We're All in This Together

We all compare ourselves to other people at times.  This can be benign and there can even be some positive aspects to it, but, for the most part, comparison is an ego trap that distorts our perception and causes harm.  On this episode I talk openly about some of my own struggles with comparison and some things we can do to navigate the comparison trap, especially these days. Resources: We're All i...

Life is full of wonder and joy, although sometimes it can be challenging for us to see and experience this, especially these days.  On this episode, I talk to my longtime friend, Andrea Scher.  She's an artist, life coach, and the author of the brand new book, Wonder Seeker: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Creativity and Find Your Joy .  Andrea's approach to life and creativity is inspiring, accessible, a...

Gratitude is something that I've researched, written, and spoken about for the past two decades.  Even though I know how important, healthy, and powerful it is, I still find it challenging to be grateful, especially at certain times.  On this episode, I reflect on some of the things that can make gratitude difficult, particularly right now, and I share some specific ideas and practices for how we...

For us to successfully create or experience something important - whether it's a relationship, a project, a team, a family, a career, or anything else - a strong foundation is essential.  This foundation needs to be built and maintained consistently.  However, growth and evolution happen by us focusing on vision and embracing innovation.  On this episode I talk about the important balance of found...

Fear is something we all experience as human beings, but it's an emotion we often avoid, deny, or suppress to our own detriment.  With anxiety levels running high for many of us, especially these days, it's important for us to have more space for our fear and to learn healthy ways to feel it and move through it.  On this episode, I talk about why fear can be so tricky and uncomfortable, and I shar...

Patience may be a virtue, but it's definitely something I find challenging.  Given the pace, uncertainty, and intensity of life and work these days, I don't think I'm alone in the struggle with being patient.  On this episode, I talk about some of the reasons patience can be difficult, particularly right now, and I also explore some specific things we can do and focus on to be more patient with ou...

I can be pretty harsh and critical of myself at times.  And even though I know how important self-compassion is, I still find it to be challenging.  On this episode I talk about some of the reasons it can be hard for us to have compassion for ourselves.  I also explore the three components of self-compassion and talk about why it is essential for us, our relationships, and our teams.   Resources:...

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with accountability.  Similar to feedback, I know how important it is for us to hold ourselves and others accountable...it can just be hard and scary to do so at times.  On this episode, we discuss some of the specific reasons we avoid or run from accountability.  And we talk about why it's so important and how we can more effectively embrace accountability...

Forgiveness is so important for our relationships, our teams, and our overall well-being...and, it can be really hard, especially these days.  On this episode, we discuss some of the things that make it challenging, and we delve into some specific ways to embrace and practice the power of forgiveness in our work, our relationships, and our lives. Resources: We're All in This Together (book), by Mi...

Work and life seem to be getting busier and busier all the time.  Creating space in our schedules and in our minds is more important and challenging than ever these days.  On this week's episode, I talk to my friend and colleague, Juliet Funt.  She's the author of the new book, A Minute to Think , and an expert in training people, leaders, teams, and organizations specific techniques which allow t...

So many aspects of life and work are paradoxical, especially these days.  Paradox is something that I've always been fascinated by - the notion that more than one thing can be true at the same time, and often these truths can contradict one another.  We seem to be having a hard time, especially right now, embracing paradox in our society, but it's essential for us to do within our teams, our famil...

If you're anything like me and so many people I know, caring for yourself in a healthy and nourishing way these days may be a bit challenging.  Self-care is often difficult for many of us, and over this past year and half, it seems to have gotten even harder, for a number of understandable reasons.  On today's show, I share some of my own current struggles with self-care and why it can be so trick...

Today is a big day...it's episode #250 of this podcast, which used to be called "Bring Your Whole Self to Work," and it also happens to be the launch day of the paperback edition of my book, Bring Your Whole Self to Work .  On today's show we talk about the five principles from this book: 1) authenticity, 2) appreciation, 3) emotional intelligence, 4) growth mindset, and 5) teamwork, and why these...

On today's show, I spoke with my friend, client, and colleague, Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann.  Rebecca is an accomplished executive, board member, consultant, and the co-author of FitCEO: Be the Leader of Your Life, which officially comes out next week.  In our discussion, Rebecca and I talk about her remarkable journey through education and business, as well as some of the core pillars of her leader...

I'm back after a two month hiatus!  On this return episode, I talk about some of the current challenges and continued uncertainty facing us on various fronts.  In the face of all that is going on right now, it's important to be able to surrender in an authentic way, and also to focus on what we're grateful for.  These things can be hard to embrace and embody for a number of understandable reasons,...

Most of us could use a break these days.  However, for a number of reasons, taking breaks can be challenging.  This difficulty is often practical, financial, emotional, relational, social, or some combination of these factors.  And, no matter how hard it may be, it's critical for us to pause from time to time, not only for our own wellbeing, but for the health of our relationships and teams as wel...

Positivity is something that most of us consider, well, positive, right?  However, when positivity is used to cover up or silence our authentic human experience, it can become incredibly toxic. With all of the challenges, stress, and struggle many of us have been facing these days, it can be difficult, but really important, to remain optimistic. And, at the same time, we don't want to sugarcoat th...

Covid has, obviously, turned our lives upside down in so many ways.  The distribution of the vaccine has been a game-changer these past few months.  However, not everyone have access to the vaccine, and there are people who are hesitant to get it or simply refuse.  On this episode, I talk openly about my own journey with the vaccine and share some thoughts about how we can have more authentic conv...

Telling the truth about how we really feel is so important, especially these days.  At the same time, operating with this type of vulnerability can be challenging for many different reasons.  On this episode, I share some of how I've been feeling lately, and we discuss not only the importance of being real, but some specific ways to engage with those around us authentically.  There is so much free...

So many of us, myself included, are struggling with mental health challenges these days.   Even if we aren't, we probably know people who are and want to be able to support them.   While we've made progress in recent years in how we think about, talk about, and treat mental health, there is still a lot of understandable yet unnecessary fear, shame, and stigma connected to it. On this episode, I ta...

With all of the ups and downs we go through, especially these days, it can sometimes seem like life is just happening to us.   However, even in the face of challenges, we are way more at cause than at effect in life than we often realize.   My guest on this episode knows a few things about what it takes to design an extraordinary life.   Sheri Salata was the executive producer of the Oprah Winfrey...

There is such a strong need for transformation these days - in our work, our lives, our families, our organizations, our society, and our world.   As we have seen and learned in many painful ways over the past year or so, some of the ways we operate - personally and collectively - aren't ideal, equitable, healthy, or sustainable. On this episode, I once again talk with my friend Scott Shute.   As...

There's an important difference between struggling and suffering.   Given all that we've been dealing with over this past year and the many challenging dynamics of work, family, health, relationships, and what's going on in our world, many of us, myself included, have been struggling.   On this episode, I share vulnerably about some of my own challenges and talk about five specific things we can d...

Setting healthy boundaries is both as important and challenging as ever these days.   Both at work and at home, being able to speak up, say "yes" and "no" authentically without guilt or pressure, as well as having the courage to negotiate for our preferences, desires, and needs, are all essential aspects of our well-being and success.   On this episode, I talk to my friend and colleague Terri Cole...

It's almost always scary and uncomfortable to be vulnerable, yet vulnerability is necessary for us to learn, grow, connect, lead, and succeed personally and professionally.   My guest on this episode, Laila Tarraf, knows all about the importance of this paradox.   She was the Chief People Officer at Peet's Coffee and Tea, and over the span of five years lost her husband, her father, and her mother...