaways:
- Leadership isn’t reserved for the C-suite—it’s a daily, personal choice to stand in your power and be a force for positive change, wherever you are.
- We’ve let go of our dreams and power too easily—traded in our passion for the illusion of security, and it’s time to wake that sleeping leader within.
- Success must be redefined beyond profits and promotions to include purpose, people, and the planet—because narrow goals lead to squandered power and lost opportunity.
- We tolerate too much dysfunction in the name of results; true leaders challenge the status quo instead of enabling it with silence or fear.
- It’s not too late—reclaim your voice, your vision, and your responsibility to lead now, not when it’s convenient or safe, but because the world needs you in the game.
I’m updating my site and found this oldie but goodie – literally like the first blog I wrote in 2011. Reading it, I still believe it. So I’m leaving it up for whatever wisdom it has to offer you. – Dana Theus, Arlington, VA 20025
When did we give up trying to change the world? When did our dreams of making more people’s lives better go to sleep within us? When did we stop believing that we could “beat The System”? When did we allow the jerks and tyrants to run the world simply because we offered no alternative?
These questions are as old as time and as young as the last time any one of us turned the other cheek to let ourselves or one of our employees get away with toxic behavior because they “got the job done;” smashed our head on the glass ceiling and refused to pay the glass-cutter (or paid and regretted it); missed our kids’ championship game to attend one too many project review meetings; or just let inertia carry us through another year of the status quo when our heart wasn’t in it or fear drove us away from our dreams.
Leadership isn’t just about making money or managing legions, it’s about getting up each day determined to cause positive change and living in integrity to do so. Good leaders are people who stand in their own power and set the intention for themselves, their employees, their bosses, their clients and others they influence to make the world a better place. They create organizations and conditions that cause the world to change. Great leaders are willing to move beyond their own limitations, to transform themselves in advance of – and alongside – the world they impact. They define success for themselves and invite the world to show up in new and positive ways. Inevitably it does.
Why now?
Why not? Our world needs us, and I don’t just mean the people and places we see in the news (though of course, they do too.) Every office. Every store. Every .com. Every .org. Every school. Every government. Every platoon. Every meeting. Every team. Every _____ needs good leaders who can stand in their power, and just as importantly, everyone is a potential leader able to stand in their power. When we give up the “requirements” that externally bestowed wealth and the authority to coerce others into action make us leaders, opportunities to lead and impact the world appear at every gathering and email exchange. The world swamps good leaders with opportunity to stand in their power and be the cause of change and transformation in the world around them. What are we waiting for?
Reclaiming Our Power To Lead
I have come to believe that good leadership isn’t always what the Bschools and corporate trainings say it is. I’ve sat through – and run, sadly – too many strategic planning, budget and project meetings with highly trained leadership experts who play off the Bschool notebook and I’ve watched them completely squander their power. I’ve squandered my own power using these methods. Nothing changes and everyone just becomes more cynical.
Narrow definitions of success are part of the problem. My measure of success now is broader than profits or low employee turnover, starting with the triple bottom line (people, planet, profits) and ending with the higher purpose achieved. I hold this high standard because it’s clear that achieving only narrow success metrics is dangerous, leaving the organization and its leader’s vulnerable, and wasting too much opportunity.
Too many of the leaders and organizations that wield great financial and influential power in service of the too-narrow goals give away their power on a regular basis. They accept the golden handcuffs and stick themselves to the quarterly profit tar baby. They adapt to dysfunctional cultures and foster them into the future. And all too often of late, they suffer the public disgrace of greed revealed and the quiet despair of opportunity lost. The world complains – in the news, on the blogs, around the BBQ – but we tolerate it. Why do we – as leaders able to stand in our own power – put up with it? Why don’t we make the few, small, highly powerful choices that unleash waves of change in our economy and world for the better? Why don’t we reverse the tide?
Because we’ve given up. We’ve drunk the cool-aid. We’re too attached. We’re afraid. We replace intention with expectation. We’ve forgotten how to imagine it better. We’ve given away our power.
Time to take back the promise of leadership. Time to own our wounded hero and free ourselves from the fear. Time to reclaim the power that lies within each of us in the jobs we hold today and aspire to tomorrow, not the false power-mask bestowed by the boss, the board or the shareholders, who can just as easily take it away. Frankly, when we succeed, many of them will be happy, because down deep they want a better world too.
Time to lead. Time to change the world through the work we do in it, not in our “spare time” when we’re exhausted and spent.
Join me. Reclaim your leadership potential. If you’ve claimed it, share it far and wide. Stand in your power and cause the world to change for the better, simply because you’re in it. It’s easier than it sounds, and it’s never too late.
A Pragmatic Footnote
The status quo is real. Change for the better is not guaranteed, or even always desired by those who say they crave it. Compromise and dilemma abound. Not every leader is ready to stand in their power and not every organization is meant to survive even when they do.
And that’s ok.
We who are ready; we who remember how to imagine; we who are not afraid to free ourselves of fear; we who are in our power; we will lead the way.
Dana Theus
Arlington, VA
April 25, 2011
If this got a reaction out of you – good!
Become a Master Influencer
Master the art of influence and persuasion with these simple tools you can use with bosses, customers, colleagues and friends.
by Dana Theus | Oct 5, 2024 | Coaching Advice, Dear Dana (Workplace Advice), Insights & Inspiration
Key Takeaways:
-
Gratitude isn’t about denying your frustration—it’s about learning how to shift your emotional state so you can respond from a place of peace and power.
-
Waiting for your boss to change gives away your control; learning to shift your own mindset puts the power back in your hands.
-
Real gratitude comes from finding genuine, meaningful things to appreciate—even if it’s just the clarity a bad boss gives you about what you don’t want.
-
Your emotional state affects your ability to problem-solve; when you feel centered, it’s easier to deal intentionally with the people and situations that frustrate you.
-
Learning to “detrigger” your emotional reactions opens the door to accessing gratitude on demand—and that’s when the real transformation begins.
Dear Dana, I’ve been having a tough time at work lately (crappy boss etc.) and my sister keeps telling me I should be feeling grateful. I don’t see how this is going to help me and I’m getting really impatient with my sister in addition to my boss. What should I do? – Annoyed in Arizona
Dear Annoyed,
I feel you! Those people who are always running around with the answer “love and light” for every question about difficult things can be—annoying!
Fortunately, they’re right, too, but not always for the reasons you might think.
(more…)
by Dana Theus | Oct 3, 2024 | Gender Equality, InPower Women Blog, The Woman Effect
Key Takeaways:
- The world needs more people—especially women—stepping boldly into their world-saving powers, using natural talents like empathy, contextual thinking, and intuition that are crucial for modern leadership.
-
Women’s optimism is a force multiplier; generations of progress fuel their energy and hope, making them uniquely positioned to seize new opportunities and lead transformative change.
-
Internal power and self-mastery—not brute force—are now essential leadership tools, and women are leading the charge in personal development and collective empowerment.
-
Women aren’t just talking about change anymore—they’re creating it: launching businesses, pursuing education, and moving from complaint to committed action.
-
This isn’t about excluding men—it’s a call to everyone to embrace the full range of human strengths and step up to co-create a better world, together.
Never mind that Hilary Clinton didn’t get elected president of the United States. The trend she is a part of is well underway, and I’m not talking about feminism.
Just because no one I know got raptured last weekend doesn’t mean the apocalypse isn’t upon us; it just means we get to change the world before everything goes to hell. The world is in a pretty nasty state, based on the daily headlines, and it’s easy to feel powerless to save it. Yet I know so many people determined to do just that, many of them women. What I’d like to see is more people – men and women – stepping into their world-saving powers, more consciously, more assertively and more effectively.
Note to Men: Don’t stop reading now (if you got this far – kudos to you!) The stuff we ladies are naturally good at – and that the world needs – you’re pretty good at too. Mostly you just need to ALLOW yourself to be good at it!
So why is it I think women are the most likely saviors of life-as-we-know-it? Well, for one thing I don’t think it’s just western women alone that can do this, I think the female of the species has a leg up on our internal wiring, and in the West our cultural position helps a bit too. Here are the four reasons I take sides with His Holiness.
Talent – We’re Wired The Right Way
Tomes have and could be written about this, but it’s just true that women’s skills at contextual thinking, relationships, intuition and even productive multitasking are critical to excelling in our modern world. Ladies – value what you have and BE that way. Men – find your skills in these areas and ignore the social programming to downplay them. Here are a few ideas and resources I particularly like to explore this theme, but there are tons more:
- Whole brain thinking will save the world using the gifts of BOTH right and left brain thinking. Think about it, Western Women. You’ve been natured with a strong right brain and nurtured in a left brain culture. You’ve got it all! Guys, if you have a brain in your head, you’ve got this one available to you too. (A Whole New Mind, by Daniel Pink)
- Businesses with women in leadership produce better results. We’re not talking about all-female companies here, guys. Organizations just need balanced leadership. (Women Lead The Way by Linda Tarr-Whelen)
- The Girl Effect. Women are evolutionarily wired to build wealth in the context of community. This is true in every culture, including the most desperate. If a girl can build a business with a cow in the poorest villages in the world, just imagine what we can do where resources are plentiful. And we’re doing it! (Here’s a link to the original Girl Effect video, which I actually prefer.)
Optimism – We’ve Had Nowhere to Go But Up
It’s not that the guys are tired (well, maybe they are – I don’t know). It’s that women are still discovering more bounty and success around every corner. It’s only been a few generations since the suffragettes were beaten, imprisoned and shamed for wanting to vote. Sure we still suffer pay inequality and underrepresentation in the halls of power, but for at least the last ninety seven years each new generation of women believes that more choice and opportunity lies before her. And where there is opportunity, there is energy to pounce on it. Optimism. Energy. Hope. We’re full of it. Guys – catch a whiff and join us.
Self-Mastery – We Appreciate Internal Power
I happen to believe Lao Tzu had it right and that conquering the self is the first step to changing the world. As the developed world leads the rest of the world beyond the lower levels of Maslow’s hierarchy (yes, I’m reflecting optimism here), I note that it is the Western Woman who is leading the self-help movement to conquer the final frontier of internal – personal – wisdom. Does being a self-help guru make you more powerful and more able to change the world? It can if you stand in power to be a cause of change in the world. When you need to physically fight off the hoards, having some muscles around is a good thing. But when the most pressing challenges involve getting a group enrolled in making change happen, personal wisdom and group power skills are a bit more handy. Even western men and women have a lot of work to do to learn to stand in our power and motivate groups to do the same, but all the wisdom and techniques are at our fingertips. We just have to step up to doing it.
Being – We’re Doing It
By every measure, women are the engine of our economy and the source of unlimited potential to change our world for the better. We’re running more and more small businesses. We’re sending our daughters to college in record numbers. We’re doing it. And we’re bringing our guys along with us. More and more of us have stopped bitching about how hard it is or how under-appreciated we are – and we’re just doing it. More of us are standing InPower to simply BE the cause of change. So do it. Be it. Start now.
What do you think? Am I full of feminista BS? Did I piss off half the human race? I certainly didn’t mean to. Just trying to send out a little appreciation for some under-appreciated reality. I have two sons and my husband and I are teaching them world-saving powers. They’re motivated to serve the world and I’m proud of them. If you’re human, you can change the world for the better. Man or woman – it doesn’t really matter. Do it. Report back.
Guide to Women in Leadership
Organizations with women in their executive suites regularly out-perform others. Yet rising female executives (and their mentors) are frustrated at how hard it is to break through the glass ceiling. In this extensive guide, Executive Coach Dana Theus shares her tried and true strategies to help women excel into higher levels of leadership and achieve their executive potential.
by Dana Theus | Oct 1, 2024 | Carnival, Leadership
It’s time for another installment of the Leadership Development Carnival! Thanks to Weaving Influence and the Lead Change for organizing some great posts from some remarkable leadership writers.
If you’re new to blog Carnivals, these represent a collection of posts from a variety of writers, organized by major themes and presented for your professional and inspirational pleasure.
*****************
Communication
With constant change being the norm in most organizations, exceptional communication has never been more critical to success. This blog unpacks the core traits of effective communicators, offering practical insights for leaders looking to drive employee engagement and inspire their audiences to action.
There was a time – in the not-too-distant past – when we agreed on facts yet differed on their implications. As the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously said, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.” We have departed mightily from those days. How do we figure out which are facts, and which are opinions, and how can we work to focus on facts over opinions? This post offers tips and how-to’s: read on.
Creativity/Inspiration
Lisa Kohn of Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog presents How to start anew, even when it’s old where she shares several ways to focus our thoughts and guide our behaviors that can help us approach our “old” routine as if it’s something new.
Development
AI is everywhere. Have you recently googled something and used the AI generated answer without ever clicking a link from the list? It’s one of my new favorite efficiencies…and it freaks me out a little. In the “if something scares you, it probably means you should do it” kind of way.
“Optimism is the art of seeing the glass as refillable, not just half full or half empty.”
Organizations need to be agile and adaptive. An inspiring purpose, goals, key behaviors, and empowered teams can serve as anchors in a sea of change. How can you develop a future-fit, agile culture and strategy?
As she celebrates the launch of the 3rd edition of Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, Julie explores one of the core concepts of the book: the idea that small, curiosity-driven, conversation-based interactions are a powerful tool to drive career development.
Most leaders spend the majority of their time with their heads down focused on operational details and neglect their own personal development. In 3 Strategies for Working ON the Business, Not Just IN It, Randy explains how leaders can proactively prioritize their own learning and growth.
Let’s take a look at the word “work” and how it can be changed into something richer and more meaningful. I believe it’s a word that embodies redemption, contribution, achievement, community, and, in the end, legacy.
The word: LOVE.
Taking risks can feel daunting, but with the right preparation, those leaps can lead to tremendous growth. By cultivating clarity, building momentum, and embracing discomfort, you can make deliberate choices that align with your values and aspirations. Explore these four principles to prepare yourself for taking risks with confidence.
One powerful lesson in BE 2.0 is that compensation plans alone do not guarantee performance. Collins highlights that some of the highest-paid CEOs aren’t necessarily leading the best companies. In fact, short-term financial incentives can sometimes lead to behavior that undermines long-term success, even if they boost short-term results.
Do you have an employee with a punctuality problem? S. Chris Edmonds outlines four steps to help them learn to be on time.
As leaders, we often focus on external achievements and professional challenges. However, true leadership also involves looking inward and embracing the multifaceted nature of our inner selves. Being open to the various parts of ourselves allows us to lead with authenticity, empathy, and resilience.
Change is both an opportunity and a challenge, but when approached with intentional leadership, it can result in meaningful growth and transformation. By creating a clear vision, fostering trust, empowering your team, modeling the change, celebrating progress, and sustaining momentum, leaders can guide their organizations through change with confidence.
Emotional Intelligence
Learn practical strategies to manage your emotions effectively, enhancing your ability to lead with poise, even under pressure. In this blog, I introduce the critical role of self-regulation for leaders, a skill that distinguishes respected leaders from ineffective ones. How can improved self-regulation transform your leadership style?
Engagement
Anchors exist symbolically in organizations. They are the critical part of grounding teams in why they exist, what they do, how they do it, and who they do it for. They’re a weighty stabilizing force to keep teams focused on a goal.
Productivity
Delegation is a critical skill for leaders, yet many struggle to do it effectively. While it may seem like a time-consuming process, delegating tasks can free up valuable time and empower your team. In this post, explore 10 practical steps to help you delegate successfully and develop your team while driving productivity.
Team Building
Psychological Safety is the Key to a Thriving Team Culture
It is not just a buzzword…
It’s a crucial factor in team success and a cornerstone of a healthy organizational culture.
And it is the feeling the individuals on your team have that they won’t be punished or humiliated for sharing their ideas, concerns, or mistakes.
Check out our previously hosted Leadership Carnivals!
InPower Toolkits for Mentors and Protégés
Advice, templates and topics mentors and protégés can use to level up their mentoring to help women rise into leadership.
by Mary | Sep 30, 2024 | Coffee Break
Key Takeaways:
-
“Ownership” is more than a corporate buzzword—it’s a layered concept that varies depending on your role, from executing a task to being accountable for an entire project’s success.
-
In today’s world of fluid careers, where professionals shift between roles like employee, consultant, entrepreneur, and influencer, ownership becomes dynamic—it’s not just what you do, but how you contribute to outcomes over time.
-
Being the “owner” of something at work doesn’t always mean doing the work—it means holding responsibility for the result, navigating complexity, and often leading without direct control.
-
Tools like RACI charts can help clarify who owns, who influences, and who executes, but they don’t replace the human need for clear communication, accountability, and mutual respect.
-
To truly “own” your work in a modern, ever-evolving career, you need to be clear about your role in each context—what you’re driving, what you’re contributing to, and what you’re ultimately accountable for.
Enjoy this video replay and breakdown of our discussion on ownership at work and what you need to know about it. – InPower Editors.
“Ownership” is a great buzzword, but what does it mean? We are often asked by management to take more ownership in what we do. Agile Methodologies refers to a “product owner” in team structures. But to these teams, a product owner is the person who is responsible for the ROI of the product and often manages a balance sheet. In marketing teams, an owner is often the person who executives call if something goes wrong with a site or published materials.
But how does ownership at work, really work at the office and on projects? And the larger question, how does ownership relate to the fluid career?
What’s a fluid career? Today, professionals are reinventing themselves every 3-5 years as an employee, a consultant, then an employee again or possibly an entrepreneur and back. They may be in related jobs or careers, expanding their skill set. They may go from being a manager to specialist. They may start a new business in another field that reflects their passion. With that said, professionals may also move from being an owner to an influencer and back. But what does that all mean?
What we will be discussing regarding ownership:
- What does it mean to be an employee and “owner” of a task vs someone who influences its outcome or does the work?
- Personal accountability vs owning a task vs being the person responsible for the success of the product/project
- As a consultant and influencer, how far does your accountability go? How much do you own?
- What is your job as the “owner”? What does that mean being an employee who is in charge of a project vs being in charge of a task vs influencing outcome?
- How do RACI charts and similar role and responsibility matrices help here? Or not?
Women Healing Our Broken Relationships with Power
Check out InPower Women – rewriting the historical narrative on women and power.
Together we’re reconnecting to our own power–today!
by Dana Theus | Sep 28, 2024 | Career Development, Coaching Advice, Corporate Culture, Emotional Intelligence at Work, InPower Women Blog
Key Takeaways:
-
The traditional view of the glass ceiling as a boys’ club barrier still holds truth, but it’s not the whole story—gender bias exists, yet it’s no longer just about women being excluded.
-
Simply getting more women to the top won’t automatically change toxic leadership cultures, especially if those women have internalized the very norms that created the ceiling in the first place.
-
The modern glass ceiling may be less about discrimination and more about systemic values—filtering out anyone (women, minorities, Millennials) who doesn’t think, act, or prioritize like those already in power.
-
Increasingly, the ceiling isn’t something imposed from above—it’s a choice to opt out of environments that clash with your values, which explains the rise of women-owned businesses and entrepreneurial paths.
-
If we view the glass ceiling as a values filter, the real question becomes: do you want to assimilate to rise, or are you willing to step off the ladder and define success on your own terms?
What is the glass ceiling these days?
The traditional view is that the glass ceiling is the white male’s comfy, old boy culture at the top that is threatened by the entrance of women into their private enclaves. In these secret nooks and crannies of corporate culture, it’s thought, leadership culture is one of alpha-dogmanship, cutthroat competition and kingmaking where women simply don’t fit.
There is certainly truth to the idea that white men rule the top ranks of most powerful organizations in our world. Studies continue to find that cultural barriers shunt women off the corporate ladder midway to the top, men run the government and gender bias is real.
The prevailing belief I hear most often about how to address this phenomenon – reflecting the assumption that the glass ceiling is just a product of recalcitrant men – is that if women could just shatter past the glass ceiling in greater numbers, we would automagically fix the problem by fixing the culture. However, I’m not so sure it’s this simple. Recent research shows that in at least one traditional organization this did not happen, and there’s no end of anecdotal insight about how some senior women who’ve “made it” do not help their more junior female colleagues. (more…)
by Dana Theus | Sep 26, 2024 | Coaching Advice, Communicating With Confidence, InPower Women Blog, Personal Mastery
This guest post from Laurie Erdman reminds us that even though we are often encouraged to play small and create a work environment where I staffs can play small too, this helps nobody. It takes courage to play big. Where can you play bigger than you do today? ~Dana
Key Takeaways:
-
Fast-growing companies aren’t just good at business—they’re intentional about creating workplaces where people are energized, empowered, and encouraged to play big every day.
-
“Playing big” means leading—regardless of title—and showing up with courage, creativity, and commitment; it’s about speaking up, stretching yourself, and staying engaged in the mission.
-
The payoff is real: when employees play big, companies get innovation, resilience, and results; when individuals play big, they earn promotions, fulfillment, and a stronger sense of purpose.
-
You don’t need a fancy title to shift the energy—whether you’re a CEO or an individual contributor, you can foster a bigger game by honoring others, staying curious, and managing your own energy.
-
The world’s moving too fast for smallness—if you’re ready to step up, lead, and make an impact, now’s the time to play bigger in your career, your life, and your leadership.
Want help identifying ways you can start playing bigger in your current role?
Much is written about why fast growing companies perform so well in a down economy. There are many factors including attitude toward risk, communicating vision, resilience, and embracing innovation.
One overlooked factor is the company’s attitude toward employee wellbeing. More specifically, we rarely hear that fast growing companies (those defying the economic outlook) are committed to creating an energized work environment that fosters resilience, vision and innovation.
One of the ways these companies do this is by creating a place where employees can play big. Are you and your team playing big?
Why Does Playing Big Matter?
We grew up thinking the workplace looks like The Office, 9 to 5 or Office Space with lots of biting, backstabbing, unproductive and honestly, people playing small. In fact, you may work in such an environment. For a long time, I thought that was what work was supposed to be like. And when you’re in that environment you have a choice: get out or you sink to the same smallness.
You can imagine my relief over the last four months as I have researched the interplay of employee wellbeing and the performance of fast growing companies. What I’ve found is these is the vast majority of these companies encourage employees to play big. [NOTE: The centerpiece of this research is over a dozen interviews with executives of companies identified by the Business Journal or Inc. Magazine as fast growing.
It turns out that companies who are growing by leaps and bounds and are the envy of their industries ARE paying attention to the environment and culture they are creating. So why does encouraging their employees to play big matter?
Benefit To The Company
As a manager or executive why do you want your employees to play big? Employees who play big . . .
• Get more done
• Contribute more creativity, provide excellent customer service and innovate
• Are more resilient to changes in the marketplace and customer demands
• Care about and will live the mission of the organization
• Are more flexible and nimble
• Are more engaged in your mission and vision
Benefit To The Employee
As an employee, why would you want to play big in your career? People who play big at work . . .
• Get promoted more often
• Get the plum assignments
• Get compensated more
• Feel more fulfilled because they contribute more
• Have a bigger voice in the organization
• Have more energy and better health because they feel part of something bigger
• Are happier
What Does It Look Like To Play Big?
Now that you see why playing big at work is important, what the heck does playing big look like? In general, playing big means leading. Specifically, people who play big at work . . .
• Speak up, even when it feels risky
• Ask for support, even if they’ve been denied help before, but only after exhausting all other resources to get things done
• Admit they don’t know something and set out to learn it or find someone who knows how to do it
• Go the extra mile to deliver excellent customer service
• Go the extra mile to save money while producing an excellent result
• Ask how they can support others in getting the job done
• Are fully engaged in the mission of the organization
• Lead regardless of their title
How To Get Your Employees (Or Yourself) To Play Bigger
The bottom line is employees who play bigger and contribute to the bottom line are more energized. There are numerous ways to create an energized workplace and in this article I’m focusing on those factors that will encourage you and your employees to play bigger.
Now before you say, I’m not a manager or executive so this doesn’t apply to me, stop. The things that managers can do to get their team to play bigger are the same things you can do to play bigger in your own career.
The strategies that came out of the research on employee wellbeing and company growth showed that to get your employees (or yourself) to play bigger . . .
• Acknowledge the work of your employees, team mates and boss
• Know what’s important to your employees, co-workers and boss and honor that in your words and action
• Be flexible
• Keep your word to your employees, co-workers and bosses
• Stay calm and collected
• Treat your employees, co-workers and boss with respect
• Actively listen to your employees, co-workers and boss
• Ask questions so you know you truly understand your employees, co-workers and boss, i.e., don’t assume anything
• Manage your energy so you are sharp and avoid crashing and burning
• Encourage your employees (or your self) to network
• Master time so you can get more done in less time
• Invest and engage in professional or personal growth for you and your employees
A workforce that is playing big is unstoppable. They set the pace in the industry and they deliver excellence. The world is moving too fast to play small. It’s time to play bigger. Your future depends on it. Your company’s future depends on it. Get out there and lead.
And if you are playing small in your career and need to energize your leadership, career and life, join me for Lean In-Lean Back: Do I Have To Choose, Create Your Leadership Roadmap For Career And Life and get back on track.
Guide to Women in Leadership
Organizations with women in their executive suites regularly out-perform others. Yet rising female executives (and their mentors) are frustrated at how hard it is to break through the glass ceiling. In this extensive guide, Executive Coach Dana Theus shares her tried and true strategies to help women excel into higher levels of leadership and achieve their executive potential.
