Kristin's Blog

How To Negotiate Compensation Without Losing Yourself
I recently coached a newly promoted executive through negotiating the raise that should have come with it. He was talented, successful, and had grown his unit to over $150million in just a few short years. Yet, he was struggling with how to ask for what he wanted. I get it…. don’t you? We have all…
Is This Seat Taken?® What Famous Partnerships Teach Us About Building a Career
A few weeks ago, I gave a keynote on how to stand out in your career. We talked about personal branding, visibility, and how to communicate your value with confidence. But one idea sparked more questions afterward than anything else: that one of the most powerful ways to market yourself is to build a truly…
The Avengers....the Ultimate Dream Team?
The Avengers look like the ultimate dream team. But they’re also a reminder: talent alone doesn’t create ALIGNMENT. At the beginning, they’re powerful individuals moving in different directions—strategic conflict, ego clashes, competing priorities. Sound familiar? High-performing teams don’t fail because they lack capability. They fail because they LACK ALIGNMENT. Alignment on purpose. Alignment on priorities.…
How to Build an ALIGNED LIFE and Career.....yes, it is possible!
Let’s face it – we spend a great deal of our lives pursuing success. We chase goals, promotions, opportunities, recognition, financial security, and meaningful work. None of those pursuits are inherently wrong. In fact, many are worthwhile and important. Yet after working with leaders and organizations for decades, I’ve noticed something interesting: Many people achieve…
Is 'Taking a Break' the Secret Sauce for your Next Big Thing?!
What if your next big opportunity doesn’t come from working harder… but from taking a break? Many tend to treat travel as a reward. A luxury we “earn” after the real work is done. But in reality, travel might be one of the most underrated tools for becoming a better human being – and dare…
AI - The Big Exhale
AI has many quaking in their boots. A combination of excitement AND fear. Let’s get real: AI is changing our jobs—but not in the simplistic “replace or be replaced” way many people fear. It’s reshaping how work gets done, not eliminating the need for human contribution. AND what becomes more valuable is what AI cannot…
Miranda Priestly - On Point or Not?!
Miranda Priestly would struggle in today’s leadership world—and that’s the point. Not because she lacks standards. Not because she lacks brilliance. But because the rules of leadership have changed. The old model of leadership rewarded control, urgency, and fear-based compliance. It worked—until it didn’t. Today, that approach breaks faster. High performers no longer stay just…
What REALLY makes a good listener?
Have you ever been talking to someone and felt they were not really listening to you? Perhaps their eyes glaze over, they are constantly checking their iPhone or they are frantically writing something down so they will be prepared to ‘interject’ and interrupt with their own juicy bit of insight or knowledge. To say this…
Control with No Responsibility....A Nightmare
One of the most frustrating workplace dynamics is dealing with someone who wants all the control but none of the responsibility. They want to approve every decision. Direct every conversation. Influence every outcome. But when it’s time to do the work, solve the problem, or own the results, they disappear. The solution isn’t to fight…
What PINK Taught Us at the Tony Awards
When Pink stepped onto the stage to host the 2026 Tony Awards, many people asked a simple question: “Why Pink?” After all, she isn’t a Broadway performer. She hasn’t starred in a Tony-winning production. She wasn’t the obvious choice. And yet, she may have been the perfect choice. What stood out wasn’t simply her opening…
