A workforce that doesn’t feel safe to express who they are, let alone the emotions that make us human, is a workforce that is suppressed and works in a fear-based culture.
You’ve been a leader for quite some time, and you’re stepping into a new position or company. Maybe both! The ambitious women I know are actively working on making the most significant impact in their first 3-6 months (maybe longer), but, even the best and brightest are bound to make some of the most common leadership mistakes. Don’t we
When it comes to career advancement, what are some of the factors your female talent is considering? It might be the position and scope of the role, how much it pays, and the leaders they’ll be working with, yet ultimately, women want to know they’ll be set up for success. We’ve heard a lot of talk about the importance
Have you struggled with visibility? The kind that garners the promotional opportunity you’ve been thinking about and know you deserve? That’s the thing about getting noticed; you want to be seen and valued for your experience and skill set, and when you’re not? You question yourself. In this hybrid world we live in; work environments have changed. Research has
Have you ever had something happen at work, whether it was a meeting gone wrong or an exchange with a client you manage only to have it throw you off for the rest of the day? You wish you could get a handle and regulate your emotions, but all you can think of is what was said (or, in some
One of the hardest things to do as an emerging leader who’s committed to elevating their leadership skills is doing so in a toxic workplace culture. Let’s face it, a workplace environment has a strong influence on any leader trying to level up, including considering who they’re surrounded by. We’ve all been in a workplace environment that screamed, “Run for the
If there was any habit you could drop like a hot potato, what would it be and what new habit would you create instead? We all have habits we’ve developed over time that simply don’t serve us, yet we hold onto them because they’re a part of what we do day in, day out like clockwork. The same is true
At one point or another in your career, you’ve likely felt the urgency to chase the next promotion, go after that bigger title or get the corner office. All in the name of status, to prove you’re worthy of the big bucks and let’s face it – even if it led to burnout. Likely doing whatever it takes to get
If there was ever a time where emotional intelligence was needed, this moment in our global evolution would be it. New leadership – the kind we need more of in our world and we’ll see more of in the future of work calls for emotional intelligence. Have I said it enough? Maybe. I know I’ve written about it quite a
With remote work becoming more than just a trend, so is corporate well-being in the future of work. Frankly, to me, it’s just – well-being and we need to start thinking about creating work environments that support it. With a global pandemic prompting leaders to happily wave goodbye to old ways of working, we saw many making lifestyle changes that reminded them
With all the rave the Olympics bring, while I haven’t been glued to my TV like the rest of the world, my ears have perked up recently. When gymnasts like Simone Biles are making waves with the decision to withdraw from her final routine for her wellbeing, you pay attention. We can’t forget Olympian, Naomi Osaka who withdrew from The
The art of communication. I wish we had learned more about effective communication in school, especially difficult conversations, the same way so many wish they learned more about financial literacy, emotional intelligence and the importance of well-being. They’re just so darn important in all areas of life and, especially, in business. One of the most common challenges I partner with
The pandemic changed every one of us for better or worse, and for many (especially women), it shifted how we lead ourselves in our businesses and personal lives. Perhaps with care and attention. While the global crisis had a disproportionate effect on women in the workforce, it also presented an opportunity to lead bigger and bolder moving forward. It’s what
Feeling stuck sucks. Believing you’re stuck is even worse. The difference between the two is one see’s possibilities and the other doesn’t. I often hear leaders ‘shoulding’ all over themselves that it robs them of making choices that come from wanting to do something. It’s a classic sign of a leader, who is wrapped up in the cultural definition of what leadership looks like,
If leadership had a story to tell, what would it be? Is it, to be a great leader, follow the lead of those who’ve come before you demonstrating what success looks like and you’ll be successful? Or would it be to be a leader, you need to work yourself into the ground to build a successful business? There are plenty
Neglecting your mental health is like expecting a plant to grow without water. It’ll eventually die. That’s how important your mind is to the rest of your body. And it’s what often goes unnoticed when working alongside our peers, colleagues and leaders. Just because we don’t see what someone might be dealing with doesn’t mean all is well.
In a world where we talk more than we listen, it’s a gift when we can truly be heard. Let that sit with you for a minute. The average person speaks at about a rate of 150 words per minute (wpm) and can hear at a rate of 1 000 wpm but we know how we communicate goes far beyond
We may be a year into a pandemic yet, leading in a virtual environment is still a struggle many leaders face. Many of us have adjusted to a new way of living and working by now, yet, managing others in a world that is still undergoing tremendous change adds another layer of complexity. The roller coaster of emotions stemming from
It’s what you feel when people are being true to who they are yet, it’s not always easy to see in a leader. Authenticity. During a humanitarian crisis around the globe that continues to unfold, the spotlight has been on leaders. Not in hope that they have all the answers, but instead we looked to those leaders who were leading
There’s been a collection of buzz words we heard a lot since the pandemic, resilience being one of them. As it relates to corporate, much of the focus has been on organizational resiliency, even when we speak of leadership resiliency. Driving an organization to success in uncertain times while the future continues to be unknown is important, yet, the kind
We’ve redefined ways of working and living in the world of COVID challenging our outlook on what the future of work looks like. Workplace culture was suddenly disrupted and brought into question asking, leaders, “How do we continue to flourish in a remote environment?” The changes organizations have made have not only been in response to what’s happening on the global stage
If you thought leadership wasn’t for the faint of heart before the pandemic, you’re right and it’ll only become amplified in 2021 and beyond. It’s the reason why we see some leaders talk the talk but not walk the walk. Well, leadership involves both. It’s not only doing all the things we know to be true about what leadership is
If you type “business 2021” in Google, you’ll get a list of business trends, predictions and suggestions on what kind of business ventures to invest in that’ll yield the greatest success. Not surprising when you think about the impact 2020 had on businesses from multi-national corporations to your local mom and pop shop. There were some hard lessons learned and some that
I’m still coming out of holiday mode and all of what was 2020 because let’s be real – it was A YEAR! A year I was quite happy to say goodbye to. A new year tends to bring a whirlwind of excitement for the success and possibilities that lie ahead, which inevitably brings failures. I don’t say that from the
When I think about creativity in the workplace, one of the things that come to mind is self-expression. The thought of having a diverse group of individuals share their ideas in their own individual way is what brings people together and helps move things like innovation forward. We know for people to freely do so, they need to feel safe.
Brace yourself. It’s not the first time I’ve written about trust and it likely won’t be the last. Trust is the foundation of every relationship we have starting from the early years of childhood. It’s also the very thing that can take time to build but be broken in an instant. We spend years cultivating our relationships, building trust in
We’ve heard a lot about what skills will be in demand in the future of work, and more specifically, post-COVID. At the height of the pandemic, we also saw how HR experienced one of their biggest challenges this year alone. To say they had their plates full is an understatement. From sudden and quick changes to managing new ways of
If you’ve watched your company culture shift and evolve this year, you’re likely not alone. When people were forced to work from home during the early stages of COVID, the rituals and traditions that bond employees in an organization naturally were put on the backburner. Changes came fast and suddenly while HR and leadership communicated new expectations, safety protocols and new ways
Every year we make predictions and share new ideas that we expect to see in the year to come. With 2020 teaching us lessons in ways that forever changed the world, we’re bound to see plenty of trends and long-term changes that are here to stay. This year brought to light what needed to change and what should change. More
As former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss says, “Every day is a negotiation.” In fact, it’s one of the most important skills to develop as a leader. Fortunately, you have ample opportunity to exercise the art of negotiation daily without negotiating the shirt off your back. Should I make dinner tonight or order in? Should I workout or sleep in?
You may have had some of your plans fall through this year because of COVID and, for those whose livelihood depended on crowds and large-scale events, work was reimagined. That said, when the world throws you a curveball, we don’t have to put our ambitions or career aspirations on the backburner. I was catching up with one of my mentors
I can’t help but think about what’s left of this year. We’re heading into the winter months and for many of us in North America, that means moving into hibernation, more time with those we live under the same roof with, all while working through an extended crisis. Working from home may be something we’re all used to by now
Have you ever heard of the expression, “There’s too many cooks in the kitchen?” At work, we call it workplace conflict. We’ve all experienced some form of workplace conflict, some more than others. Inevitably, as close as we may be with our peers or colleagues, we’re bound to have disagreements even with the best intentions to do and show up
We’re in the home stretch friends! The end of the year is in plain sight as discussions have begun on what’s next for the year ahead. Before we get to 2021 planning, I can’t help but think of what many organizations will be preparing for first – performance reviews. A conversation leaders and employees should have all year long to
The hustle and bustle of work-culture and the fast-paced work life have been celebrated forever and a day. A lifestyle for many in the corporate world – but was it really working for you? I can confidently tell you it likely wasn’t. It wasn’t working before and it’s definitely not going to hold up in a post-COVID world. I saw
Whether you’re a leader at work or not, you’re the leader or, as I like to say, the Director of your own life. Leading yourself in all domains of your life first so you can show up as your best to the world, from the workplace to your relationships. In corporate, this can seem like a far stretch as you’re
Technology and digital advances are happening faster than we can keep up with and has us playing catch up more often than we’d like. It also has us constantly measuring our productivity and looking for ways to do things faster and in some cases cheaper. What does your level of productivity cost you when it’s not optimal? As a leader, you might
Do you ever wonder as a leader how do you inspire your team? Perhaps you might also consider how to inspire those around you in your personal circle, such as your family and friends. It’s one of the most common goals I hear from my clients when we begin coaching. I want to inspire my team. I want to be
In a time of uncertainty and doing business in the unknown, upskilling has jumped a few notches on the scale of priorities. The workforce continues to diversify with multiple generations and in the age of COVID, it’s now illuminated the importance of preparing for the future of work. If there’s anything this pandemic has brought to light, it’s the race
During the past several months, we’ve seen how a global pandemic shapeshifted us in how we live and work. So much so, it’s made me wonder how fear has affected workplace cultures that are long overdue for a culture reset. The ones that have little to no pulse (in other words, they’re dead), the heart of it is gone and
We’ve all heard the saying, “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what’s expected.” Yet it’s often underrated in the workplace and undervalued by leaders. Across organizations where employee engagement and increasing productivity are hot topics, leaders are overlooking easily one of the most inexpensive strategies that could be saving them thousands of dollars each year. How?
In the era of COVID, social connection and relationships, in general, have been top of mind for many of us. The ways we connect have shifted and evolved from our work relationships to our friendships (sometimes one and the same). As a lover of community and connection, I’ve thought about the long-term impact of work relationships and
Trust. The foundation of our relationships. You can say without it, there is no relationship. Even so, when there’s a lack of trust, there’s an unhealthy dynamic with the very people we call family and friends, including those we work with. It’s such a powerful arm to relationships that in the workplace, a lack of trust can leave people feeling like the
There’s endless opportunity to create and build a stronger tomorrow post-COVID, collectively and individually. On a global scale across the institutions and systems that help govern how we live and support our economic, environmental and social development, our corporate landscape also has room to improve. The future of work can only be called ‘the future’ for so long before it’s
Losing some of your greatest talent sucks. We’ve all been there as leaders where some of your key talent and strongest performers have chosen to resign for various reasons. Anything from a better opportunity to personal reasons I’m sure you’ve heard before. During a global pandemic, it’s no different. Yes, sadly many have been laid off and lost their jobs
Working from home was an adjustment for many of us as we transitioned back in March while navigating the stress that came with a global pandemic. Soon began the tips and tricks to stay motivated, productive and engaged while settling into your new (or should I say familiar) environment. Your bed, couch, the kitchen and whatever other creative places you
So many of the discussions across the globe have centered around change for racial injustice, systemic racism and the need for this time to be an ongoing conversation that’s no longer taboo and one that lasts beyond a ‘trend’. In our corporate landscape and in the workplace, the global movement we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks created discussions around
If you told me in 2019 the year 2020 was going to be one of the most ever-changing and historical times, I would have said, “you’ve got the wrong planet, sounds like an awful movie.” Yet, 6 months into the year, we’ve experienced a global pandemic that would have us reimagining life and business, coupled with recent events like the
Unlike most of my other posts, this week I was truly struggling with what to share, what to write, in light of recent events. What could I offer that would land and be received in the way I hope it would. As I brainstormed and reflected on a few different topics my audience and others would find value in, I
Remember when you loved having the flexibility to work from home? You saw it as a perk, while others saw it as a part of work-life and now it might just be a part of your reality – for good. As businesses acclimate to what a new work-life experience will look like post-COVID, companies like Facebook and Twitter have announced a transition that will
