Have you ever felt powerless in a meeting when the conversation turns into an emotionally charged diatribe? Here are a few seemingly magical steps that you can use to turn around unproductive and damaging diatribes in just minutes. Imagine that you are leading a meeting. One of the agenda items is: rising health care costs. Your intention is to brainstorm creative solutions. One person, who also happens to have seniority over you, begins a rant about health care. He opens with a rational, but off-topic story about the history of health care costs. He then quickly digresses into unproductive blame-placing,…

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A dear friend is sleeping soundly in my guest room. Last time she was here was about six months ago and only days before she embarked on a six-month trip through Asia armed with only her backpack, a yoga mat, her cell phone, her courage and occasional met ups with friends. Just days before she left the States, I sat with her as she reorganized her pack in preparation. The mix of emotions, both anxiety and excitement, was palpable. She is a goal oriented, driven person who is most comfortable with a plan of her choosing. She holds several degrees…

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“But ambition is what has gotten me where I am today so what do you mean by ‘let go of ambition’”? This question was asked of me when I was interviewed to facilitate a two-day retreat for CEOs. Even though I had been highly recommended, I sensed that the person asking the question was skeptical about my being a good fit. I acknowledged his concern but asked him to reflect on a time when he was fully present, distracted from his ambitious goals and yet perceived an opportunity beyond his usual sight line. He was easily able to provide a…

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Let’s turn around one of the most misunderstood, over commercialized and triggering holidays of the year. Let’s make Valentine’s Day…”Heart Expansion Day”  And here is my gift to get you started!   My self-love blog and free downloadable 10 minute Heart Expanding relaxation recording. The MYTH About Self Love….I love you. You complete me. I used to confuse self-love with self-care. I thought it was about doing things for myself as little rewards – a massage, eating well, buying myself something I wanted. But I’ve learned over the past few years that self-love isn’t about doing at all. It is about feeling. Recently as I was working…

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Maintaining Integrity When Emotions Are High Someone needs to let Kanye West in on a little secret. I so want to judge him for jumping on the Grammy stage and ranting, but I also know that he, like all of us, is a victim of that pesky hormone adrenaline. The one that starts pumping through our blood stream when we feel threatened, intimidated, wronged or any other emotion that triggers fight or flight symptoms.   I know you maybe saying, “Come on. He wasn’t really threatened”. (Or perhaps you are saying, “Who’s Kanye?”). Either way, the point is we are…

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How Brave and Confident Leaders Hold Space for Choice (part 2 of 2) Background: Leaders who are brave and confident enough to hold space for choice in the change process will get a big pay off in terms of staff buy-in and ease. In this segment I the “how to’s” of holding space for choice. To catch up…see the previous post! Educate and Inform As you roll out your plan, share (and over share) the steps and how each staff person, department and role will be impacted. I tell leaders, just about when you feel sick and tired of hearing…

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Part 1 of 2 Is your organization going through a change? Whose isn’t? Organizations that aren’t growing and changing aren’t staying competitive. And leaders who can’t effectively lead change aren’t lasting either. So how do you help staff avoid drama, resistance or even trying to block change? Leaders who most effectively move their organizations through change confidently and bravely hold space for their staff to make their own choices. Especially in times of change. When I hear, “We are in the midst of an important change process (or new implementation or restructure) and my staff is fighting me every step…

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Wait…what? A leadership coach who doesn’t like goal setting? How can that be?   Well, it is true. I am not a fan of goal setting. I have found that setting very specific goals can be both limiting and damaging. Limiting in that when you are so focused on a goal you can miss the unimaginable opportunity that creeps in right under your nose. And damaging in that not achieving a narrow goal within a specific time frame can make you feel…well…like a loser!   I can hear you asking, “So, Beth, what can I do to make sure I achieve…

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Did you know…The electromagnetic field of your heart is 5000 times stronger than that of your brain? And is measurable up to 3 feet away from your body? Your heart has 40,000 neurons that send messages to all parts of your body? Essentially, your heart has the ability to learn, remember, feel and sense…independent of your brain! How exciting is that? More good news! You can stabilize and modulate your heart rhythm and get the benefit of the heart brain SIMPLY by calling up a feeling of love or happiness within which you literally feel your heart expanding? This is…

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Softec’s TechBrew Meeting Happens Monday, December 8th Topic: “Leadership for the New Year.” We all can think of at least one person whose content knowledge and skills are unmatched. However, despite their title of “leader,” their interpersonal skills and communication styles actually break down trust, inhibit motivation, and ultimately cost the organization time and money because of staff turnover and morale issues. Management’s dilemma is that an employee is too valuable to fire but puts the organization at risk for grievances, law suits, and stress claims. Beth Wonson will share with us some of her secrets as a leadership coach…

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