Reader I'm just checking in to let you know I'm thinking about you. Last week was the one year anniversary of my father's death and funeral. So I am having a little grace for myself. I've taken a few weeks off from writing this weekly blog because I couldn't find the focus in words or even message. Grief is funny that way It shows up and sucks all the air out of the room, while simultaneously honoring life and love. Tomorrow I join a room of over 50 people at the SHRM Tennessee 2025...
10 days ago • 3 min read
Reader I'm not a big Marvel fan, but this line from the Toby Maguire Spiderman movie has stuck in my brain: "With great power comes great responsibility." Last Thursday I taught my Human Operating System model to a group of nonprofit leaders. The punchline is simple: You have tremendous power and influence over the results you get. Much of your thinking is habitual and keeps you stuck You can intentionally disrupt this habitual thinking You can replace your self-limiting thought with an...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Reader do you ever get that sinking, heavy, fluttery feeling in your stomach? It's July 13th, my oldest daughter's 16th birthday. She just passed her written drivers test and now we are headed to Florida with her former gymnastics coach and my good friend, Rebecca. Tomorrow morning we must be at the New College in Sarasota by 1PM to drop my daughter at her two week Duke Tip marine biology program. We stop in Atlanta for some fun, then continue to the Georgia/Florida border to spend the night....
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Reader, procrastinating is the sneaky play of your avoider. Your avoider uses a variety of stories to trick you into inaction: I don't want to do that thing It can wait till later Maybe somebody else will take will take care of it I'm not ready yet I can't do it well enough so I might as well not try And although there's truth in each story, it's only a half truth. The other half of the story is: If I get this done now I will get it off of my mind The sooner this is done the sooner I can...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, if you want to grow do this... I used to teach gymnastics. I would watch girls work so hard to learn a new skill only to have their overall performance decline at the meet despite nailing the new skill. In sports this is known as the a temporary dip. I told them the one and only sports psychology truth I knew: the dip is expected; perseverance is the key. Now I find myself in that same situation. I started playing pickleball in March and I am just starting to feel like I can hold my...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, steal this and avoid the dreaded PIP. To protect their anonymity I'm going to call this client Acme Incorporated. They had an attendance problem that was quickly becoming a turnover problem. Workers were consistently arriving late or calling out at the last minute, which resulted in internal chaos as remaining staff scrambled to deliver services to the on-site clients each day. Every day felt like the team was short staffed creating extra stress for managers, workers, and clients....
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Reader, last week I hit a mental low. One of my closest friends packed up her life and moved 15 hours away. Even though I know we will remain friends, I am feeling deeply sad to lose the spontaneous hangout in person opportunities. Her presence got me through one of the toughest times I have faced. She matters to me. So in this state of sadness, Miranda (my inner critic) decides it's the perfect time to call me out as completely inadequate, pointing to my failure to be further in my business...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, I have a treat for you. Meet Beatrice. My daughter just sent me this picture, and it got me thinking that Bea has a lot in common with us. Reader, how would you describe her vibe? I see trust, love, curiosity, and readiness. She is a fun-loving kitten, about 12 weeks old, and needs the same things we do. Psychological safety: Bea is up for pets from anyone. She trusts that humans will be caring and fun playmates and quickly makes friends with new people. She smartly sheaths her front...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, I've been stricken with vacay brain. My eyes pop open. Dawn is breaking. I grab my phone to see 6:00 a.m. on the dot. I pause to take stock following my 36-hour round trip to St. Louis by car. Do I need more sleep? Am I ready to start my day? I feel good, and walking with my dogs at the park sounds invigorating. My feet hit the floor and I start my day thinking about all the productive work I am going to accomplish. I walk the dogs, grab a light bite, make my morning posts on social...
3 months ago • 3 min read