Leaders are Clear and Kind

Last week, we talked about numbing as a way of putting on armor. Brené Brown points out that sarcasm, cynicism, and passive-aggressive behaviors are another way to stay distant and avoid vulnerability. The solution is to avoid those three things, and— be clear and kind. One thing I’ve always said in sessions with clients is … Read more

Leaders, Beware of Numbing Behaviors

*This blog post contains affiliate links where the author receives a small commission on book sales. I spent 19 years as a high school band teacher. This can be a big job—class sizes of up to 150 students, managing a budget of tens of thousands of dollars, and administering a hectic calendar of events and … Read more

Leaders Understand the Pitfalls of Perfectionism and the Fear of Failure

I have never suffered from perfectionism, but I’ve certainly felt the fear of failure. For me, it isn’t perfectionism that produces the fear; it’s competitiveness. I like being the best at things. One year, about 15 years ago, my New Year’s resolution was to be the best Scrabble player in the state of Iowa. Then, … Read more

Leaders Know the Myths of Vulnerability

*This blog post contains affiliate links where the author receives a small commission on book sales. As promised a few weeks ago, I’m going to spend the next seven weeks sharing some of my favorite insights from Brené Brown’s bestseller Dare to Lead. Dr. Brown is well-known for her work on shame and vulnerability, and … Read more

Leaders Understand and Value Different Personality Types

Last week, we discussed insecurity and how our insecurities affect our lives and our work. This week, we’ll discuss the importance of understanding personality differences, and how that can enhance culture and build trust. You can download Dr. Mark Scullard’s short ebook, The Invisible Drain on Your Company’s Culture, for free here. Insecurity can be … Read more

Leaders Know that Trust Weakens the Power of Insecurity

What comes to mind when you hear the word insecurity? Do you cringe at the word itself, because talking about insecurity is such a taboo topic? Is there a certain individual who you’d describe as being insecure? Do you view people’s insecurities as weaknesses? It’s almost too easy to peg the insecurities of others. We … Read more

Leaders Need to Know the Work of Brené Brown

I’m always surprised to find someone in leadership who hasn’t yet seen, heard, or read the work of Brené Brown. Rather than give you her bio or answer “Why do I need to know her work?,” I will let you follow the links to learn more, or watch her seminal TED talk, or watch her … Read more

MindLab 2019 Report

I’d like to share what DeAnne and I learned at MindLab 2019. We went to Denver a couple of weeks ago to the MindLab conference put on by Wiley. We are Wiley partners, both with Everything DiSC® and The Five Behaviors™. We attended keynotes, breakout sessions, and other events to learn about what’s going on … Read more

Productive Conflict: Be Aware of Your Own Feelings

What happens when you feel a conflict brewing? Does your heart speed up? Does your brow begin to sweat? Do your hands get clammy? Do you swallow more? These are all physical signs of stress, and they’re connected to your emotional state. When in stress, adrenaline and cortisol increase, triggering the physical responses above. Your brain … Read more

Productive Conflict: Own Your Contributions

Have you ever heard the saying, “Nobody’s perfect?” Have you ever used that saying? How often do you use it? It’s probably one of the most popular things we say and/or think, because it’s true. But what does it mean to not be perfect? It means that we make mistakes. We fail at the tasks … Read more