People often ask me what I do, what my company does. Good questions both, and ones that I have wanted to answer with a simple, one sentence response for a long time. The notion of an easily digestible “elevator speech” or USP has always appealed. And yet, the discovery of this snack-able sound bite has thus far eluded me. Which makes the invitation of this blog’s white space very appealing. Move over USP. My work, my mission and my company are all focused on helping workplaces come to life and thrive. To become places alive with energy and contribution. Environments where people feel secure enough for egos to calm and authenticity to come forward, relationships to deepen, support to emerge and human potential to arise. They all go hand in hand—always available and awaiting the invitation. We tend to spend too much time and energy clinging to our old paradigms as if they were the truth. The painful, yet seemingly ingrained idea, of work as unhappy struggle. Or the mistaken notion that places of business must be devoid of all but the barest traces of humanity…places where displays of care and compassion are viewed as weak or unseemly…environments where people are afraid to let their guard down for fear of some ego-generated retribution… where integrity or acts of kindness are considered not really that important… because after all, it’s business. Really? The law of the jungle is in need of a rewrite and a relocation program. Workplaces are not jungles, they are not war zones, they are not fields of competition. That’s old school illusion. They are (already for some) and can be (for all), places alive with healthy human interaction, creativity, expression, achievement, cooperation and fulfillment. Places where people are alive and connected. This newer workplace reality does not require rocket science, nor is it found in manuals, metrics or machines. It’s not a product of technology, nor a dispensation of advanced degrees. This reality is made manifest through the will, desire and intention of human beings. Human beings who want to live their lives more fully, who want to experience wellbeing and joy at work, who want more than the “same old, same old” and just good enough. Whether you know it or not, that may be you. Most of us have become inured to the discomfort, but if you look closely you’ll see it. You…me…we each have the ability and the power to transform business into a place and an experience where we get to shine and feel alive. It’s absolutely possible. The first step is simply one of awareness, of getting clear. From there, moving into intention, will and action. If at any time...

  Information was once akin to gold in perceived human value. Carved in stone or hand written on papyrus, it was vigilantly protected and viewed only by those at the highest levels of society. These days, information has shrugged off its ermine robes and lies closer in rank to corn. No longer an elite treasure, it’s more a commonplace commodity. Available easily, endlessly, any time of day or night. It seems that when one thing transitions out of treasure status, something new is sure to take its place. I’ve thought a lot about what the ‘new’ replacement may be and have narrowed in on two strong possibilities. The first is attention. Now, attention may seem like a funny choice—with all the social media and communication channels out there, attention would seem to be prolific. Chatter is prolific, immediacy is prolific, scanning is prolific, but focused attention, not so prolific. We are rapidly becoming the one to three second surveyors. Never mind the one-minute manager…who has that kind of time on their hands? Our ability to quickly skim and move on is taking a toll on our ability to focus our attention. Skimming requires a wide, top-level orientation, attention requires a tighter, deeper focus. While it may serve us to scan information at times, we may also be bringing that well-honed behavior into other parts of our life including our human relationships. In that particular realm, scanning and skimming don’t work as well. The second possible treasure is in response to the commodity aspect or abundance of information. This newer treasure is that of curated information. Essentially, sifting through large volumes of data germane to a particular area and identifying patterns, trends, potentialities or crucial elements. In a world inundated with information and short on time, this endeavor becomes increasingly valuable. In the information age, information is no longer king. Dethroned through easy and ready access, newer monarchs are now emerging. Attention gets my vote as the most prominent newly crowned head. People, young and old, are hungry for a deeper and more sincere form of attention. Not the fast, sugary kind found in much of today’s most habitually utilized communication, but something more significant. The kind that takes time, focus and intention. When you think about it, it makes sense. The ever quickening pace of time along with the information overload would naturally create a need for a counterweight. Attention and the process of discerning the ‘essence of things’ are that which we have come to need and desire. Both provide something we may feel light on—a healthy sense of balance. Everyone needs and desires focused attention. Our leader clients are no exception. The opportunity to speak candidly with...

As a culture we are in love with the idea of the “hero.” The self-made, pulled-up-by-the-bootstraps, invincible, fiercely independent conceptual ideal that has established a deeply rooted place of exaltation for centuries. I get it. I love John Wayne movies, too. But the truth is, John Wayne characters (even those based on actual people) are an illusion based on our cultural ideal of a hero. That is not to deny heroism—heroic acts are real and happening. Everyday, people are actualizing amazing deeds and achievements. The fallacy is in believing that the “hero” archetype is real. Every one of us has been to a greater or lesser degree, affected by the people around us. That is inescapable. In addition, we are born into environments that have been crafted and built by people over eons of time. Most Americans are born into a team of caregivers and let’s not forget the person who spent nine months of her life creating us. From there, we come into contact with one person after another—shaping us, lifting us, challenging us, imprinting upon us. No solo journey is this. Our “hero” complex is important to bring into greater awareness because of how it shapes our perceptions and hence, our world. In business, I believe this complex can run rampant and become particularly troublesome. Fierce and stubborn independence may be an asset on the frontier, but it can be a liability in work communities. Leaders can also distance themselves and erode loyalty by an over-identification with this archetype. People sense when others regard themselves as lone heroes. It does not translate into an invitation for others to contribute. Companies are communities of people working together for a shared purpose. Collaboration, collegiality and cooperation are part of the working mechanisms of healthy and productive communities. Of course, people do work, oftentimes independently and, there is room for personal nuance, idea creation and action. However, communities imply that there is a network in place to reinforce that independent contribution and support it upward. That is the nature of a strong community and a strong company. Not only does it take a village to raise a child, it takes a work community to raise a company. Acts of heroism are and can be vital contributions to it and are often what brings a company into being. But, there are no self-made and completely independent hero’s. That’s the myth. Look closely, and you will see all the human contribution received and utilized in each of our lives, from the moment of conception to this moment right now. Becoming a more conscious and evolved leader is an heroic act. Learn more here with this free...

  Just prior to the Fourth of July weekend, a colleague and I were discussing the word ‘independence’—what it may have meant to the framers of the Constitution and what it currently means to the two of us. It was an interesting conversation and it generated a couple of insightful musings. The first of these, was that while the American ideal proclaims independence as our cultural legacy and birthright, is it possible we Americans are becoming more dependent each and every year? Dependent on things like smart phones or busy calendars, prescription drugs or prescribed containers of thinking…liberal or conservative; traditionalist or evolutionary; male or female; young or old. Our fast-paced world can give rise to a sense of stress, persistent urgency or overwhelm. Many of us feel we don’t have the time, energy or knowhow to step back and appraise our own situation from a different perspective. The race is on and we’re in it. It can feel like there is little time left over to assess whether or not this is even a race we want to be in. Over time, the opportunities for ‘independent’ inquiry and personal reflection are getting squeezed out. The second musing, is that our notion of independence may be more mythical than reality-based. Becoming independent of the ‘redcoats’ and political/religious persecution made great sense, but the idea of a more sweeping independence is misleading. Better perhaps to consider one’s independence of certain types of self-limiting dependence. In truth, most of us are at our best when we are interdependent or mutually reliant on one another. We are social beings after all. Goals, accomplishments and achievements may be experienced as an individual event, but if you look closely, you will find a network of support helping to make it happen. The United States was formed by an interdependent group of independent-thinking individuals. Both qualities were vital to the establishment of this miraculous event. Getting clear about the meaning of both of these words and their interconnectivity is important. So important, in fact, that the American Constitution begins with three  implicit words—we the people. The strength of your company is directly tied to the health and vitality of the company culture. When you strengthen the culture, you strengthen the company. Learn 6 steps you can take...

  Ah, change. The word that gets bandied about all circles of life and work as if it were some distinct event you could simply point to. In both business and life, the idea of change can lead to all sorts of responses, some eager and enthusiastic, others anxious and fearful. But, with all the current discussion about the word “change” I think we miss a very obvious truth–continuous change is the unavoidable nature of everything here on Earth. Change, whether physical or temporal, is constantly and steadily occurring whether we wish it or not. Therefore, experiential states such as status quo or stasis, in reality, are not even possible. The question then becomes, is the change that’s occurring one that is desired or not? If change is a naturally occurring and ever present phenomenon, how important is choice to the process? I would suggest it is mightily important. Choice is the voluntary component here, not change. Choice is where we have the power to influence and guide change. Change is the canvas, choice is the brushstroke. This is not to say that our choices have the power to completely rule or govern change, but they can and do have impact. Choice is the way we exert intentional influence. In business and in life, our choices help us to guide the change we desire. That is why conscious choice is so very critical. Awareness helps to illuminate the landscape and lead us to the most mindful choices available. We are no longer hemmed in by a sense of powerlessness to the unfolding aspects of change. Conscious choice is a powerful instrument and available to us all. Of course, many choices are unconscious. Choosing not to choose is, in effect, a choice. Choosing not to look deeper, to not tell the truth or to ignore a situation, are also choices. Conscious choice is different. It relies on and invites the truth in, it widens the lens and is open to that which appears without judgment. Further, it looks beyond self to include others. Conscious choice is an amazing tool to use in a changing world. Like it or not, change is a given. Conscious choice is…a choice. What conscious choices would you like to make right now…in your work life? In your personal life? Interested in learning to choose more consciously?  If so, you’re invited to partake in a 30 minute one to one coaching conversation entitled Choosing Consciously. The call is complimentary and designed to help you get...