Next Generation Leadership

Last night I watched Life is Beautiful, a movie about a Jewish Italian family who became victims of the Holocaust. I have no idea how I missed this back in 1997–it’s breathtaking and, of course, heartbreaking. A film is one thing, but it’s so tough when the whole world feels heartbreaking. It can become overwhelming. Overwhelming is exactly the problem. The idea of doing anything is overpowered...

Imagine walking into a room where everyone’s voice matters, where each person’s background is valued, and where diversity is not just a buzzword but a true, lived experience. Now, think further — what if YOU were the leader who created that room, that inclusive environment—one where inclusion isn’t a box to be checked but the very fabric of the workplace culture? As leaders, the journey toward...

I love spending time at client sites. I can tell so much by the feel of a place. Organizations are like people; there’s so much more than meets the eye. The real testament of an organization’s health lies in its culture—the way people are together—how they treat each other, how they feel when they are together, to what extent do they have and cherish group identity.

As a management and leadership coach for 30 years, I have talked with a LOT of people about workplace dynamics. Regardless of where the conversation begins–employee engagement, morale, feedback, communication–it always ends up with one of three themes:

A Lesson From A Raisin in the Sun Equity: The ability of all members of a community to fully access opportunities and resources, accounting specifically for the systems and structures of oppression that limit access for historically marginalized groups. Recently SHRM (Society for Human Resource Managers) made an announcement:

Occasionally unplugging from the hustle and bustle of life is not a nicety; it’s a must-have. Our bodies, brains, and ability to regulate emotions were not wired for this world. It’s too noisy, congested, busy, distracting. It’s easy to begin a morning’s work committed to catching up on email and relatively quickly spiral into real-time chat via Slack, Teams, or any number of social channels...

I’m a mom, sister, daughter, friend, entrepreneur, manager, writer, coach, wanna-be yogi, world traveler, tennis and pickleball player-in-training, and avid reader. Oh yeah, and I love a solid 8 hours of sleep and a nap whenever possible. Time is my most important asset. Yet time management often feels like the ultimate puzzle. I find myself constantly asking, “How can I accomplish everything...

I’m “folksy.” My family is from Arkansas, so my Southerness mixed with a little bit of this and a little bit of that comes out as folksy. I mix “proper English” with slang–even in mixed company. I tell stories to convey a message. That’s my style. I’m not “only folksy”, I also prepare my ass off! I am incredibly dedicated to my discipline. I read, I write, I think, I talk to people who are...

I am a student of culture. Headlines, sound bytes, moments in time are important and interesting. But culture needs a wider lens. Culture happens in real-time but is only understood over time.

Recently, our team hosted a virtual community connection session called “Managing Your Emotions While Doing the Work.” The goal was to create space for our colleagues in higher education, who are going through itright now, to experience some semblance of care, comfort, and community in their “workplace” setting. No, not a typical workplace setting, but what’s typical anymore? Nowadays, we are...