How Stories Keep us Trapped I’ve worked with countless leaders who’ve let their stories run their lives. All because somebody or some circumstance planted a seed a long time ago. Someone told them they couldn’t do it. They weren’t enough. They couldn’t make money. They didn’t have what it took. And that story mingled with…
Check out your impatience quotient. Patience is a gift and a virtue. Impatience drives fear, worry, anxiety and misunderstanding. Opportunities for having patience are readily available on a daily basis. You may be waiting on a response from someone. Traffic is slow. Impatience causes snap, automatic responses of judgment. Your reaction is an emotional response;…
1. Communication – The power of words (or lack thereof). Effective communication and leadership are entwined. Whether you lead others or your own career, communication is more than passing on your message. It also involves powerful listening; providing and responding to feedback; verbal and non-verbal communication. Tips: Avoid using disqualifying language that discounts what you…
I doubt many of us wake up in the morning thinking consciously about this issue, thinking about the impact of our privilege on the systems in which we live. There is likely no intent to marginalize some groups, but intent does not equal impact, and avoiding exploring where privilege and rank take place in systems…
As a consultant and coach, I often hear and read that there is a bit of a resignation that we can’t do anything about our biases. We may not be able to fully remove them, but I disagree that we cannot do anything about them relative to creating inclusion and breaking through stubborn practices that…
There have been great talks and helpful articles published on how to get over or take charge of Imposter Syndrome. Most of these are geared toward the individual, as though responsibility and work are only up to them. Leaders, it is time to consider that transforming imposter syndrome is a two-way street. Leaders also need…
Imagine a ladder with the highest rung being blatant racism, the description of which many of us consider to be racism. This is defined as extreme, white supremacy, KKK, lynching, the kind that the Civil Rights Amendment was supposed to eliminate. All too often, we compare levels of racism, avoiding the deeper work because somewhere…
All too often, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs are a check-the-box action, which only promotes further action for very few. Many leaders want to look at bias, but have steered away from wanting to discuss racism, privilege, and inequity. What!?! Can this be an option any longer? You cannot take a serious, extensive look and hold…
Now, more than ever, the need to do something different, to take action is a MUST. This requires behaviors that are more than saying “hello” to someone you have never paid attention to before. It requires looking inside to see where you are complicit with racist ideas, policies, procedures; where sexism is operating full-on; where homophobia…
Be aware of your emotional state. Take note of emotional reactions that are triggered by circumstances and other people’s words or actions, as well as your own thoughts and actions. When someone is triggered and experiencing an emotional reaction, working, and communicating are difficult. It is challenging to focus on anything other than the source…