Last week I had three clients call me, all in the thick of trying to control an emerging or developing issue. Two organizations were looking for advice on how to be proactive, while the third was trying to convince its board of the value (and importance) of getting outside help. What they had in common was they were each scrambling…

Every January I work through my vision and goal setting for the coming year. I know I’m not alone in doing this as it seems to be an annual topic of discussion with many of my friends. I can’t count how many times quitting a job, going after a dream job (or less soul sucking job), getting a promotion, learning…

I hate New Year’s resolutions. Why? Because they are often broad, overarching statements that have little accountability or are grounded in reality. They are often based on something we aren’t happy about or did wrong in the previous year, without really reflecting on the lessons learned or understanding why we didn’t accomplish something (exercise, being more patient, quitting a job…

Right now I’m busy running kids to activities, shopping for presents and going to holiday gatherings. Let’s face it – it can all be a bit much! While this time of year is about giving to others, I wonder when, if at all, we give ourselves permission to give to ourselves. Now I’m not talking about going for coffee with…

When I worked for a corporation, we had a corporate training department that offered a long list of in-person and web-based courses and trainings for employees. About once a month I’d scroll through the training calendar looking to further develop my skills (and resume). While there was lots of health and safety, Microsoft office, and IT training, soft skills training…

I was recently at a networking event and came away frustrated and upset. As I reflected on the evening, I thought about how many people are lacking core listening skills. Despite talking to many people, I left not ever feeling heard. In the majority of conversations, people are waiting for the opportunity to talk versus actually listening to what the…