Author: Beth Wonson
-
Swimming Upstream
I had a fascinating and energizing day yesterday playing in a branch of the South Yuba River in Bridgeport, California. I walked alongside a sweet river, watching the currents as it flowed. The river—not much more than twelve feet wide—wound around corners and connected with tiny tributaries. The banks and riverbed are what I’m learning…
-
The Fire Paradox – reinstating fire in its role!
I was watching the frightening news reports on California’s many wildfires last night when I heard the most amazing statement, “We are looking at The Fire Paradox as a tool for reducing wildfires.” The Fire Paradox? I had to know more about such an intriguing term, especially as I’ve been spending time considering and coaching…
-
Who am I to be doing this?
I’m doing business development coaching with an entrepreneur who has created an amazing foundation for her new and evolving business. Well, she calls it new and evolving. What she is missing is that this business is simply the leveling up of all her experience, study, practice, and skills. The culmination, if you will, of all…
-
I’m tempted to indulge in willful blindness
Willful blindness is a term that originates from legislation passed in the 19th century and is based on the concept of personal responsibility, and more specifically “if you could have known, and should have known, something that instead you strove not to see.” Author Margaret Heffernan reminds us in her book by the same name—Willful…
-
Are you living your values?
Yesterday I was giving a talk on Leadership Authenticity at the CA Society of CPA’s. I shared about how important it is not only knowing your core values, but also modeling them so coworkers and employees know exactly what you value and expect. One woman raised her hand and asked me if our core values can…
-
What if I get too proud?
Warning! Pride goeth before the fall! This sentiment, from the biblical book of Proverbs, ran through my mind for years. My Mother truly believed and lived by these words. One of her primary jobs was to make sure I didn’t get too big for my britches and risk a fall. As a result, compliments were…
-
Am I Trustworthy?
“I was having a riding lesson with a new trainer that I didn’t really trust. I was an inexperienced rider so I figured I just didn’t know any better. As I was transitioning to the canter, I lost my balance and fell off. The horse stepped on my leg. I’m still riding, but I haven’t…
-
I had to fire 3 people today.
I had to fire a few people today. It wasn’t pretty. I had to literally escort them out the door and demand that they never return. I will miss them but their banishment was for the good of the whole. The reasons for the immediate terminations were quite clear: They didn’t show up consistently but…
-
The Label Maker – a dangerous tool!
An amazing phenomenon happens to a lot of kids early in life. It isn’t often talked about or noticed, but it exists and many of us take part in it. The phenomenon is label making – the act of learning, accepting and receiving labels. These labels apply to our potential, our behavior, our physical appearance,…
-
Huh? Drop a hint?
Being clear with people about boundaries and what is needed (both personally and at work) is empowering them to be successful. Evidence shows hinting, and hoping people take hints, is highly ineffective. With hinting you actually take away the opportunity for others to show up effectively, while disempowering yourself by increasing your opportunity for anger…