Hey Reader! As I write this, we're in heavy storm prep here in southwest Florida where I live. By the time you read this, the storm's likely left a mess of mud and heartbreak to clean up. Now, I've been through hurricanes before. So here's what I already know about the "after"-- I'll need help. Smart, capable people like you and me have such a hard time asking for help, don't we? We think, "Oh, I don't want to bother them," or "Well, I'm sure they have their own stuff they need to handle."...
7 days ago • 1 min read
BLOT for Reader--layoff season means it's time to make sure others see your value. Read how here. Something weird happens at this time of year, right Reader? No, it's not pumpkin spice underload . . . It's something a whole lot more gruesome: layoffs. I heard from a few of you this week that your companies announced end-of-year layoffs--or that you suspect some are coming. Being laid off can suck for air, even if you're expecting it. It can be just as hideous to be among the ones left. Since...
14 days ago • 2 min read
If there's one thing I've learned, Reader, is that there are two sure-fire investments you can make in life that will always pay off. 💰💰💰 The first investment is in your own brain. Understanding it, adding to it, using it—definitely fund that account any day of the week and you'll always see positive returns. 💹 The second investment is in relationships. Because everything else you need happens through people. Yup, there's no getting around that. So how do we build—and maintain—good...
21 days ago • 2 min read
Recently Reader, Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy announced that folks who worked in a traditional physical office before Covid would now be asked to return five days a week, starting in January. It's not an easy decision to make. As Jassy and other leaders contemplating such a move know, returning to a physical office location marks a big change in routine for those now living a laptop life—a change sometimes welcome, sometimes not. This week alone, I had two coaching conversations with senior...
28 days ago • 2 min read
I don't want to scare you, dear Reader, but with September's arrival, the race to the end of the year is ON! Personally, I can't believe it. Some days my brain still thinks it's April, with plenty of time to fulfill my plans for the year. Okay, let's not panic. There's still plenty of time to do what we need to and become more of who we want to be. But here's one thing I've learned over the years as a coach. Taking five minutes to think today about how you want to be seen in 2-3 months may...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Before smartphones were a thing and Polaroids were for special occasions, my mom skipped the whole "smile for the first day" photo op that's now become a social media must. There's evidence we had a camera (see adorbs me and mom below); but I'm betting the first day was one to celebrate, not commemorate. But I always get a little misty at back-to-school time. It's not that I miss school. Heck, life's a school. In it, I'm both a teacher AND a student. There's a pattern that emerges. Maybe you...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
So Reader, I'm off this week celebrating my birthday. 🎂 So instead of writing something for you, I wondered if you'd write something for ME? Here's the prompt: Tell me something good that's happening with you & your work. Tell me what you're proud of. Or something you're about to do, or did recently, or are working on. I want to hear how you're wearing your red cape. You know--the time you soared through the sticky situation or crappy challenge. Where you stopped and did the right thing for...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
So Reader, it's almost my birthday. And this year, it's a big one with a zero on the end. 😳 I'm rarely frightened by big zeros, but this milestone's been troubling my big beautiful brain a bit. I'm talking back to it, though, remembering that my grandmother used to say "birthdays are better than the alternative." Me, I'm incredibly grateful to add another year to the roster, especially after all the world's challenges of our recent past. Typically, I like birthdays a lot, and I know some of...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
I'm still laughing at this story a friend told me, Reader. Here goes . . . As he approached a big birthday, he decided to do a little vision boarding. 🎂 If you don't know what that is, it's when you gather pictures that help you visualize who you want to be, what you want to do, what you want to have, etc. Some people assume it's kind of woo, but there's solid research that visual reminders help us take consistent action toward our goals. But this story isn't about vision boards. 👁️ Like many...
2 months ago • 2 min read