Sometimes I am really caught off guard by comments on LinkedIn. I know—not exactly an earth-shattering revelation. For the last 4 months or so, I have been engaging daily on LinkedIn. As a “solopreneur” it has been my substitute for colleagues. I have a group of folks I engage with regularly, most of whom also work in the areas of culture and leadership. One result of this effort has been feeling like I’m in a Read more…
Last week I attended my second Women in Publishing Summit. Last year at this time, I had just attended the virtual conference for the first time. I wrote about my experience in one of my very first posts–but this year, it felt different. Last year at the conference: This year at the conference: How did I go from point A to point B? I did some deep reflection and writing. I considered my values, how Read more…
Can you believe February is over? It sped by in a blink. The only evidence I have that it really happened (and that I was there for it 🤣) are the recordings of the Toxic Culture Workshop Series. Thanks to those of you who registered and were able to join live! We had a good time. At the final session last week we talked about solutions – what do we do if we find ourselves Read more…
Allow me to congratulate myself. I have hit a parenting milestone. I am officially finished with the college selection process. 🙌 This past weekend, my youngest son and I took a whirlwind road trip to The Ohio State University, where he has decided to spend the next four years studying Computer Science in the College of Engineering. Almost four years ago, I took both of the boys on our first trip to visit colleges. Timmy Read more…
Last week a client told me she didn’t want to comment on LinkedIn posts because she was afraid of what people would think. This is a fear to which I can definitely relate. I only recently started writing publicly, and it took a while to get over the worry about being judged or criticized. It helps that I had my first nasty comment on one of my LinkedIn posts a few weeks ago. And I Read more…
One strained relationship can completely decimate team dynamics. Have you ever had that ONE person that completely rubs you the wrong way? Let me tell you a story of my colleague from years ago; we’ll call her Janice. Janice was a member of the leadership team at a small organization and when Randi came on board–and BOY did they butt heads. Randi came into the organization like gangbusters–approaching the work as if she had something Read more…
I wrote about networking in one of my earliest posts. Since then I have worked with a few clients who are going through career transitions. Some are looking for a new job in the same industry, and others are looking to make a complete shift. In either case, networking is essential. The subject line today is a quote from one of my clients 🤣. She followed it with, “I have to TALK to people?” She Read more…
What is the most consistent challenge I have experienced over my entire career? Saying yes to too many things. As an individual, and as an organization. At a mission-driven organization, it’s hard to say no. There’s so much good work to do. When a customer, client, or partner presents you with a need, and it’s something you can help fix, it’s hard to turn down the work. As a colleague who thrives on collaboration and Read more…
Accountability is such a critical aspect of a healthy culture. Accountability builds trust, and trust is the foundation for a functional and healthy organization. A few weeks ago I wrote about a vision for an ideal school/organizational culture that included having a culture of accountability. Recalling various discussions with clients and colleagues over the years, I have heard comments such as: I’m always left with these questions “What do you mean by accountability? Which aspect Read more…
One of my clients is struggling with a pretty dysfunctional leadership team. It’s a small team, but they have all the classic characters: My client and I have been working through some different approaches, and this week we talked about one of my favorites: a shared learning experience. Sometimes, when the team gets to a certain level of dysfunction, we get buried in defensiveness and it can feel like there is no way out. Instead Read more…