May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportune time to reflect on leadership’s crucial role in fostering an environment that supports mental health.  For leaders in any organization, understanding and promoting mental health creates a supportive atmosphere and enhances productivity and employee satisfaction. Here’s how leaders can make a significant impact. Lead by Example Be Open and Vulnerable: Leaders can set a tone of openness by sharing their own experiences with mental health challenges, where appropriate. This can help destigmatize mental health issues within the organization ..read more

Have you ever found yourself conversing with someone who only gives one-word answers or where there’s a lot of awkward silence?  I had a meeting today in which one of the participants arrived on time, but the others were running five minutes late. There I was, stuck in a virtual conference room with someone I didn’t know very well, and it was difficult to engage him in a conversation until the others arrived. Sure, we could have gone on mute and continued our work until others arrived. If I had done that, I would have missed a golden opportunity to start building a positive and productive ..read more

Being a leader isn’t easy. The daily stress of decision-making, the pursuit of ambitious goals, and managing an overloaded calendar are just a few of the challenges that can leave you depleted. Being a mindful leader helps you to be mentally and emotionally present in your interactions and decisions. It involves an acute awareness of your thoughts and emotions and those of others, allowing you to manage your reactions and decisions more effectively. Mindful leaders are noted for their empathy, patience, and ability to remain composed under stress—traits that inspire and elevate their teams. In ..read more

I recently discovered that a colleague had been promoted, so I called to offer my congratulations. Curious, I asked if she had applied for the position or was “tapped” for it. She revealed that she was indeed “tapped.”Interestingly, this has been the case for every position she’s held at her company.  I’ve had similar experiences in my career as well. So, this week, I thought I would share a few strategies to position yourself as a top candidate for advancement. Have Career ConversationsMake your career aspirations known. Meet with your boss to discuss your career trajectory. Even if you ..read more

I’m celebrating my fourth business anniversary this week! Launching my business on April 1, 2020, might have seemed like a cruel April Fool’s joke, given the onset of a global pandemic. As it turns out, it was one of the best decisions I ever made. So, I thought I would share some of the insights I’ve gained along the way. Mindset MattersI planned my business launch for over a year and had already resigned from my job when the pandemic hit. My initial reaction was sheer panic! My inner voice was screaming, “Amy, what have you done? This is the worst time to start a business!”  I knew thes ..read more

I have a bit of a reputation for being an optimist. It’s easy to be optimistic when things are going well. However, how do you muster the positive outlook that fuels motivation and creativity during challenging and uncertain times? Here are a few things that I practice regularly: Decide to Be an Optimist I make a conscious choice every day, sometimes multiple times throughout the day, to have a positive outlook. This doesn’t mean that I’m happy all the time. It means that even when times are tough, I believe that things will eventually get better. It helps to reflect on previous difficult situ ..read more

I recently came across a social media post that caught my eye: When you’re not used to being confident, confidence feels like arrogance.   When you’re used to being passive, assertiveness feels like aggression.   When you’re not used to getting your needs met, prioritizing yourself feels selfish. Wow, ain’t that the truth? When you’re sitting safely inside your comfort zone, you’re missing out on opportunities to deepen your confidence, develop assertiveness, and become the best version of yourself. We’re all a work in progress on this lifelong journey of learning, growing ..read more

Let me share a little secret with you. Despite what you might see when I’m facilitating those lively training sessions, deep down, I’m a card-carrying member of the introvert club. Yep, you read that right! So, if the mere thought of networking sends shivers down your spine and makes you want to hide under a blanket, trust me, I’ve been there. But fear not, because today, we’re going to tackle the art of networking from an introvert’s perspective, and spoiler alert – it’s not as daunting as it seems! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, cozy up, and let’s dive in. First things first, let ..read more

Let’s talk about something that might change how you see your role:  You don’t need to have all the answers. Yes, you read that right! Contrary to what you might have thought, the key to effective leadership isn’t about being a walking encyclopedia of knowledge. Instead, it’s about empowering your team to come up with the answers themselves. Think about it – when was the last time you were part of a team where the leader swooped in, dishing out solutions left and right, like some sort of superhero with a solution for every problem? While it might feel reassuring to have someone at the he ..read more

As we find ourselves blessed with an extra day this year, let’s make the most of it by talking about something equally exciting – stepping out of our comfort zones and diving headfirst into new opportunities for professional growth. You see, just like leap day adds an extra day to our calendars, venturing beyond our comfort zones adds an extra dimension to our lives, enriching us with experiences and lessons we might never have encountered otherwise. Now, I get it – cozying up in our comfort zones feels, well, comfortable. It’s safe, familiar, and oh-so-inviting. But here’s the thing:  Gr ..read more