If only we knew how to have more courageous conversations in a clear, inspiring, and nonjudgmental way with people who hold a different opinion than us or with people from whom we desire a different result, then our world, our workplaces, and our families would be significantly better. I am passionate about this fact. I believe my purpose is to …
Is Positive Leadership for Sissies?
At a recent corporate presentation for a large leadership team, I spoke about the strategy of positive leadership skills. Most of the group leaned into the idea, but one leader in the group was wholly unimpressed. After a noticeable and sustained display of resistant body language, I asked specifically for his thoughts on the topic. Here’s what he had to …
The Company You Keep
This past week I spent four glorious days with three of the best people I know… my Wild Women Book Club besties. As we have for the past 15 years, we marked the time off a year in advance, held the time sacred, and traveled from all parts of the country to have this time together. We always fill our …
Translating an Old Story to a New One
Anyone who has been reading these Monday Morning Stretches for any length of time has surely gotten the message that LionSpeak believes in the power of creating new stories for ourselves, our businesses, our clients, and our families. We strongly believe it is within our power to conjure, create, and attract any new story and reality we want. And yet, …
Intention, Motivation, and Inspiration
I don’t love to workout, even though I’m thoroughly convinced that it is crucial for my longevity both mentally and physically. I love my daily walks. I love my daily stretching. I love my daily meditation and quiet morning time for reading and journaling. But, I do not love weight training. At all. Not one little bit. But last week, …
The Clarity Challenge
I’ve been doing an official experiment over the past year with client teams. I ask a simple question, one for which everyone thinks there is a clear, simple, and straightforward answer, one which it would only make sense that every employee could answer quickly and definitively. The question: What time is on time? In other words, what is the exact …
You ARE the Traffic
I was frustrated and stopped in what seemed like endless traffic on a crowded LA freeway when I looked up to read a billboard that said, “You ARE the traffic.” The truth of the simple statement took a moment to register, and then it made me smile. It was a funny little reminder that while we are looking out at …
Today’s Buffet
We didn’t go out to eat much when I was young. I grew up out in the piney woods of southeast Texas, and there weren’t many restaurant choices in my tiny hometown. But, when my mother would go “into town” for shopping, we would often have lunch at a buffet restaurant called Luby’s. It was always a treat! As a …
The Secret Weapon
Over the holidays, I was introduced to an Asian comedian, Ken Jeong Tran, being interviewed on a talk show about her recent and highly successful comedy tour. During the interview, the host showed several clips of her hilarious performances at live events in Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles, but he also showed a clip of her failing in …
Traditions
Since the beginning, humans have created reoccurring ceremonies and traditions that help us recall important moments in our history, signify significant rites of passage, and celebrate things which unite and bond us. Since I was a child, I have always loved traditions. Growing up in the Episcopal faith, I loved the seasons of the church calendar marked by different alter …
