This weekend I took my daughter and her friend to see the new movie “Oz The Great and Powerful” based on the classic book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. The occupational hazard of having a mom who is a leadership coach is that you don’t get to actually just eat the popcorn and enjoy the movie. You...
Coaching Advice
INSPIRATION: Celebrate
Yesterday…. I turned older. Maybe wiser, I’m not sure. But older, I’m sure. There’s something fun about trying to stop time for a few minutes once a year and look backwards and forwards through the timeline of my life. I do this on my birthday and on New Years. And I always ask myself, “Am I who I...
INSIGHT: Practice
Does practice make perfect? No. But that’s not a reason to skip it! Why do we think we should get it right the first time? Without practice, we’d never get feedback and without feedback we’d never know our impact on the world. Without knowing our impact on the world, we could never adjust...
The #1 Rule for Effective Leadership (at Home and at Work)
Beyond the Golden and Platinum Rules, in our crazy busy world the one rule everyone should follow daily above all is, “Don’t be a jerk.” When I am frustrated, under pressure or running late, I masterfully rationalize my “jerky” behavior. I act as if my needs are more important than anyone else and...
INSIGHT: Just Do It
No, this isn’t a Nike ad. Somewhere in between “I know” and “I don’t know” is where we discover our own personal line between success and failure. It’s good to know your strengths and weaknesses and one of mine is living in the Stretch Zone. You know, the place between “I’m certain I can do that...
A Mentor Is Not Enough
By: Dr. Tanvi Gautam What you need is a mentor! We have all heard that piece of advice at some point or the other in our careers. Organizations believe in this idea too and many make it a policy to assign employees to mentors. While this concept is well-intentioned there is an inherent flaw in the...
No Sexism Here – 3 Ways Men Can Help Women
Ladies, I write a lot for women, but I talk to many men who want to help us too. I recently wrote this for Smartblogs on Leadership (where lots of men hang out) and thought you might like to pass it on to the men you know that have women (especially younger women) reporting to them. Enjoy! If...
5 Tips for Being a Leader to Your Employees
By: Mary Schaefer Do you simply manage the people who work for you – or do you truly lead? Consider utilizing what naturally engages human beings at work, like appreciation and a sense of being a meaningful part of something bigger than themselves. The result is an increase in your company’s...
Don’t Cope With Stress, Neutralize It
As I was taking a walk down memory lane the other day and remembering my teen years, I realized that many of us are acting like teenagers. Remember how we thought we were invincible back then? We did stupid things like drive too fast, drink too much and play with fire. We’re lucky to be alive with...
What’s The Worst That Could Happen When You Speak Your Mind?
I like working with men, I really do. Of my clients and colleagues, the gender mix is evenly distributed. Over the years, I’ve become accustomed to being the only woman in a room full of businessmen and have never felt excluded or diminished. When I read the vigorous (and occasionally venomous)...