We often talk about the skills leaders need in conversations with their people. Another equally important conversation is when people need to talk with their leaders. These conversations can be quite intimidating.  Have you ever avoided conversations about getting involved in a project, asking for personal development or career advancement, clarifying a misunderstanding or smoothing…

We are busy and sometimes we forget to slow down so we can be intentional about the conversations that matter. When we do have a moment to prepare for that meeting or that interaction we are about to have, we will often focus on the “how to” … how to set the agenda, how to…

We think of encouragement as a “nice to have” thing to lift us up on the bad days and supercharge our good days. What if it is not a “nice to have” but a truly necessary thing that we need? What if we are challenged in scripture to give encouragement daily? “But encourage one another…

In recent blogs, we have talked about why practicing empathy in the moment is important and what empathy is not. So, how does developing your empathy add value to how you lead? Imagine a situation where your team member is not measuring up. They missed a deadline. They blew up at a co-worker or they…

Empathy is a powerful emotion that can generate deeper understanding, and it is also an essential skill in every single leadership conversation. The productive dialogue that flows from an empathetic viewpoint  offers alternative perspectives, increases productivity and generates buy-in across the board.  However, a misperception about empathy can cause leaders to hold back from utilizing…

Mothers and daughters often don’t see eye to eye. Last week, I had one of those not so fun mother-daughter interactions with my nine year old. She was getting emotional and so was I. However, her emotions were falling out all over the place and mine were tightly held inside.  I completely disregarded her emotions…

Achieving our goals has gotten trickier in the last year. As we head into a new year, I would like to propose that a key factor in reaching our 2021 goals may be expanding the way we think about mentoring.   “Mentor” is a verb as well as a noun. It’s entirely possible for someone to mentor…

Great leaders have personal growth plans. No matter how seasoned of a leader you are, we all have potential for growth. Someone out there is further along. Someone out there has experience to add to your thinking. Someone out there has questions you haven’t even thought to ask.  Mentors are all around us. Who makes…

We have heard that it is better to give than to receive. The beauty of reciprocity is that when it comes to mentoring both giving and receiving can co-exist. Mentoring, however, is not on the “radar screen” for everybody. It may be easier to put mentoring to the side because of the energy and effort…

Crazy, busy life reactions are amplified when we have some “history” that can pop up at the most unexpected moments. One leader I talked to summarized the conditions as ripe for triggering the past with words like: Exhaustion. Scattered. Juggling. Relationships are also fertile ground for triggering unexpected responses within us. Put on the stress…