Isolate the “But”

You know what I’m talking about … the infamous and dangerous word “but.” There are two versions of “but” that we love to use. First, is the “but” that virtually negates everything we said before it: I don’t want to complain, but … I don’t want to sound negative, but … I love your […]

There’s No Stuck

(Excerpt from my soon-to-be-published book, Just One Step: The Journey to Your Unstoppable You) There have been times in my life when I felt lost and said so, whether it was meant generally or specifically about a certain aspect of my life, and this is something I regularly hear from […]

I Could Never

How often do you say some version of “I could never ….?” I know that I hear it regularly. I just completed my annual trip with my Dad – this time it was for 9 days out west and included an Amtrak train ride, 2,500 miles of driving (roughly the […]

A Tolerance Process

Recently, I wrote about the role and impact of tolerance in your leadership (and life), offering this truth: “Your leadership, your relationships and your career are not defined by what you preach, but by what you tolerate.” I’ve gotten a great deal of push back and resistance to this position […]

A Life Formula

Recently, I got together with a friend I hadn’t seen for many years. She had moved out of town and recently moved back to the Cleveland area. We were catching up, and I was sharing the state of my life and my experiences with her – lots of joy and […]

Reframing Expectations

In my journey over the past couple of years, I’ve experienced an amazing amount of peacefulness and calm (often in the midst of chaos), and I rarely experience stress. When I start telling people about this, I usually get one of four comments or questions: Where are you getting your […]

Thank God It’s Monday

This coming Monday is a national holiday (Labor Day), and many people have the day off. However, not everyone gets the day off, and many of you may not know the original intent behind Labor Day. The idea for Labor Day came from the organized labor front and came about […]

Stop Being Lazy

“Who me,” you say? “I’m not lazy.” Well, I’m specifically referring to a particular form of laziness – the laziness inherent when you say some version of “that’s just the way I am.” I don’t buy it. My eyes are brown, by hair is gray (mostly now) and my height […]

Sometimes You Have to Really Change Things Up

If you’re like me, you sometimes get (or feel) stuck. Or perhaps you’re facing a particularly difficult personal, business or leadership challenge, and the traditional solutions don’t seem to be adequate for what you’re facing. Sometimes your problems or challenges require something more or different, perhaps significantly different. And sometimes […]

Leadership Comes from the Heart

If you’ve heard me speak on leadership, you know that I have four foundational elements of transformational leadership: Leadership is a choice; Leadership is inside out; Leadership comes from the heart; and Leadership is a matter of life (not just business) These concepts are sometimes difficult to explain (and understand) […]