Blog

No Longer Fear Going to a Party Alone

This time of year, I’m always confronted with mixed emotions about accepting party invitations when I don’t know the other guests. These holiday gatherings can either be surprisingly fun or deathly dull. This presents a healthy internal debate about whether I should go or stay home. Fearful of turning into a housebound curmudgeon, I force […]
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Performance With the Right Amount of Perfection

Delivering high quality work without overdosing on perfection is a tough balancing act that many business professionals struggle to maintain. This is particularly true when managing direct reports or working with peers. The bright side of striving for perfection is high standards and delivering impeccable work which is seen as a hallmark of success. The dark side […]
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Can a Leader Lead After Major Surgery? 

I was recently asked this question for a Crain’s article regarding United Airlines’ CEO Oscar Munoz who underwent a heart transplant. This is a logical question. Can he physically withstand the demands of running one of the largest and most beleaguered airlines in the world? Not being a cardiologist, I’m not in a position to […]
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Top 3 Reasons Why Leaders Prefer Working with an Executive Coach

There are many practical reasons for hiring an executive coach. According to the 10th annual Sherpa executive coaching survey, the main reason for working with a coach has shifted from addressing a specific problem to proactive leadership development. The study also confirmed that an executive coach provides the greatest value in helping leaders effectively manage […]
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The Ultimate Guide for Building a Resilient Career

Your career, if you so choose, could span 40 years or more. Thus having a resilient career over the long term is no small feat. Undoubtedly, there will be times when you feel vulnerable and unsure about what’s next. These are the times when you need to be resilient. The cornerstone of career resiliency is having […]
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4 Tips For Managing Your Career By Staying Relevant

I was recently interviewed on Business Innovators Radio by Donna Gunter to discuss my book Amplify Your Career and Life. We had a lively conversation about managing one’s career after 50. One of the prevailing themes was how to stay relevant in an ever changing work environment. Here are four topics we covered:  How to […]
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7 Tips For Overcoming Career Burnout

After fifteen or twenty years in the workforce it is not unusual to find your career stagnating. The causes include a stressful work environment, changing job requirements or simply losing interest in your profession. Consequently, you may want to investigate switching to an industry that is more exciting like marketing or advertising. This king kong […]
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Why “What’s Your Passion” is the Wrong Question

“What is your passion?” Every time I ask this of a coaching client, I get a perplexed look followed by a long uncomfortable silence followed by “if I knew the answer I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you”. Fair enough. Why is this a difficult question to answer? Two reasons. First, current self-help motivational doctrine […]
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Introducing My First Book, Amplify Your Career and Life: 4 Steps to Evaluate, Assess and Move Forward

Why did I write the book? I always thought my 40’s would be the time when I would enjoy the greatest career and personal rewards. In theory, I should have been at the top of my game. In reality, the opposite was occurring. At the age of 45 a series of life altering events left […]
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Career Advice Tip: Be Wary of “You Should…” Statements

How often have you heard someone dispense career advice that begins with “You should…”? This may be helpful if you are struggling with …. How to fix a broken toilet? “You should probably call a plumber, you’re not very handy.” You need ideas for your nephew’s birthday present. “You should get him a gift card […]
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5 Effective Leadership Attributes

A writer for a  professional services association recently asked me this question, “What are the core competencies of a leader today?” Answering this question can have many different layers and vary based on the industry and the needs of the organization. That being said, these five leadership and management competencies are essential for all managers […]
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Is It Okay To Acquiesce To A Bad Boss?

Yes, for the short-term. Apparently, a recent post struck a chord. I received an email from a former colleague who is experiencing full-on bad boss behavior. Unfortunately, bad bosses are more common than good ones. Some are ineffective because they lack proper leadership training and others, quite simply are bullies. I take a very pragmatic approach […]
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When T.M.I In The Office Becomes T.M.O. (turns me off)

Recently Elizabeth Bernstein wrote an article in The Wall Street Journal, Thank You for Not Sharing. This struck a chord. As an Executive Coach with 25 years of frontline business experience, I can see how anxiety plays a key role in over-sharing for some individuals. However, this can be particularly disruptive in an office environment. […]
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Trading In A Desk For A Treadmill: How One Executive Creative Director Is Running Her Team.

Trading in a desk for a treadmill; how one executive creative director is running her team. I read an article last year that said sitting more than six hours a day makes you 40% likelier to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than three hours, even if you exercise. Most of my days are spent sitting in meetings.
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3 Myths You Need To Know About Job Interviewing

Interviewing can be confidence boosting or nerve-racking (usually more of the latter). While most interviewees are focusing on themselves, they are usually oblivious to three factors within an organization that can have dramatic impact on their interviewing and subsequent hiring experience - people, process and politics.
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5 Tips To Guard Against Your Routine Becoming A Rut

Routines serve an exquisite purpose; to keep us on track and running efficiently. When our routines go left unchecked, we are actively embracing a path of “sameness” and we become stale. We stop discovering and exploring new thoughts, interests and experiences. With summer upon us, it’s a great time to get out and break the routine.
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3 Step Plan To Get Unstuck

It’s not unusual for us to become paralyzed into inaction. We want to take action do things but we’re feeling the weight of these decisions and the implications they may have on those around us. So we don’t do anything but there is a slow simmer that is happening inside. There is frustration mounting and you feel like you’re losing precious time to take action.
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3 Tips Introverts Can Use To Succeed At Work

It’s an age old clash of extroverts vs. introverts. The talkers vs. the listeners. Those who relish the spotlight and those who relish time to contemplate. I was reminded of this recently while reading a Time magazine article on introverts and shyness. For those, like me, who view themselves as having more introverted than extroverted […]
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