Several weeks ago I had the honor of leading a group of mature and self-aware women in a week long retreat in the French Pyrenees. Most of these women didn’t know each other but had committed a sizable sum of money, effort and time to be there. My job as facilitator was something I took…
Thoughts vs Words: How different are they really? As a person of authority, your word usually carries more weight than others, correct? It also goes to say that your thoughts carry more weight too. There is no denying that we are in a very divisive time and that there are people you will be working…
Gracious Humility~ is it possible? Trying to stay in a place of integrity and strong leadership isn’t always easy, especially when we aren’t seeing it modeled for us on a larger scale. No matter, it is our job, yours, if you are reading this, to find ways (self-motivation and self-regulation) to stay in your personal…
Leaders, we are facing a huge challenge. The world we find ourselves in is one rapidly growing to include more and more ways that others think for us (reviews, podcasts, AI, auto-correct, talking heads, Siri, social media buzz, ad infinitum). The results? People are less and less thinking for themselves. In fact, in several research…
After the last Shine Report, I received quite a few responses pointing to defensiveness as a pretty common and mighty reaction to any intended or unintended challenge to our person (or integrity). I watched it as well in unfolding drama with my clients and family (AND self) the past few weeks. It happens so quickly,…
One of the fastest ways to get out of your highest version is to fall into the Triangle of Disempowerment. That is a term used by psychologists to describe how individuals (and countries) tend to play one of these three roles in response to life. There is the Victim (why me, who is to blame?),…
Here’s a good one for you. What happens when you are unexpectedly attacked, either verbally or emotionally? As adults, we aren’t prepared for someone to insult, shame, humiliate or scorn us. At least, I hope it isn’t something common in your personal or professional world. It seems we immediately go to our own auto response.…
I feel inspired and enthused knowing that there are other people who are wanting to choose a higher set of behavioral responses alongside me. Thank you for all the great responses from last post, all were excellent reminders and ideas. The one that keeps surfacing is this~ Never take things personally. Why DO we take…
Based on our family history, biology, viewpoints and DNA, we seem to come packaged with pre-set judgments about right and wrong, black and white. However, maturity involves stepping out of that pre-set thinking and into someone else’s shoes. When I practice this, my heart softens towards someone I may not have been able to understand…
Part of the current on-going conflict that plagues our nation is because BOTH sides feel quite righteous in their position, and sadly this dug-in righteousness has created the stalemate of us vs them. In the bigger picture, the ones that leaders ought to be able to see, is that there is a unity that is…