When we try something new – especially when that something is public – the loud, internal critic highlights the cracks, flaws, and mistakes. The internal critic triggers self-doubt, false narratives, and – occasionally – paralyzing fear. The fear of being “found out” as a fraud;… Read More »Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Your guiding principles serve as guardrails and filters for difficult decisions and tough choices. The Ancient Greek aphorism “know thyself” is an oft-cited phrase that can be found in nearly every self-help book ever published. In the earliest known uses of the phrase, Greek playwright… Read More »Understanding and Defining Your Guiding Principles and Values
When we build in public, we open ourselves up to criticism. When we pursue our passion, we put ourselves out there for failure. When we accept the promotion, we will be gossiped about. When we ship a product, sell a solution, or deliver a result,… Read More »The One Bully: Overcoming the Negative Voice
Jeff Bezos instilled a principle at Amazon called disagree and commit. The idea is that we can disagree with our opposition, but commit to trying their suggestion. More often than not, they don’t know if their idea will work. Just like we don’t know if… Read More »Taking a Risk on Dissent: How to Disagree and Commit
Applying EI to yourself and those around you gives you the insight to see beyond what is happening on the surface This week, I spent several days teaching first responders various leadership and communication tactics. One of the sessions centered around emotional intelligence, which I… Read More »The Power of Emotional Intelligence
In our current culture, there is a lot of pressure to be the one with all the answers. The expert, the go-to, or the decision-maker. In our current culture, there is a lot of pressure to be the one with all the answers. The expert,… Read More »All The Right Questions
Listening is good, hearing is better. A foundational element to every relationship is communication. Often, we think of communication as projecting our message – through voice, written word, gestures, or signs. More important than talking is listening. And more important than listening is hearing. Hearing… Read More »Listening
Nudges change our behavior, but what behavior are we changing and why? My Apple Watch has daily, weekly, and monthly fitness goals built-in. I wish it had “Vacation Mode” or “Rest Day.” My Kindle rewards me with a digital badge for reading daily. I wish… Read More »Carrots and Sticks, Streaks and Nudges
What got you to where you are will not get you to where you’re going. On most employee evaluations, we can be categorized in three standards: Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Needs Improvement. Those who excel or consistently exceed expectations are often promoted. However, the… Read More »Meets Expectations
One of the greatest parts of my job is the opportunity to connect with special entrepreneurs who have cracked the code on something great. They each have their own story, their own passion, their own reason for being in existence. When I meet them, they… Read More »Everything About Everything