Most Recent Posts
Dear Dana Interview Advice: Am I More Than What I Do?
Key Takeaways: “Interview advice”: before you even schedule a conversation, ask yourself whether it’s worth the time—for you and for them—because preparing for and attending an interview takes focus, time, and energy. Doing an interview you don’t intend to take can...
Sanity Challenge: Powerful Bosses Don’t Listen
Key Takeaways: “Bosses don’t listen” isn’t just your frustration—it’s a documented pattern: the more powerful the leader, the less likely they are to heed advice, and that growing infallibility makes everyone anxious and decision‑making worse. Too much deference to a...
Managers: Are You Ready to Hire Bots onto Your Teams?
Key Takeaways: The robots are coming Whether they’re steel, software, or smart algorithms, robots are already reshaping white‑collar roles—and middle managers must begin preparing now for a future where machines handle analysis, prediction, and many decision‑making...
Working Mother Advice: Back-to-School Tips & Tricks – Part 2
Key Takeaways: Working mother A relaxed “back‑to‑school meeting” with your kids a week or two before classes begin helps ease everyone into a new schedule—discussing bedtime shifts, lunch‑packing preferences, and new routines so the transition feels intentional, not...
Dear Dana Workplace Advice: Self Care for Leaders During Layoffs
Key Takeaways: Layoffs affect leaders too: While the focus is often on helping those who are laid off, team leaders also experience significant stress, including guilt and additional work. It's important to recognize that leaders need support as well. Adopt a mindset...
Dear Dana Workplace Advice: How to Run a Meeting When You’re not in Charge
Key Takeaways: How to run a meeting When you’re not in charge, structure it with two clear sections: first, tackle the business matters promptly; second, allow the more free‑wheeling “bunny trail” or ideation time, so you can gently redirect digressions back to the...
Popular Posts
How to Overcome the Imposter Syndrome: Make it Your Best Friend
Mary finally received her promotion! After years of positioning herself and working on her personal brand she finally achieved her goal and had been put in charge of a product division for a major manufacturer. Predictably, our first executive coaching call in her new...
Leading in the Age of AI
Iron Man vs. Athena for CEO – Leadership Battle of the Sexes?
Key Takeaways: The Battle of the Sexes in Leadership: Traditional leadership models often favor masculine traits, but modern perspectives recognize the value of integrating both masculine and feminine qualities for effective leadership. Desirable Leadership Traits:...
How Emotional Intelligence in Leadership is a Strength, Not a Weakness
Key Takeaways: Emotional intelligence isn’t a trait you either have or don’t—it’s something you can lose and reclaim. For me, rediscovering it after burnout completely changed my leadership, motherhood, and happiness. Self-awareness is the first step toward...
Women Getting to the Top: Change Culture vs Change Behavior
Key Takeaways: Cultural shift requires both top-down and bottom-up momentum: True change happens when organizations address bias at the systemic level and when ambitious women step up as visible examples of leadership. One mid-level manager can’t do it alone, but many...
Leadership
Signs of a Toxic Boss: How Good People Can Succeed In the Executive Suite
Key Takeaways: “Signs of a Toxic Boss” go beyond isolated frustrations—they paint a picture of leadership that’s self‑centered, emotionally reactive, and ultimately corrosive to trust and authenticity. Toxicity often creeps in through ruthless behaviors: unrealistic...
Sanity Challenge: Powerful Bosses Don’t Listen
Key Takeaways: “Bosses don’t listen” isn’t just your frustration—it’s a documented pattern: the more powerful the leader, the less likely they are to heed advice, and that growing infallibility makes everyone anxious and decision‑making worse. Too much deference to a...
3 Ways To Recognize Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
Key Takeaways: Emotional Intelligence In The Workplace shows up when petty disputes stay small: In emotionally intelligent cultures, small personal conflicts are resolved directly between people rather than escalating upward—so leadership only deals with issues that...
Women in Leadership
Remember: You Are Not Your Job
Key Takeaways: You are not your job—and forgetting that can leave you feeling hollow when roles change or careers shift. True identity is not tethered to a title or paycheck. When we over-identify with our jobs, setbacks at work can feel like personal failures....
A Mentor Is Not Enough
Key Takeaways: A mentor is valuable, but it isn't enough—especially for women aiming for leadership roles. Studies show that while mentors provide guidance, sponsors—those who actively advocate for you—are crucial for career advancement. Without sponsorship, women...
The Top 6 Reasons Women Are Not Leading In Corporate America As We Need Them To
Key Takeaways: Corporate America is still falling short on gender parity at the top, and it’s time to ask the hard questions. Despite all the well-funded diversity programs and the clear business case for inclusion, too many companies still don’t know why women are...
Mentoring
Five Steps to Start A Mentoring Circle
Did you know that according to this 2011 Linked In survey of 1,000 women professionals, while 80% said having a mentor was important, only 20% actually had a mentor? In my work as an executive coach and speaker, I notice how easy it is for many women to second-guess...
How to Coach Women to Greatness
https://youtu.be/EUF_um3yTzc Women in the workplace are struggling against burnout and career interruption as they recover from extra burdens placed on them from the pandemic. (See comments for details.)As a woman, this feels like an uphill climb and to the mentors...
Do Hard: The Most Important Mentoring Tips For Women In Leadership
Much is written about how few women make it into the top leadership positions. The reasons are complex and multilayered, so there is much to write. But I consistently find several mentoring tips for women both maximally effective and minimally understood when I talk...
Career Advice
A Mentor Is Not Enough
Key Takeaways: A mentor is valuable, but it isn't enough—especially for women aiming for leadership roles. Studies show that while mentors provide guidance, sponsors—those who actively advocate for you—are crucial for career advancement. Without sponsorship, women...
You Are What You Think: The Significance of Your Word Choices
Key Takeaways: Word choices shape more than just conversations—they influence your reality, your relationships, and the path your life takes. Every word you say holds weight. Workplace jargon can subtly shift perception and behavior, often reinforcing exclusion or...
The Top 5 Mistakes Women Make Receiving Feedback
Key Takeaways: Receiving feedback as a woman often means managing style critiques, not just performance issues: Women are disproportionately given feedback about how they behave—not just what they achieve. This makes receiving feedback more personal and often more...
Interviews
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Diversity & Inclusion
A Guide to Allyship: The Authenticity Paradox and How to Help Women in the Workplace Move Past It
Key Takeaways: Key Actions for a Guide to Allyship: Men and women can support women in leadership by assuming competence, mentoring and sponsoring them, calling out bias, and fostering visibility. Allies should also work to educate themselves about the unique...
Breaking the Mold: Thriving as Women in the Workplace Built for Men
Key Takeaways The workplace needs to evolve to support women: Traditional workplace structures, designed with men in mind, often fail to accommodate the needs of women in the workplace, hindering their advancement. Women bring unique strengths to leadership: Qualities...
Which Double Standard for Women Applies To You? All of Them?
Double standard for women in leadership is an age-old problem, but it turns out that it's not just a problem for leaders; it's a problem for all women in the workplace. Key Takeaways: Numerous Double Standards: The article highlights the plethora of double standards...
