I was sitting across from a client recently. She had just received approval to add a new position to her team, something she had been hoping for all year. “This is a big deal,” she said.  “I want to get this right. I need someone who can handle the work, but I also need someone who fits into the team dynamic. Someone who doesn’t drain the team. Someone who shows up with the right energy.  They need knowledge, skill, AND the right disposition. I don’t want to spend the next si

I called a local office supply store because I needed a new printer power cord.   The young person who answered the phone was friendly and eager to help. She asked clarifying questions, placed me on hold, came back for more details, then put me on hold again. This happened several times , her enthusiasm never faltering! Finally, she returned sounding thrilled and triumphant. “Okay! I have good news! We do sell that power cord,” she said, then paused and added, “...but it come

I was recently on a customer service call trying to resolve an issue. The company had fully embraced AI, which meant I was initially stuck in a loop with an automated voice determined to “help.” You know the automated kind: cheerful, efficient, and completely incapable of understanding your actual problem. After multiple failed attempts to explain my situation, I was finally given the option to talk to a person. And what a difference that made! The representative who answere

A client once told me about stepping into a C-suite role after her predecessor retired.   The culture she inherited was remarkably toxic. Her new executive assistant explained that under the previous leader, mornings often began with a quick “pulse check.” If that previous leader seemed tense or irritable, the assistant would quietly walk the halls and whisper to staff,  “It’s not a good day!  Lay low!” Imagine the emotional energy that kind of environment consumes.  The coll

At the turn of the year, many of us pause and look back. What worked?What didn’t?What are we proud of? What do we quietly wish had gone differently? Recently, I was talking with a CEO who shared a ritual they’d done around the Winter Solstice. They wrote down what they didn’t want to carry into the new year: habits, patterns, and weight they were ready to leave behind. Then they identified twelve wishes or intentions for the year ahead and burned one each day until New Year’s

It’s the holiday season, which means twinkle lights, plans, parties… and for many of us, pressure. Especially if you’re a "recovering perfectionist". This is the time of year when we want things to go exactly right, every meal on time, every gift thoughtful, every detail handled  just right . We tell ourselves, “It’s fine, I’ve got it,” while quietly holding our breath. And, in reality, we all know that somewhere, somehow, along the way, something won’t go as planned. We’ll f

When you step into a new leadership role, it can feel like drinking from a fire hose: names, systems, expectations, acronyms, timelines, and a hundred new things to learn "yesterday".  You often spend so much time feeling lost, uncertain, and behind.   And even when your heart is in the right place, your brain can only hold so much. I remember a moment early in my leadership journey, after stepping into a role that stretched me well beyond my comfort zone. In those early days

Recently, I opened up social media and the first story on my feed made me literally say out loud, “NO WAY!”   It was that kind of post: intriguing, outrageous, and just believable enough to catch my attention. So, like many of us do, I clicked. And, with my mind thinking, "this can't possibly be true!"... I decided to check Snopes. And, you guessed it, it was a lie. But here’s where it got interesting.  The second post? Also unbelievable - dishonest, divisive, and misleading

I remember a time I heard the words, “I’m disappointed in your leadership” from someone on my team. I felt them land in my chest like a punch.   They came from someone I respected deeply, which made them cut even deeper.  As someone who strives to be an intentional leader, I knew, in that moment, I had two choices: defend myself… or lead myself.   I took a breath and said,  "Would you be willing to share more?" And then I listened. I heard about the moments they had hoped fo

It’s been a year. 2025 has had some incredible highs and some pretty hard-hitting lows. I’m guessing I’m not alone in that. There’s been a LOT to juggle, a lot to carry, and plenty of reasons for big emotions. And so, during this week, I call Gratitude Week, I like to pause and  notice what’s good - what is going well, what makes my heart smile, what gives me hope... Ryan Seacrest has a segment on his radio show called “Tell Me Something Good,” and I love that idea. Not as a