My husband and I support the Food Bank of the Rockies, here in Denver.  They are a wonderful organization that provides thousands of meals for families.  Early November I received an email from the food bank inviting us to sign up for the “Donor’s Volunteer Day.”  If you were a donor, this day was set aside for you to come in and help sort essentials for families in time for Thanksgiving distribution.  There was a limited amount of time slots available.  I quickly grabbed a spot for 7 of us – which included my 3 grandsons – the oldest is 15 and the twins who are 13.  You never know how teens will respond to getting up early on a Saturday morning to volunteer, especially when it wasn’t their idea.

My maternal grandmother (Harriet) was a wonderful storyteller.  She would tell me about life growing up in Chicago in the early 1910s, life during the Great Depression, and what it was like to raise a small child (my mom) during World War ll.  One story in particular, which took place during the holidays, always brought me so much joy and hope.  

Let’s circle back to this after the holidays.

I’ve heard this phrase quite a bit lately. In memes on social media and even in my day-to-day interactions with clients and colleagues. And I get it. This month is filled with activities, dinners, gatherings, shopping, year-end goals, and the busyness of life. It’s easy to set aside various tasks that do not feel as important to make room for what feels more important.

Time to celebrate the progress you have made over the past five days as we work towards ending 2022 on a high note. Let’s review this week’s coaching challenges.

I believe when we focus on how we can best support and serve each other first, we are given an incredible opportunity to share the best in ourselves.  That doesn’t mean we don’t care about being successful and achieving our own goals.

I was having coffee with a girlfriend, and she asked if I ever come across people who aren’t coachable.  I answered with an emphatic “yes.”  Not everyone is coachable and in order for coaching to be effective, the person being coached has to have the mindset and commitment to benefit from it.  

Henry Ford had a saying that I’ve shared with my daughters many times over the years, “whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right.”  This is such a true statement.  What is it in us that makes us question our ability to be successful at something before we even start?  Confidence, fear of failure, an excuse to not even want to try?  Regardless of the reasons we tell ourselves, if we decide we can’t do something, we will certainly be right.

Time continues to pass by so quickly.  When we started writing “the last 100 days of 2022” it still seemed like there was a lot of time to button things up and finish 2022 strong.  In a blink, it’s December 2nd with less than 30 days left until New Year’s Eve.  So, there’s no time to let off the gas…

Good Morning! There are only 30 days left in 2022 and I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 using daily coaching challenges to help you finish strong - you can join us anytime. As you take the time to review the past several days, congratulate yourself on any of the coaching tips you’ve adopted. These are all meant to support you in finishing 2022 strong! While change can be hard, it can also be very rewarding. Time to give yourself a high five!

The seemingly little decisions we make every day may impact someone else around us.  I’m going to say it again…the seemingly little decisions we make every day may impact someone else around us.  I’m not sure we give that enough consideration. 

A friend of mine reached out recently for some advice.  This is her first experience starting with a new company and as a new manager.  She is uncertain about how to approach her new team; where is the best place to start.  If you find yourself in this situation, here are a few things to consider:

I recently spoke with a very successful female executive, inquiring about coaching.  She knows it’s something she wants and needs to do but she’s decided that she’s just too busy right now.  She’ll be ready in three months.  I pressed into the specific reasons for postponing getting started, not to just sign another client, but to really understand the reasons for pushing it off into the future.  Here are a few of her reasons:

Today we’re going to keep it simple. This is your reminder to spend 15 minutes each Sunday for the remainder of the year decluttering your surroundings. This simple practice can help your holidays run more smoothly and give you a breath of fresh air.

Time to celebrate the progress you have made over the past five days as we work towards ending 2022 on a high note. Let’s review this week’s coaching challenges.

The idea of a North Star goal-setting strategy is not a new concept, however, it has gained momentum over the past few years and I am a fan. Though I’m not a New Year’s Resolution type of person, I appreciate the idea of a guiding light to focus on each year. Some friends of mine even change their North Star each quarter or even every month.

Today in the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving. Though this holiday includes the traditional story of the pilgrims settling into their new life in a new (to them) land, in modern times the holiday has shifted to focus more on the things we are thankful for. Many families in their own celebrations include the tradition of going around the table and saying what everyone is grateful for. Most often this includes family, friends, and health. And though those things are always important, I encourage you to think about your dreams. Being thankful for the dreams of your past and future.

In this eighth and final segment of our Learning to Lead series, we’re going to talk about courage.  The courage of a great leader.  It may seem like a given, that leaders are always courageous.  Not necessarily.  There are times when it is downright scary to be the leader, the one calling the plays.  The weight of responsibility on your shoulders when you make decisions that could negatively impact hundreds, even thousands of employees and their families – if you get it wrong.  It is daunting and humbling.

In our seventh segment of the Learning to Lead series, we want to speak to the traits necessary to rally your team forward.   

When you strive to be a great leader, recognize the responsibility you accept.  It’s so much more than a title or a role, it’s recognizing how you fit into the whole equation.  You may be the leader of an organization because you are responsible for the company’s overall success, but you are not the center of it.  Your people are.  When your team knows the vital role they play and are confident they are being effectively led, they will show up!

Good Morning! There are only 40 days left in 2022 and I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 using daily coaching challenges to help you finish strong - you can join us anytime. As you take the time to review the past several days, congratulate yourself on any of the coaching tips you’ve adopted. These are all meant to support you in finishing 2022 strong! While change can be hard, it can also be very rewarding. Time to give yourself a high five!

In part Vl of our Learning to Lead series, we’re going to talk about two important areas – confidentiality and boundaries.  Most of the time these things are not taught or discussed, and they really should be.  So, let’s talk about them!