Self-judgment is a plague that affects many of us.

Most of us begin down this dreadful path with the best of intentions.

We believe we are capable of the best.  We are so convinced of our limitless potential, in fact, that we cringe at any shortfalls on our path to greatness.

Thus begins the destructive internal dialogue to which many of us fall victim.

Once we've started down the path of self-judgment, it's hard to turn back.  Thoughts, gaining speed and strength, become automatic. We eventually...
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We all have tons of thoughts running through our minds, at lightning speed.

We're so used to this phenomena that most of us have developed - unconsciously - coping mechanisms to manage these thoughts.

Some of the most common coping mechanisms? Ignoring the thoughts; tuning into other sources of information - conversation with someone else, reading, or TV.  But the more we try to push them away, the more these thoughts persist.  And the more they persist, the more we believe them.

Most of us have...
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Have you ever heard the phrase "Perception is Reality"?

I first learned its application in the corporate world.  Working in a department that was responsible for giving out, rather than bringing in, money, we felt pressured to manage others' perception of our actions.

In a down economy, we made sure employees understood that our contributions to the community were made for critical reasons, not for frivolous ones.  For example we might choose to invest in a homeless shelter whose numbers had sp...
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Lately, I've been reading The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.

It's a great read, and it fell into my lap just as I agreed to lead a training on coaching skills for nonprofit managers. An example of perfect synchronicity.

As I go through each chapter, I distill the tips into my presentation.  The process has been relatively straightforward so far.

Until. Today, I came across Chapter 6, which focuses on engaging one's audience using the classi...
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A recent report by the Conference Board found that job satisfaction in the US has dropped to a record low of 45%.

More than 55% of Americans are unhappy in their jobs, with a whopping 64% of workers under age 25 reporting dissatisfaction.

We have many ideas and opinions about what's most important in a job. Top water-cooler theories include:

• Money (the more the better)
  
• A supportive boss
  
• Nice coworkers
• Flexible schedule
• Good benefits (healthcare, anyone?)
  
• Fit with the mission/values of the employer
• Len...

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At the end of the year, media outlets around the world are reflecting on the past calendar year.

We review lists of top movies, books, articles and inventions.

We remember the lives of those who have passed from this world.

And, in our personal lives, many of us are thinking about what we want to change going forward. We make New Year's resolutions.

New Year's resolutions are great because they are forward-thinking, proactive statements about how we want to live in the world.  But implicit in New...
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Yesterday I saw a great movie - "Up in the Air" starring George Clooney.  In the movie, Clooney plays a man whose job is to fire employees who companies are too squeamish to handle the ugly task themselves.

As you can imagine, much of what Clooney says to the laid-off is carefully worded due to legal restrictions.  His words of consolence come across as trite and incomprehensible to his newly unemployed audience.

To paraphrase, Clooney's signature line is: because you've gone through this expe...
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I had the distinct privilege of attending Marcus Buckingham's workshop at last week's Massachusetts Conference for Women, titled "Find your Strongest Life."

Marcus' work has heavily influenced both my career path and my client work in recent years.

After learning his strengths-based career navigation system, I put in place his strategies to figure out what my ideal job would be.  I learned that I love working one-on-one to serve others.  I love empowering people to undergo personal and profess...
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This time of year, our schedules are packed with business holiday parties. Many of us enjoy them, and many dread them. 

For some, holiday parties have become a necessary evil.  Not everyone enjoys interacting with coworkers on a social basis (I'm one of the lucky ones to have had outstanding coworkers), yet the pressure to make an appearance is strong.

How can we transform our experience of the corporate holiday party from dread to enjoyment?  With a little bit of planning.

First, think about y...
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