One of my best friends recently said, “I know I’m being judgmental, but I think you’re fantastic!” It’s funny how we associate judgment with negativity. My friend and I had a good laugh at that, and it put me in mind of the importance of acknowledgment. Clients often tell me that compliments feel phony or […]
The head of HR of a digital ad agency recently expressed to me their need to manage diversity. Whether it’s a client base with diverse consumers, or the reality of an everchanging workforce, diversity is here to stay. Managing it is multi-faceted. And as my HR contact knows, having a workforce that is varied in […]
One of the things I encounter with coaching is that people are very uncomfortable telling their story. Yesterday’s HBR Daily Idea was about this topic. Clients will say, “What about that time, in 1993, when my promotion was delayed by six weeks because the company was being acquired?…How will I expain it in an interview??!!” […]
When I was 28 or 29, I told my sister that I felt like I was at a crossroads. If I only knew which path to take, everything would be OK. I love thinking, daydreaming about the future. And I love figuring out strategies to get there. Which is good, because it’s something my clients […]
“Why did the chicken cross the playground? To get to the other slide!” This is one of my children’s current favorites. As I prepare to leave tomorrow for a much needed vacation, I am thinking about the importance of fun, laughter, physical activity and pleasure reading. As Americans, we live in a country where work […]
At a cosmetics industry event in June, I asked a senior executive about her major challenges. Her reply was almost immediate, “It’s hard to always be the cheerleader!” Who among us has never been frustrated by a lack of ability to motivate or influence direct reports, customers, or members of other departments. As a boss […]
June is half-way through the year. It’s a nice time to think about measuring progress, especially if you’d like to enjoy some breathing room over the summer. And because I love metaphors, I am going to share with you a mega one, a Franken-metaphor, it’s a combination of several that I have collected over the […]
Over the last several months my practice has expanded to include corporate clients in addition to individuals. Admittedly, I have dragged my feet as I struggled to find the right voice. After all, how can you advocate for the individual and the organization at the same time? Actually, I have always felt that self-aware individuals […]
About 12 years ago, I went to see a nutritionist. I had recently gotten a new job where I had to “wine and dine” clients. The 5-10 pounds I had lived with were becoming 15-20. Read: “OK, just one more dessert…” What I learned from the nutritionist was simple, yet profound. My overeating was not […]
Last week I went with my kids to see “Flight of the Butterflies” at the Natural History Museum. The movie tells the story of the Monarch Butterflies’ annual migration from the northern US and Canada to a very specific place in Mexico. Amazing. It got me thinking about nature’s power, its potential…and its limitations. Also […]
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