“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

George Bernard Shaw, Nobel Prize-winning playwright

This quote is a favorite of mine for a few reasons, but one of the main ones is that we often walk away from a meeting or a conversation and think we are all on the same page. But more often than not, that's not the case!

Sometimes we assume everyone thinks the way we do or has the same takeaways. But there are certain things we as leaders can't leave to chance. We can't allow assumptions to override good communication.

Effective communication is more important than ever. Whether in personal relationships, professional settings, or casual interactions, how we communicate can significantly impact our understanding, connections, and outcomes. Understanding the four types of communication—active, accepting, thoughtful, and questioning—can enhance our ability to engage meaningfully with others.

Let’s explore these...

As leaders, we don't want to just be positional leaders...we want to be EFFECTIVE leaders!

Effective leadership begins with self-awareness. By understanding our unique strengths and leadership style, we can better leverage our talents to inspire and guide our teams.

In the decade I have had working with leaders, I have noticed that self-awareness is not a given. There are many leaders who lack this and it creates a giant obstacle between them and their team.

What does self-awareness have to do with leadership?

Self-discovery matters because it allows us to lead with authenticity, because we can align our actions with who we are. If we don't know who we are, then how do we know we are showing up authentically? How can we serve others from a place of honesty and to our highest potential if we don't have a clear understanding of what that looks like?

Self-awareness helps us understand ourselves and expands our ability to make well-informed, strategic decisions that...

Have you ever had a mentor?

While there are many ways to define one, I tend to love Bob Proctor's definition the best:

"A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you, than you see in yourself, and helps bring it out of you."

Being a mentor isn't about telling someone how to do their job, though sharing advice is important, but it is more about helping someone to see their potential.

Whether you are someone looking to become a mentor or someone wanting to be mentored, here are some important things to know about why mentorship holds so much power.

1. Knowledge Transfer

Mentors provide a wealth of knowledge and experience that can significantly shorten the learning curve for emerging leaders. By sharing their successes, failures, and insights, mentors help mentees avoid common pitfalls and adopt best practices more quickly. This transfer of knowledge is invaluable, allowing mentees to build a strong foundation based on real-world experiences. It's been...

When you think about conflict, what comes to mind?

You probably think of arguments, misunderstandings, and disagreement. But conflict on a team is actually a sign that your team is working towards success not failure! It’s a natural part of human interaction when it's done in a HEALTHY way.

In fact, research has shown that constructive conflict within teams can lead to increased creativity and innovation. According to a study by Charlan Nemeth, a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley, groups that engaged in healthy debate generated more original ideas than those that did not.

Yes, you read that correctly: healthy conflict can lead to greater creativity, but also improved problem-solving and stronger relationships! That's because conflict encourages teams to evaluate different perspectives and ideas critically. While conflict may initially create tension, resolving it can also strengthen relationships and foster a sense of unity within the...

With beautiful weather becoming the norm for most of the world, families are getting ready to embrace summer fully, mine included!  Lately, we have been staying outside most weekends, picking up the yard and getting everything ready to enjoy our summer together because it's only a few weeks away.

But let's be honest: prepping for summer takes a lot of work.

When you have kids, it means signing everyone up for camp, purchasing swimsuits, shorts, shirts, shoes, and sandals, and having a game plan for which parent is on duty when both parents have to work. After several years, our family finally feels like we have it down. But that wasn't always the case.

When my husband and I started working from home, I clearly remember us looking at each other at the start of summer and saying, "How are we going to do this?"

How were we going to watch four kids and work full time and support each other and make it through the summer?

Well, spoiler alert: we did it.

We...

Author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said:

"Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful."

This quote perfectly aligned with a thought I had just the other day about going through hard times. What if we shifted our perspective from "I'm going through a hard time" to "I'm growing through a hard time?"

I've gone through hard times like everyone else, but lately, I've been reflecting on how I have grown so much through those experiences. When I think of those times in terms of growing, it is so much more motivating! Those seasons of my life don't feel as if they were for nothing when I look back and see the growth that happened. 

I don't reflect on a difficult season as a time I could not get through or was too weak to handle. When I choose to see all the areas where I learned, despite it being a challenging time, I can clearly see all the areas where I am better now than before! 

Here are some simple ways to...

When you think of a leader, what comes to mind?

Sure, we all envision a high-ranking CEO or a boss in the workplace.

But what about a parent? A volunteer? They're leaders, too!

Knowing and believing we are leaders in some capacity throughout our daily lives, it's important to be continually asking those you lead one question:

"What support do you need today?"

Making this question a part of your regular conversation opens the door for a more genuine connection and mutual support that we all want in a group setting. Whether you're leading a group or you are a part of one, understanding the level of support needed for success is crucial. So why is this question so impactful?

First, it shifts the focus from assuming that we have all the answers, to being open to the idea that there are some unanswered questions and that more support is needed. How many times have you been in a situation where the outcome wasn't what another person in that group wanted, but it...

Picture this: you're making your way through your work day and walk past the desk of an employee who hasn't been following through on their duties. You know this has been happening for quite some time but there's been no improvement. It's time to have a difficult conversation but you are most definitely not looking forward to it.

In fact, you are both internally and externally cringing at the thought of sitting down to have that discussion.

You are not alone.

Most people do not look forward to having difficult conversations, myself included. But in the last decade as a business owner, I have had to have countless hard conversations as the leader running a team, having clients, and being a service provider.

Yes, I've even had to have hard conversations WITH my clients!

If I didn't, I wouldn't even have a business.

The same is true for my personal relationships. I've seen firsthand how having a difficult conversation, while it can be super uncomfortable, ...

Consistency is often thought of as the relentless pursuit of perfection and an unwavering commitment to always giving 100%. When we don't give it our all, we feel bad and sometimes give up altogether.

But that's not what consistency is!

It's not about being perfect all the time––it's more about giving whatever you have in your capacity, even if it's not always 100%.

Jim Kwik perfectly articulated:

"On the days you only have 40%, and you give 40%, you gave 100%"

It can be SO easy to get sucked into our fast-paced world and the pressure to excel in every aspect of our lives. Whether it's in our careers, relationships, health goals, or personal development, we often strive for perfection, aiming to give nothing less than our absolute best at all times. While this mindset can be motivating, it can also be exhausting and unsustainable.

Just like Jim Kwik said, it's not about giving 100% all the time. It's about showing up, day in and day out, and giving...

Navigating the world seems to be a lot harder lately. We're seeing hard things on the news. We're hearing hard things all around us. We're reading about hard things and it doesn't feel like it's getting any better. It feels like it's getting worse.

And let's be honest, it's really easy to let all of the negative energy from what we're reading about get into our soul and mind. Negativity can have a huge impact on our mental well-being, but understanding its impact is crucial to developing strategies to overcome it and cultivate a more positive mindset!

Let's talk about some ways you can combat negativity and how positivity plays an important role. 

Understanding the Impact of Your Environment

The people, places, and things that surround us play a profound role in shaping our mindset and outlook on life. Positive influences can uplift us, inspire us, and encourage us to see the world in a more optimistic light.

Conversely, negative influences can...