When your core values align with your employees, clients, partners and vendors, you can make mistakes. When trust is high, and you’ve delivered on what you said time after time, you can make mistakes. When you go the extra mile, especially when it’s not required or expected, you can make mistakes. When you’ve done none of the above, don’t be…
When you pursue a dream, a future opportunity, or a goal, all kinds of concern, worry, and fear can show up. After all, it wouldn’t be a future possibility if you already knew how to do it. Recently, while working with a group of CEOs, one of them declared something big. It was something career and life altering that wasn’t…
I’m asking myself a question these days which moves me in much more certain directions. It’s become the mantra I need at this time in my life and in business. The question is clarifying. It helps me say “no” much more confidently. Saying no has created space and confidence as more and more situations are calling for my attention. What’s…
The greatest opportunity during communication is for miscommunication. Read that again. I know I need to. Somehow, in my day to day, I forget regularly that it’s up to me (as the speaker) to ensure any person (whether an audience, a family member, a client, or friend) understands what I mean. I frequently refer to this reference from NLP (Neurolinguistic…
Intention. It sets the course for action and determines what we do and don’t act upon. It’s great to be active and productive, but actions without intention won’t necessarily lead to the result you’re seeking. Often, with clients, the data they rely most heavily upon is about what’s already happened. While that’s useful and gives us a 20/20 look backward,…
Only 7% of your communication is the words you choose, yet we spend our time crafting the perfect words for our presentations, pitches, and difficult conversations. Don’t get me wrong, the words are important. They’re just not as important as we make them. 93% of what matters is not the words. It’s the other “stuff” that creates meaning for our…
Most leaders are competent, independent, nimble, opportunistic, over-committed, and growth oriented. They are hard-working, smart, and caring people who want to make an impact as leaders and through their businesses. They are open-minded and curious, direct and challenging, but they just aren’t seeing the ROI they deserve for all their hard work. They are a team of leaders. Most entrepreneurial companies…
Have you ever felt like you’re “off,” but you can’t put your finger on why or what exactly is “off?” I sure have. Typically, when this happens, I’m running too fast, my calendar is packed (maybe even MORE than usual), and I have no space or time to think. Life seems transactional, simply moving from one thing to another. When…
You don’t have to be smart to be successful. You need to be wise. This contradicts some of what we’re pushing in our world right now. Smart is the ability to take tests; the emphasis is on memorization and production or output. Wisdom comes from experience, risk taking, mistakes and being able to think – truly think and problem solve.…
Have you ever caught yourself creating stress where there wasn’t really any? Me too. I create deadlines all the time. It’s what I do to be effective and accomplish things. It’s also a good way to manufacture anxiety, irritability, and cause yourself pain. When I catch myself imposing deadlines on house or work projects which really aren’t driven by a…