In the training on coaching skills that I give for a client, one of the modules is about your inner critic. It can be a voice to get you going or keep you stuck in fear, depending on what it is “saying” and how you’re interpreting it. It is a voice intended to protect us but that also means it keeps us comfortable. Here are some examples: “Oh no, don’t do that, you’re not strong or smart enough it’s […]
In my first “real job” at Motorola, I and a coworker had a project to improve the cumbersome process for materials that were rejected for some reason or other and waiting on disposition from one of the Engineers. It was decades ago but I can still see and hear the strain in this little old man who ran this little room (picture a large walk-in closet with a half gated door with a hunched over little man who liked […]
A few weeks ago, I posted about “Coaching Strong Leaders” and how being vulnerable increase your authenticity as a leader. Unfortunately, if done the wrong way it can backfire and do the opposite of what you intend. I once knew of a leader who encouraged me and others to be more open and sharing and yet he did not demonstrate this at all. This made him come across as a hypocrite and undermined his trust with me and the […]
I purchased this necklace when I was on a business trip in Singapore. It was years ago, but I remember how I felt like it was yesterday: scared and vulnerable. I was in a big leadership role with big expectations and a big staff reporting in to me. I felt like I was supposed to have all the answers, know what to do and have it all together all the time. My reality was far from this “supposed to” […]
It is often easier to see another person’s need to shift or change their path than to see your own; sometimes it takes time away to see which way to go. I’m happy to be back and would love for you to continue with me here, reading and commenting on my posts! I’m still very aligned with my mission: internalGPS® is the resource for business leaders and professionals who want to live the life of their dreams. The shift […]
Sometimes I think I’m on one path and then find out I’m on a completely different one, learning things I really did not expect. For example, I started down this path of accomplishing a pivotal goal. A pivotal goal is one that accomplishes multiple things in multiple areas. This goal was more personal than business and yet I am sharing it here because I’ve experienced (and seen my clients experience) more business success by also setting and accomplishing personal […]
In my coaching and speaking I refer to an experiment where one person is given twenty dollars and told that they decide how much to give to a second person. The second person has one chance to say yes or no. The catch is that both people have to end up with some money or neither receive any. Earlier this week I did this with two volunteers at a speech I gave at a professional association conference. The volunteer […]
One of the most common challenges that I hear from my clients is about how to give feedback for accountability that will result in a change of behavior. In her book, “Daring Greatly” Dr. Brené Brown explains that both giving and receiving feedback is an act of vulnerability. It is very tempting and easy to “armor up” with protective anger, self-righteousness or threats when giving feedback and unfortunately this rarely results in the desired change in behavior. I know I […]
No matter who you are, what you do, or where you want to go, you absolutely cannot do it alone. You need relationships. And if you want to have a journey that is more successful, fulfilling, smoother and more enjoyable, then you need to have great relationships with the people all around you. At work. At home. Even in the line at the store or in the car next to you on the backed-up freeway. Yes, even those strangers […]
How are you programming your internalGPS to be (more) creative and innovative as we go into this new year? Every one of us is creative; I used to think this was reserved for my very talented Mother and Sister who always had (and still have) a creative project going. I’d say, “Oh I just didn’t get that gene.” What a bunch of crap, I have just as much creativity as the next person and this idea of not being […]
