Sometimes growth doesn’t look like doing more. Sometimes it looks like pulling back—and trusting that you’re still enough. I recently had a conversation with a client, we’ll call her Maggie. Maggie is a high performer and consistently goes above and beyond in her workplace. She sees problems that others don’t, Read more
We’ve all been taught to be nice. Especially women, in mission-driven spaces, in roles where harmony is rewarded more than honesty. Nice smiles and nods. Nice avoids conflict. Nice says “you’re doing great” even when the work is off track—because saying otherwise might feel too uncomfortable. But kindness? Kindness is Read more
Somewhere along the way, many of us got the message that leadership is sacrifice. Not the kind of sacrifice that makes you feel proud. The kind that leaves you drained. Overextended. Quietly resentful.The kind that says: If I just give a little more… maybe it’ll finally be enough. And if Read more
A few weeks ago, someone in a Slack community I’m part of asked a simple question: “What are you reading?” It was posted in a subgroup of nonprofit consultants—people who, like me, spend their days thinking about systems, strategy, and human-centered leadership. The question was casual, maybe even intended as Read more
Have you ever walked through an open office space and not been greeted by a single person? How about being in a meeting when it’s clear that people are “side-chatting” over text? Maybe you’ve even side-chatted yourself? What about hearing the same generic critical feedback tossed out in group settings Read more
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 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 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 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 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 Read more