I recently went back to Georgetown University for a class reunion of our leadership coaching cohort. It was a fabulous experience. As part of the process, we had the opportunity to attend ongoing classes to build our expertise in the field. Loved this! The theme of our conference was Come to the Edge – stretch, grow,…

Ok, let’s face it, everyone has probably had the experience of working for a bad boss. I know I have. Frankly, it was late in my career when this experience happened, and it shaped how grateful I was for all the great bosses I had had previously. Those two years were the hardest in my…

Recently I was visiting with an old friend, who was voicing concerns that perhaps her life had passed her by. She had been married and divorced. Her career had been placed on the back burner to raise her children – who were now grown and living their own lives. She questioned herself. She had doubts…

I have recently read an incredible book: The Inspiring Leader by Zenger and Folkman. If you are a leader – or aspiring to be one – this is a book worth reading. One chapter which captivated me was on on the most common mistakes a leader makes when trying to inspire others. These ‘top 10’ behaviors…

I love the New York Times’ Corner Office interviews published each Sunday morning. This past Sunday’s interview with Dan Rosensweig, president and chief executive of Chegg, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant. Chegg rents textbooks online and by mail. Dan speaks to a lesson he has learned, and a practice I would love to see implemented…

Wise words from my father – and how true they are. Until a computer, a car, a book, a movie ticket – the list goes on – is sold nothing new can be innovated, manufactured, or serviced. The selling machine drives everything – period. It is the fuel for the economy.  Here are five easy…

I read this little story about Tony Bennett, one of my favorite performers, over the weekend and it touched me. I thought it might be a great way to start our week: Tony says: ” I was going through a divorce and my personal life was a mess … My friend, Duke Ellington, who happened to…

A few years ago a client shared with me their paradox of “when is enough enough?”  She was on a quest to have it all, be it all, and be the best at it all. In fact, she likened this desire to a ‘Stepford wife’ scenario, mimicking the perfect drones from the original movie. Logically,…

When we are lost or hitting the wall in our lives and businesses, we often busy ourselves in a lame attempt to feel like we are accomplishing something. Have you ever noticed that? When things get slow – we busy ourselves. We push paper, we organize our files, we clean out drawers and closets, we…

Recently I have been asked to lead several board and executive retreats through their annual strategic planning process. The similarities of their challenges are startling similar – regardless of industry, non-profit or for-profit organizations. The days of plentiful donations for non-profits are gone. Double digit growth, for most companies, is a friend of distant past.…