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...
Coaching Advice
The Upside of Office Politics
Key Takeaways: Feeling like a victim of office politics is more common than you think—but staying stuck in that mindset keeps you from recognizing your power and learning the rules of the game. Office politics isn’t evil; it’s just human dynamics in action—who gets to decide what, how praise is...
Manage your own career – advice from Sharon Miller
Key Takeaways: Sometimes we think we're steering our careers, but in reality, we might just be going along for the ride—letting employers, bosses, or life circumstances nudge us off course without realizing it. Acting out of frustration or urgency—like leaping from one job to another without a...
Fear of Failure and Embracing The Inner Loser
Key Takeaways: Fear of failure is sneaky—it creeps into our dreams, our self-talk, and our leadership style, convincing us we’re impostors just waiting to be exposed (usually right before a big presentation). We all have an “inner loser”—that voice whispering that we’re not good enough—and...
Dear Dana Workplace Advice: How to Handle a Bully Who Stoops to Going Through Your Trash
Key Takeaways: Bullies thrive on negative emotions: Responding with anxiety or anger to a bully gives them more control. Learning to manage your emotional reactions through detriggering can make you less of a target and help you handle the situation calmly. Detriggering is essential for...
How to Deal with Annoying People
Key Takeaways: Choose your battles wisely: Sometimes staying silent is stronger than reacting, especially when the situation is petty. Not every conflict deserves your energy, so reserve it for the things that truly matter. Silence can shift the energy: When confronted by a jerk, resist the urge...
Discovering the Roots of Your Restlessness
Key Takeaways: Feeling restless, sad, or stuck—even in a seemingly “good” life—is often a signal that you’ve drifted from your authentic self, not a sign that something external needs fixing. Choosing comfort and fear-avoidance over fulfillment can slowly erode your sense of joy and purpose—it’s...
Blend, Don’t Balance Work and Life
Key Takeaways: Work-life “balance” is outdated—embrace the blend. Life isn’t a neat 50/50 split; it’s a constantly shifting mix of priorities, and it’s okay if the ratios change day to day (or hour to hour). Guilt doesn’t serve you—cut it out. Women often carry a heavy load of guilt about letting...
The Psychology of Goal-Setting Success
I am a student of goal-setting success. Early in my career I began to notice that I was more likely to meet some of my goals than others. Being curious, I began to experiment and reflect on which goals led to fairly effortless success and which ones might predictably end in frustration. My most...
Career Coaching Tip: The Limits of Empathy
Early in my career, empathy was my ace-in-the-hole management technique. I was all business when it came to helping my team on technical, process and performance issues, but if they had an emotional reaction or issue, I reverted to empathy because it was the easy thing to do. I learned that when I...








