Advice for transforming leadership, culture, Curiosity, and communication from Beth Wonson
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Have you ever read a post on social media that permeates your headspace and takes hold? You aren’t quite sure why or what it taps into, but the message resonates so deeply that you know it is some how your message too? I experienced that this week. A coach who I know and respect posted about how his young daughter loves to draw pictures and give them to others. A child on her school bus admired the daughter’s mittens and so the daughter drew a picture of the mittens and offered it to the admirer. The post went on to…
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I Have To Be Able To Vent!
According to researchers, venting actually continues or recreates the same activity in our brain as anger does. The act of venting sustains that anger-based activity for longer periods of time. In other words, whatever yucky feelings you are experiencing (anger, disappointment, sadness) would have disappeared sooner had you not gone into venting mode.
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Get out of the stew!
One of the greatest honors I receive is when I am asked to hold private workshops for groups of friends or families. My appreciation stems from the fact that individuals are entrusting me with their most valuable, non-renewable resource – time! And just as with an investor or financial advisor, they have confidence that I have the skills to spend it wisely. Perhaps they are seeking knowledge, or a solution, or are hoping to uncover how they keep themselves smaller than they were created to be. Regardless, when a few of the 24 precious hours in a day are allotted…
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Performance Evaluations – your tool to propagate mediocrity.
Accountability. This word has been coming up in my work a lot lately. At least a half-dozen clients have recently said, “I just wish there was more accountability” in relation to their working environment. Or the sister version of the statement, “I wish he (or she) was accountable.” When I take those words “accountable” and “accountability” by themselves, I have some thoughts on what each of those people might be meaning. I bet you have your own ideas as well. But when I press for a clear description of how someone is either not being accountable or how there is a lack…
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It is time to be fascinated!
A few years ago I went to hear Jeff Foster speak. I don’t know how exactly to describe Jeff Foster, so it is best if you come up with your own description. My big take away from the experience was the word “fascinating”. Anyone who knows me, works with me, or has heard me speak knows that “fascinating” is now part of my nomenclature. Why the word “fascinating”? What I gleaned from Jeff’s message was that we all get triggered. We have core issues or traumas, no matter how simple or complex they may be. What I know is that our triggers…
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How To Be An Asset (not an a*s)
No one ever taught me how to show up the first time I was invited to the planning table, so I’m here to help you.
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As soon as I find another job…
In the course of a year, I spend close to 4,000 hours listening to people share what they love about their work, what challenges them about their work and what, if I had a magic wand (which I don’t) they would ask me to change for them. Through this listening I am able to discern some very clear, prevalent and often flawed thinking. Here’s a thought that maybe you’ve had before. I know I have. “I have to find another job because the drama and gossip here just drags me down. I can’t take it anymore.” And this one…
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There are no bad people here.
Two Specific Changes You Can Make Today toGet Better Results With Communication #1 Say what you mean. And nothing else. I am amazed at how deeply we have entangled emotion with business dialogue. I spend the most time helping clients understand that it is okay to be clear, crisp, frank and direct. I’m not sure how this has gotten off track. But I continually hear people burying what they want to communicate in a big giant heaping snowball of fluffy emotion. It goes like this, “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, or offend you, because I really like you…
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Following. Who knew?
Last week I attended my first ever partner dance class. The class was West Coast Swing and I took it because a friend, who is a fabulous dancer, inspired and encouraged me.She asked, “Can you follow?” I was befuddled. I had no idea. I’ve never really considered being the follower – in anything. I felt myself brace against the idea. After all, isn’t being the leader always the best? “The class already started and is full of leaders. But they need more followers,” my friend stated. I decided I would try because I wanted to learn. Partner dancing is new…
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And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud…
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” ~Elizabeth Appell Last week I attended the San Luis Obispo Women’s Legacy Fund Luncheon with 595 other women (and less than a dozen men). The energy and power in the room was palpable. It was clear that this was a room full of women who showed up open to whatever is possible. Open to the promised message of inspiration from speaker Katy Sullivan. Open to enjoying a heart connection with others who were also open and present. Katy Sullivan,…
Leveling up Leadership and Culture Through Healthy and Candid Communication
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