I have been reflecting a lot on my management experiences over the years as I work with new managers through my online courses and 1:1 coaching. My first formal management role came when I was just 8 years into my work experience, and I had been a teacher for the Read more…
Wait, what? Doesn’t everyone want employees who will go “above and beyond”? I don’t. Every once in a while, sure. But a lack of boundaries at work is a fast track to burnout. Without clear boundaries, your mental and physical health suffers, and your risk of being taken advantage of Read more…
I recall a time during my nonprofit leadership experience during which I was wildly irritated every time someone complained about “lack of transparency.” Defensiveness would kick in and I’d immediately have thoughts along these lines: Now, all of these things might be true, AND… I have an evolving hypothesis. I Read more…
Healthy organizations will spend time developing a core set of values that drive the way they work as an organization. It is important to have clarity on values because it provides an anchor for providing feedback when someone has fallen short of the agreed upon expectations. But are work values Read more…
Earlier this year, I wrote something for the blog that struck a nerve with lots of people. What was the post? Five Signs Your Boss Might be Making You Sick. Turns out there are a lot of toxic bosses out there. I didn’t get a lot of public engagement with Read more…
Picture this: The leadership team of a small nonprofit organization is at its annual retreat. The makeup of the leadership team is mostly white, mostly women. These are the senior-most leaders from the organization; all of the people in the room have at least 20 years of professional experience. This Read more…
Vulnerability moment: As a Chief of Staff, I floundered. When I was hired by the Interim CEO, things were so unsettled that I had a hard time putting out the dumpster fires long enough to be able to pull the valuables out of the trash. When she left, the next Read more…