Your resilience reserves are deeper than you think
Several times in my life my resilience has been called on, but I don’t think there has ever been such a sustained period during which I’ve been tested. […]
Mentoring Matters
Not all heroes and sheroes fly, most simply provide mentorship to those around them. This benefit to humanity doesn’t sound like a superpower but, to those who are being mentored, it is the equivalent of an out-of-this-world force, empowering them to excel even through challenges. […]
The 3 B’s of Inclusive Leadership: Beliefs, Biases and Behaviors
We show up to work as our 'whole selves' and, in many ways, this is a good thing. Authenticity is important to well-being and pretending to be someone you’re not is an emotional drain. But with that also comes the challenge of respecting - and actively seeking out - those who are different from us. This is what it means to practice inclusive leadership - creating a space where different views, perspectives, and experiences are embraced. Within us lies the [...]
Why You Need To Be An Effective Communicator (Now More Than Ever)
How - and where - we work has never changed as rapidly as it did in 2020. As we start a new year, the situation continues to evolve but it seems likely that we’ll be navigating working from home - and the dispersed and remote teams that entails - well into 2021. It’s not all bad news though, as working from home offers flexibility and productivity benefits. What has undeniably been lost, though, is in-person communication and the casual encounters [...]
An Important Letter for Racial Reconciliation
The events of this summer have moved me to my core. So I did what I do, I reached for my pen. Here’s an excerpt from my new book collaboration A Collective Breath. Dear White Christians, I love you, and God loves you; but He needs you to understand some things. I need you to understand some things: 1. It is not (insert the name of a Black person you know)’s responsibility to educate you on the history of [...]
The Accidental Mission Trip: Knowing Your Purpose to Make an Impact
In the spring of 2005, ten years into my career in oil and gas, I was given the opportunity to conduct an audit of an international location. I had traveled to several overseas locations, so I decided to pick a place I hadn't been. I connected with a manager, named Paul, assigned in Russia, and began discussing possible dates. Suddenly, the manager who was eager for me to join his audit team was transferred, and now the audit would need [...]
The Need for Compassionate Leadership in the Workplace
In today’s highly competitive, ever-changing marketplace, focusing attention on the fulfillment and well-being of your employees can seem like a luxury. The truth is you can’t afford not to. According to a recent CDC report, 200 million workdays are lost each year in the U.S, due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. This comes at a cost to employers of $17 to $44 billion a year. The bottom line is a happy team is more productive, uses fewer sick days, [...]
Thriving Through Uncertainty – 3 Steps to Regaining Your Peace and Productivity
If you're like me, you realize that there are things in life that are beyond our control. Just a few weeks ago I arrived back home just in time to partner with my husband on our annual Team Malcolm fundraiser in our son’s memory. I had a whirlwind trip to lead a workshop in Anchorage, Alaska, connecting through Seattle to Portland, Oregon to deliver a keynote on resilience. Every word I spoke was from my personal experience and research on [...]
What Happens When We Assume?
If you ask a room full of kids, what happens when we assume? They’ll all giggle and say "you make an ASS out of U and ME". That joke never gets old. But it’s really more than a joke, it’s a life principle! Recently, my youngest son got a job; this is a major milestone and one we were eager to support. Because he was saving up to get a car, he had to rely on us for transportation. [...]
Why Women Leaders Should Welcome the Challenge of a Difficult Employee
Did you know that leading difficult people can actually be beneficial to you? We have all found times when we’ve had to lead difficult people. In retail or business operations, they can deliver poor customer service to your patrons. In project teams, they can slow down the progress of creativity. In any setting, they can drive you up the wall!