Recently, I was faced with a moment of choice. I was with a group of friends, and the topic of a colleague we all know came up. In the past, I have joined the group in what was essentially a gossip session about this person with whom we all have a challenging relationship. But I have made a commitment to …
Something to Look Forward to
A few years ago, one of my business coaches, Mark LeBlanc, gave me a piece of advice as I was creating my strategic business plan: Always have something you’re really looking forward to on your calendar, even if it’s months (or even years) away. He contended it would help to balance my energy on the days when life and work …
If / Then
Please tell me I’m not the only one. I decide on a goal. I’m on fire for a week or two, and then I slack off or get totally off-track. I know exactly what the behavior is that is sabotaging my intentions. I know the problem, and it’s usually me. Now I’m frustrated and feel worse and worse about myself …
Lessons from the Silver Strand
This month marks the 23rd anniversary of our Monday Morning Stretch, and to celebrate we are recycling some our most popular editions over the next few weeks. This Stretch was first published in March of 2014. Rereading it makes me want to dust off my old road bike, spin the tires, and feel the wind on my face again! As …
Legacy
I’m a big fan of Don Miller, founder of StoryBrand. In one of his personal vision workshops, he recommends writing your own eulogy, filled with all the things for which you hope others will remember you. He further recommends reading it every day as part of your morning routine as a way of keeping the legacy you wish to leave …
Lessons from the Trail
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” I can’t say I do something that scares me every day, but when I get an opportunity, I like to push myself. This quote from Eleanor Roosevelt reminds me of the time I was invited to join a small group of dental colleagues on a mountain bike adventure …
Seeking Advice
Have you ever been driving your car, exercising, taking a shower or just drifting off to sleep and suddenly feel a brilliant, daring new idea born within you? I had that moment a few weeks ago and immediately picked up the telephone to call a friend and discuss it. She listened and, as I had hoped, gave me some advice, …
Sour Milk and Leadership
I know. It’s completely unladylike to drink milk straight from the container. However, occasionally when I’ve needed an ibuprofen for a headache to get to sleep and to put a little something in my stomach, I’ve reached straight for the container so I don’t need to turn lights on or make much noise. The last time I succumbed to this …
6 Steps to Managing Unhappy Customers
Clarissa almost hated to hit the “send” button on her monthly statements. She knew from experience that by doing so she would trigger a cascade of unhappy phone calls to the office within 48 hours. “I’ve already paid my balance! Why do you now say that I owe $45 more?” “What kind of racket are you running over there! You …
Stepping Stones
We weren’t all born to be dentists or veterinarians or administrators. Some of us are working in these jobs as a stepping stone to something else, whether we’ve recognized what that calling is yet or not. When I was in college I worked as a cashier at a marina. I knew from the beginning it was not my final career …
