Blog
How to Stay Calm and Set the Tone for Your Work Culture
Whether you’re leading a team meeting, navigating conflict with a colleague, or facing resistance from a stakeholder, how you respond in moments of tension sets the emotional tone for your entire work culture. Leadership presence isn’t about being the loudest in the room. It’s about composure under pressure. And few skills are more essential for…
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Trusting Your Gut at Work: What It’s Really Telling You
Have you ever had a quiet inner nudge that something just isn’t right at work? A gut feeling you can’t explain, but you can’t ignore either? That inner voice is worth listening to. Especially when you’re working in a toxic environment, it can be hard to separate what’s actually happening from what’s been normalized. This…
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When a Toxic Workplace Becomes Your Turning Point: Choosing to Grow
A toxic workplace or dysfunctional environment can leave you feeling like you’re stuck between two painful options: leave… or stay and endure. But what if there’s a third option? One that puts your well-being, growth, and inner strength at the center of your decision—not just survival. This is the perspective I want to offer: Stay…and…
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Rediscovering Human Connection in Leadership – Especially Now
Graduation season is a time of new beginnings and reflection. For leaders, it’s also an invitation to revisit the fundamentals of meaningful leadership, especially human connection. In an age where efficiency is prized and digital tools dominate, we often forget that real leadership starts with presence. With care. With a conversation that says, “I see…
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When the Storm Passes, What’s Left Behind?
What Leaders Can Learn from Unresolved Conflict and Fallen Trees Recently, a powerful storm swept through Pittsburgh, PA. Roads were blocked, power lines were down, and shingles were torn off rooftops. The next morning, while walking through my neighborhood, I couldn’t help but notice the stillness, not just in the weather, but in the impact…
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Avoid power struggles with your employees like you would with a teenager
What can leaders learn from parenting a defiant teenager? How to avoid power struggles with your employees. Ever been caught in a power struggle, whether at home or in the workplace? I recently witnessed a moment between a parent and their teenager that was a masterclass in emotional regulation. The teen was refusing to get…
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3 ways to Shift Team Culture from Blame to Responsibility
How do you shift team culture from blame to responsibility when you notice a team member struggling to take ownership of their actions? Maybe when a project doesn’t go as planned, you hear a range of reactions, blame, excuses, minimizing, or deflecting, that ultimately stall progress and block accountability. As Dr. Henry Cloud wisely put…
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How Do You Stay Level-Headed When Demands Exceed Your Inner Resources?
How do you stay level-headed when leadership often comes with high-pressure situations, difficult conversations, tough decisions, and unexpected challenges? Some leaders seem to navigate these moments with ease, staying calm even when tensions are high. But the reality is that level-headed leadership isn’t a natural trait, it’s a learned skill. The ability to remain composed…
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3 Tips to Turn Humor into Healthy Conflict and Bring Your Team Together
Are you the one on your team who brings comic relief to difficult conversations in an attempt to bring your team together? When things get tense, do you crack a joke to lighten the mood? While humor can break the tension and provide a temporary laugh, it can also prevent teams from addressing real issues.…
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3 Scripts to Set Boundaries & Elevate Your Leadership Credibility
I have three scripts to support you if you’re a leader looking to elevate your leadership credibility. Dear {Name}, “I’m a people pleaser. Growing up I was the one in my family who tried to make everyone happy when my parents argued. I wanted everyone to get along. I know this is affecting how I…
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