On a typical Monday morning (or Tuesday after a long weekend), you might be asked, “How was your weekend? Do anything fun?” If I worked in an office and was asked this question today, I would say “Great! I went to a college hockey game. I cooked a meal for my son and his roommates. I rooted for all of my teams, made some chili, and baked banana bread. And during yesterday’s storm I went Read more…
If you speak to people who used to work on my teams over the years, I think they would tell you that I prioritized health, wellness, and family over work demands. If someone had a sick child, I encouraged them to focus on the child rather than worry about the work. If someone had a personal crisis, I worked with them to cover their responsibilities so that they could manage the crisis and not let Read more…
I am married to a person who doesn’t read. 😱 Not that he can’t read, but he doesn’t. He’ll read nonfiction books occasionally, and he consumes lots of information through other means. But he does not read fiction. I, on the other hand, read a lot of fiction. Reading fiction isn’t just a leisure activity—it’s exercise for your brain and your body. Check out some of the research on the benefits of reading fiction: I Read more…
Sometimes I wake up and wonder whether I am on the wrong path. Does that ever happen to you? Not on an existential level, like “am I on the wrong path in life?” But more like “Have I taken a wrong turn with a project or an aspect of my life?” It happened when I was writing my book. Should I really be doing this? Is there something else I should be spending my time Read more…
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my 5th grade teacher, Miss Parasine. I’m pretty sure my desire to be a teacher started when I was in her class. I turned 11 that year. My brother was 4. Just old enough to sit in that little Playskool desk and be my “student.”. Lately I’ve been wondering – what exactly about my experience with her was so pivotal? I had very few “bad” teachers in my Read more…
Last month, I ran a three-day workshop series for a group of talented women who had just experienced an unexpected layoff. I planned content for the first two sessions and invited the participants to suggest topics for day three. I wanted to make sure the time we spent met their needs at that moment in time. One of the things on their minds was ensuring a strong workplace culture in their next job. “I feel Read more…
It’s almost August and I feel like summer just kicked off. I’m trying not to panic. If you’ve kept up with your inbox this spring/summer, you know that I’ve been in the process of moving since April. We are finally nearing the end of the long process, but it’s been just that – a long process. When your move starts on April 17 and ends on August 7, it’s not a surprise that summer seems Read more…
I love it when a book sticks with me. I just finished reading Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Winn-Williams. For those who haven’t heard of it, it’s a memoir written by a former senior staffer at Facebook. Given my interest in toxic work culture and women’s leadership in combination with Mark Zuckerberg’s rumored attempt to keep Macmillan from promoting the book, I immediately put my name on Read more…
Changing your setting, whether it be through travel or just shaking up your workday has many benefits: fresh perspective for problem solving, increased focus and creativity, and boosted mood or motivation. One of the surprising benefits that comes with a fresh perspective is a stronger appreciation of your day-to-day environment. For me, travel reminds me to NOTICE things. To open my eyes and ears and take in my surroundings. In my travels last month, I Read more…
I have been trying to build a daily journaling practice. I recognize the value of journaling, but I struggle with the execution. Right now I have a coach who is sending me daily prompts. Every day at 8 am. How hard can it be? I could pick any time of the day to build this routine, and all I have to do is check Slack for the daily prompt and write about it. Why is Read more…