Leadership Companion Blog

The other day, one of the women in my groups asked how much she should tell her boss about her personal life. She shared that her boss is a younger male and always asks his team to be fully transparent about life so he can help them with the balance. While that sounds like the right response anyone would want from a boss, my client has seen that those who speak up aren’t given the best assignments or information isn’t fully shared in return. She has the sense that transparency for her boss is a one-way street and she wanted

In the fast-paced world of today, women are often juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, from career ambitions to family commitments and everything in between. In the midst of this whirlwind, it’s easy to lose sight of our own needs and well-being. In fact, I was leading a group through an envisioning exercise I created and one of the women realized in the middle of it that she has totally stopped prioritizing herself. She has elderly parents who aren’t in the best of health. She has two busy teenagers, one of whom is neuro diverse, and she has a husband who

I’m not sure if it’s the time of the year, the volatility of the market or something else; however, I have been talking with so many women who are either in the throws of a career change or are contemplating making one in the next year. Making the decision to change careers can be both exciting and daunting. Whether you’re feeling unfulfilled in your current role or seeking new challenges, embarking on a career change requires careful consideration. As a women’s c-suite coach, I understand the importance of aligning your career with your passions and goals and I wanted to

In every professional journey, there are inevitable challenges that we face. One of the most difficult things we can face is dealing with individuals who attempt to undermine our efforts or steal our thunder. The other day a woman in one of my groups asked for help with this exact issue. While it’s a question I get regularly, I don’t think I’ve ever written on this important topic. Here are some strategies the group shared on how to navigate this complex terrain. GET MY VISION COMPANION Understand Your Triggers At the outset, the group shared that understanding your triggers is

In my last group of the year, I asked the members what their biggest triumph was for the year. I was surprised to hear each of them share about how they really rose to own their voice and advocated for themselves this past year. One woman shared that she has been woefully underpaid and she sent an email to the CEO with all of the comparative data. She acknowledged that she didn’t send it until last week and she wished she hadn’t waited so long; however, she needed that time to find her bravery and send the email. Another woman

The path to success is often littered with challenges, and one of the most significant obstacles many people face, including women executives, is self-doubt. While it can be crippling, it’s important to know that you’re not alone in this struggle. In fact, even the most successful women have battled self-doubt. GET MY GOAL COMPANION 1. Sheryl Sandberg As Facebook’s COO and the author of “Lean In,” Sheryl Sandberg has been an inspiration to many. However, she has openly admitted to struggling with self-doubt, or what is commonly known as the “Imposter Syndrome.” Sandberg once said, “There are still days I

In the world of leadership, how you finish is often just as important as how you begin. As a women’s leadership coach, I’ve noticed a common thread among the most successful female leaders – they all understand the importance of finishing strong. The other day, one of the members in my groups lamented that an employee had just left for another company and left so many things unfinished that this executive said the employee lost a good recommendation from her going forward. I listened as others related to this in their own staff and even peers. The group then spent

A merger can be a challenging time for any organization. With the uncertainty of the future, the potential for restructuring and the inevitable culture shifts, it can feel like navigating through a storm. As a leader, your skills, resilience, and perspective can turn this seemingly tumultuous period into an opportunity for growth, both personally and organizationally. I have several clients going through mergers and acquisitions right now, so I thought this topic was timely. In fact, the other day, two women in the same group are going through a merger – one works for the parent company, and one works

As women leaders, we often find ourselves facing daunting challenges that push us out of our comfort zones. These situations can be intimidating and terrifying, but they also provide tremendous opportunities for growth and transformation. I recently faced my own fear of crying in a very big way. I was asked to deliver the keynote speech at the inaugural meeting for a newly formed women’s group at a health care company. There are about 200 members. I was trained in the courtroom for public speaking and then gave keynotes frequently when I was the Chief Human Capital Officer in a

As women leaders, it is crucial to navigate the corporate world with confidence and assertiveness while maintaining our authenticity and integrity. Developing executive presence is not about being domineering or aggressive; it’s about commanding respect, influencing others, and making an impact. One of my clients recently asked the group for tips on not being a pushover. She said that she finally realized that she wasn’t going to get a promotion because everyone viewed her as a pushover and it was time to change this view. GET MY GOAL COMPANION Define Your Personal Brand To establish executive presence, one of the

Failure is an inevitable part of life. It is through failure that we grow, learn, and ultimately find success. The other day one of my clients asked the group for tips on how to bounce back from failure. This client has been with me for over three years and is someone who can be pretty self-critical, which can spiral her down into a negative and dark place. She seemed pretty positive coming into the room, so her question took me a bit by surprise. Before anyone offered tips, I asked if there was a specific failure that brought this to

The other morning one of my group members asked for help shifting from a doer to a strategic partner. This question comes up quite often, actually, and I think it’s because we worked so hard as individual contributors to prove we could do it all; we had no one to delegate to, so we were it. However, many women realize that sustaining their pace as a doer when they become a leader is nearly impossible. Additionally, most astutely realize that they need to be seen as more than a doer to keep rising. As background to her question, my client

Last week, I shared about my client who shared the earmarks of hustle culture and, when she did, she realized she had fallen victim to it herself. This week, I’m sharing the tips the group shared to help her remove herself from the clutches of hustle culture. GET MY VISION COMPANION Redefine success and set meaningful goals Instead of equating success solely by work achievements, the group encouraged my client to take the time to define what success means to her personally. By embracing a holistic definition of success that encompasses career accomplishments as well as her overall well-being, relationships,

In today’s fast-paced world, hustle culture has become the norm. Many of us feel compelled to constantly work harder, push ourselves to the limit, and sacrifice our well-being in pursuit of success. But what if I told you that there’s a better way? One of my clients recently shared with her group how she identified that she was in a hustle culture and the group discussed things she could do to ensure she doesn’t join the culture. This week, I’m focusing on the hallmarks of the hustle culture. Next week, I’ll share steps to take so you don’t join in

One of my clients recently asked the group how to navigate her upcoming exit interview with the CEO. She is in the c-suite and was ready to spread her wings further than the company would let her. She had a few peers who definitely were happy she was leaving and she had some feedback she really wanted to share with the CEO about her concerns with those colleagues. I love that she is surrounded by amazing women who had a lot of ideas to share with her so she could approach her exit interview with confidence. Here are tips the

“I chose sober because I wanted a better life. I stay sober because I got one.” Life is full of challenges, and sometimes we need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones to experience personal growth. One such challenge gaining popularity is “Sober October.” This movement encourages individuals to abstain from alcohol for the entire month, providing a unique opportunity to examine our relationship with alcohol and reap countless benefits along the way. As I’ve shared publicly about my own sobriety, I thought I would document some of the benefits I’ve found in my sober life. GET MY GOAL

“The energy you have in the morning is the energy your kids will have for the day.” One of my clients shared this in the coaching room the other day as the women were grappling with boundaries. This woman has been coaching with me for over three years. I’ve watched her rise from COO to CEO and have her confidence rocked in the process. She’s so strong that she didn’t stay shell-shocked long. She quickly reminded herself who she is and when the Board started placing demands on her that did not align with her values, she found herself another

Occasionally, I have the opportunity to coach men. Usually they come to me because they either have been told they need to become a better colleague to their female counterparts or they have identified their inability to work well with women as a shortcoming of theirs. I’m always intrigued when a man comes to me and asks me to help them. The other day I was coaching a man who wanted to improve his relationship with his female peers. He is in a c-suite position and the lack of diversity around the table is finally getting to him. He shared

With school back in full swing, I’ve been coaching women on establishing good boundaries between home and work, so I thought I would share some of the insights women have taken away from our coaching sessions recently. Boundaries are important as they help us create a sense of structure, promote self-care, and prevent burnout. They allow us to be fully present, both at home and in our professional roles. By acknowledging the need for boundaries, we take the first step towards achieving a healthier work-life integration. GET MY VISION COMPANION Acknowledge the Need for Boundaries One of my clients started

Last week my daughter came home from her second day of school and said, “They totally changed the dress code on us, bruh! I have to say goodbye to ripped jeans—like I can’t even wear them with rips below the knees or with something underneath, bruh!” I tried hard not to laugh about how serious and totally life altering this change was to her as I kept thinking about how I have women adjusting to shrinking teams or job losses and I’m supposed to care about whether teenagers can have rips in their jeans or not. I suppose when I

Starting a new job or working with a new boss can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. It’s an opportunity for growth and fresh beginnings, but it also brings its fair share of challenges. As a women’s leadership coach, I’ve guided numerous individuals through this transition period and thought I would share essential tips that have surfaced repeatedly in my coaching sessions. By implementing these strategies, you can adapt quickly, build positive relationships, and thrive in your new professional environment. GET MY VISION COMPANION Embrace a Growth Mindset Approach your new job or boss with a growth mindset. Embrace the learning