Advice for transforming leadership, culture, Curiosity, and communication from Beth Wonson
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I read something yesterday that really stuck in my brain. And I churned it around uncomfortably until I knew I was going to write about it. There is a chat group for professional coaches that I participate in. It is rich with thought-provoking discussions and ideas. Yesterday, one of the members presented a scenario that she is faced with. It involves staff that has complaints about their supervisor and want support in bringing those issues to his attention. Their fear is that he will react badly and possibly retaliate. The coach was seeking suggestions from the group. This was my…
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Anchors Away! Where are you going to toss your anchor?
The reoccurring theme this week has been around where to anchor myself – in the stories of my past or in my future? A few times each year I travel from where I live now to the place where I was born and lived up until about age 47. I never imagined living anywhere else. It was perfect. I loved the fishing village, the tourist community, the daily interaction with friends and family and the traditions that anchored me. I’m talking about things like the 4th of July celebration, the Memorial Day parade, Santa coming to the town square…
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No… I have not actually tried this myself!
I’m on a pseudo vacation this week – and it’s glorious. I’m back home in Massachusetts, spending time with my soon to be born grandson, his beautiful momma (my daughter Annie), my siblings and their families. I’m also doing on-site work with some of my East Coast clients. Which brings me to one of my favorite anecdotes – the boiling frog story. This is the story of a small, successful business that has been operating for dozens of years. Their brand is well known and respected. The presenting problem is that in today’s highly competitive digital world, decisions have…
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I am angry! – Or am I?
I run up against anger in all aspects of my life. I see it in my work, in my family, in my community and most dauntingly – in myself. As I hear participant’s stories in my Navigating Challenging Dialogue™ workshops, I am reaffirmed that anger: a) Doesn’t have the impact on others we were hoping it would. b) Is not really representative of what we are feeling. c) Provides only momentary relief and usually leaves us feeling yucky about ourselves. d) Is a tool. “A tool?” you ask. Yes, anger is a tool. We use it to convey that…
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The Power of Horse Wisdom
Animals feel our energy and provide value, clear feedback. So I want to ask you – how would you like to tap into that resource and go to the next level – personally or professionally? The stories below are from clients* and from my own experiences, they will help you see the power of horse wisdom.The vice president of a local company hesitantly entered the round pen with a young Arabian horse. It was his first ever horse interaction. He didn’t come to learn about horses, he came to learn about himself and he had the support of two coaches –…
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What’s your story?
Stories play a powerful role in our lives. The stories we tell ourselves about ourselves are the most impactful. Positive stories can help us launch dreams, achieve our goals and propel us to the next level. Negative stories can do quite the opposite. And most significantly, negative stories can create disconnection from others.When working with individuals and teams, the following types of negative stories may their ugly heads. Do you notice anything familiar – from you or from those around you? Types of Negative Stories Victim Stories – “I would have been on time but my ride over slept.” “They don’t…
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I’m not apologizing for that…
The term battle royale comes from ancient Rome when two gladiators would fight until only one was left standing. Luckily we have evolved past such unproductive ways of being. Or have we? If you work in an office, are involved in a community group or have a family, you’ve experienced a modern day battle royale. It’s where two people have locked horns over something (usually no one can exactly remember what it was about) and in typical gladiator fashion, are willing to hold their position until all is lost. But unlike the king’s gladiators, we have a choice…
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That’s gotta be sarcasm…or is it?
Growing up north of Boston the youngest of five kids, sarcasm mattered in my world. Bostonians are known for their quick wit and clever, but cutting sarcasm, and my siblings and I were no exception. At family gatherings I frequently heard, “Can’t you take a joke?” or “I was only kidding!” Being the baby of the lot, my sarcasm IQ fell short of my siblings, but it didn’t take me long to get it to cutting edge status. As I spread my wings and began working with all different kinds of people from all different backgrounds, I came to…
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5 simple ways to get more from your brain!
I was at a luncheon last week where Sara Caputo of Radiant Consulting in Santa Barbara was the speaker. Sara has an extensive background and credibility in organizing – which seems to be a current theme in my life these days. In the past month I’ve: 1. Read and implemented many aspects of Marie Kondo’s “The Life Changing Art of Tidying Up”. And shared the impact in a recent blog post, 130 Shirts, 20 Pairs of Pants and a Problem Solving Activity. 2. Signed up for an on-line Mac training with Ruth Davis, www.mac2school.com and deleted over 400 obsolete documents off my computer and…
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I am that person. You are that person.
I often get called to help deal with “that person”. You know who I mean. The employee who’s too valuable to terminate, but they have annoying patterns of behavior that cause drama and take up valuable time. Now, for some reason, it has reached the crisis point. And they have become “that person”. Recently I was working with a manager on giving feedback to “that person”. I listened to the manager and her supervisor (who now was at the end of his rope as well) share how this situation has been building for a few years. How the employee’s constant…
Leveling up Leadership and Culture Through Healthy and Candid Communication
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