The New Year dawns and with it comes the urge for change—a change of exercise routine, a change of job, a change of wine intake, a change of administration. No matter what change you choose, as soon as you finger …
Self-Improvement
Breaking the Mental Logjam: The Power of Joy
It’s been quiet up here in the treehouse, at least outwardly. While I often sit among its calming branches, it’s been hard in the past few months to find pearls of wisdom to rise above the current political and cultural …
Hitting the Re-Set button—Five Steps to Overcome Inertia
With holidays come interesting dynamics. Many years ago, I lived in a New York Chelsea neighborhood loft. In the middle of said loft sat a fancy, schmancy, over-the-top Garland range. Why we had such an elaborate stove is beyond me. …
Discovering Your Roots Can Boost Your Growth
The popular PBS program, “Finding Your Roots,” brought home, literally and figuratively, how familial roots run deep, offering insights from distant times and places. With his calm presence, the host, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., mesmerized his guests as he …
A Love Supreme: The Day I Rediscovered Jazz, Cooking, and Rebooting
Last week I heard the news about the discovery of a lost John Coltrane recording. The seven cut recording preceded by two years his 1965 album, “A Love Supreme,” that secured his reputation as a jazz giant. When I read …
Can the “Real Me” Succeed to Lead? – Part 2
Five Building Blocks for Closing the Gap Between Personal and Executive Presence
Part 2: Five Building Blocks
“Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.” –Judy Garland
As described in …
Can the “Real Me” Lead and Succeed? – Part 1
Five Building Blocks for Closing the Gap Between Personal and Executive Presence
Part 1: Minding the Gap
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” The ever-quotable Oscar Wilde gives what seems like obvious advice. However, for many …
The Heresy of Change: How Self-Knowledge Empowers Leaders to Move Up, or On
Is there something in the water that heralds different thinking? Over my entire working life, I have listened to leaders as clients, colleagues and friends talk about their careers, what they want from them and what struggles they face. Those …