Perhaps you can relate. Imagine my surprise when I showed up in corporate life with a burning desire to contribute, bundles of energy to get things done, and an never-ending flow of ideas (at least some of which were even feasible), only to realize the company just wasn’t willing to let me work to my potential. It felt like I was a salmon throwing myself on the rocks time and time again trying to get the company to let me make the contribution of which I was capable! I finall

We launched our second HRoundtable this past week with the help of my long-time friend and wonderful consultant, business owner Sonya Kemp. Sonya believes in the notion that giving to others and allowing a group to learn from each other strengthens the outcome for everyone.  Adam Grant talks about this in his giving book, "Give and Take."  We have eight wonderful managers in this group from premier companies and they are already demonstrating their passion to give to each oth

How about rejecting the default in us? Take a chance and get on that limb.  Adam Grant, in his new book, Originals, talks about taking those chances. Are you exploring whether there is a better option or do you default to what you know? The start is curiosity and seeing things in fresh perspectives.  I know that is hard to do.  The job market is requiring us to reject the default in us.  Taking a role that you thought might be less than what you are skilled for might be scary

I am grateful to have worked for a few “healthy leaders” early in my career; they seem tougher to find today. There are unprecedented challenges in leadership in this chaotic world. Bob Rosen, CEO advisor and founder of Healthy Companies International, knows from his extensive research and hands-on experience that healthy leaders pave the way to healthy companies. Bob and his Chief Knowledge Officer, Kathie Ross, are joining us for our Great Starts Breakfast Series on June 1s

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to speak with Chip about leadership and what fuels his passion within Airbnb. SB: I just read your book Emotional Equations and immediately saw the power of practical strategies for leadership. Tell me more about your view on leadership today. CC: Leaders are the emotional thermostats for the business. Whoever is the top dog conveys mood and tone. How they talk is amplified across the organization. It is contagious and sensed by emplo

Jeremy Hunter, PhD is the Founding Director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute as well as Associate Professor of Practice at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.  He creates and teaches The Executive Mind, a series of demanding and transformative executive education programs. They are dedicated to Drucker’s assertion that “You cannot manage other people unless you manage yourself first.”  He also co-leads the Leading Min

It always happens in January.  We start a new year and budget for 2016 and even though we are in our 19th year of successful business, I remain paranoid.  In the past it was stronger for me in the first quarter than other times of the year.  My husband says I do this every year and should not worry.  Last year we had our best year since 2008.  Actually I am proud to say that my level of paranoia is quite diminished relative to other years and we did celebrate proudly at the c

What does living well mean for you?  We just returned from a trip to Vermont and the green mountains were filled with vibrant color.  I observed that "live well" for the locals meant a lifestyle and mindset that was comprised of; appreciating talents of others, blending work and personal needs, and taking time to appreciate surroundings, and family & friends.  It wasn't about building wealth, even though we suspect it is a goal for some.  It seemed more about building experie

Are you finding that you move from one crisis to another?  Are you racing through the day to somehow juggle it all? The digital age and all the change around us forces reactionary behavior.  I can see that in my colleagues and it concerns me. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in the "Power of Full Engagement," say that we have far more control over our energy than we realize.  They acknowledge that there is a fixed number of hours in the day but the quantity and quality of energy a

Dr. Jeremy Hunter, Professor at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont joined our HRoundtable this month to facilitate a discussion about Intention and Attention.  We were energized by his passion and practical tools that many are now using. What is the quality of your attention and how has that changed for you in the past few years?  With data and information coming at us 24/7, it is hard to imagine leaders are mastering this ever The model that Jere

The Wall Street article today on "Brain, Heal Thyself" has me thinking about brain fitness as leaders.  Dr. Doidge, who teaches at the University of Toronto and is a researcher at Columbia, says the brain heals and using it means we have more flexibility and significantly better outcomes for brain health.  That might not be entirely new data to you, however, his discussion about how to improve our brain health is fascinating. It does require a new perspective on light, sound,

We recently attended the TEDXOrangeCoast event and found ourselves immersed in topics ranging from pancreatic cancer tests to cowboys riding comets (yes, you read that right). The speakers varied from Directors of national initiatives to a 13 year old piano phenom who is still trying to balance homework with her social life. The power of TED productions is that they force you to put yourself in the mindset of innovation outside your professional specialty and beyond your go-t

I am reflecting on habit after one full month of entirely changing up my diet.  The good news, I did it with my husband.  We decided to shift our cooking and eating 360 degrees.  I now realize the habits that we left behind were just comfy routines and interfered with foodie creativity.   Eliminating carbohydrates was tough at first, but now the options are so vast that it is actually confusing at times. How do we find the balance?  That is the key for each of us.  How does t

I am reminded of why I like Shirzad Chamine's work so much - he was a guest of ours two years ago as we discussed Positive Intelligence.  Shirzad revealed how to achieve one's true potential for both professional success and personal fulfillment.  This latest article, (see link below) is a great story about what he shares with his new students at Stanford as they start their new year. His groundbreaking research exposes ten well-disguised mental Saboteurs.  Nearly 95 percent

Are you familiar with the premise that 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort?   This is a great reason to be clear on how you  spend your time.  Your effort pays off directly in connection to your intentions.  However, it is not easy to say no to the non-essential stuff.  I am guilty of that and constantly have to re-focus and ask myself, "what is most important?" This past week I decided to take a few hours in the day to find some quiet time and re-focus.  I am fi

Yesterday I was delighted to be a guest at an executive retreat for Alumni of the Drucker School in Claremont.  We met in this beautiful new conference center that was state of the art.  Dr. Jeremy Hunter who has facilitated learning events for us here in OC was kind to invite me as his guest and he facilitated the all day workshop. There were 40 professionals and business owners from impressive organizations and some had taken Jeremy's class in the EMBA program and others ne

There is a lot of talk recently about Mindfulness - it makes me feel hopeful and with curious about how this will take shape and change conversations at work and between individuals.  Jeremy is finding significant success in his EMBA classes at the Drucker School when focusing on the individual.  Rarely do we speak about "how it feels in the body" when we are in tense situations or dealing with people we don't trust yet but must work with on a daily basis.  He is teaching how

It seems a lot is being written about Mindfulness.  Even the Seahawks talk about mindfulness as important as lifting weights in the gym.  This past week we were fortunate to have Dr. Jeremy Hunter from the Drucker School meet with our HRoundtable and discuss mindfulness as a critical foundation for leadership performance.  Jeremy teaches this in the Executive MBA program at Drucker. Peter Drucker was way ahead of his time when he said, "We can not manage others until we learn

Do you find  yourself judging circumstances and events in your life?  Is your "judge" larger than life?  Shirzad Chamine, in his book, "Positive Intelligence" introduces us to the sage part of our brain and the saboteur. One of my saboteurs is the judge.  Shirzad offers a great assessment on his web site that is easy to take and gives you immediate feedback on the saboteurs in your life and the results of the judge. http://positiveintelligence.com/assessments/ I can relate to

David Rock, Neuroleadership expert says, according to a study of 6,000 people conducted by the NeuroLeadership Group in collaboration with a large healthcare firm asked respondents questions about where, when, and how people did their best thinking. Only 10 percent said it happened at work. At the NeuroLeadership Institute, they have been researching thinking in the workplace. The brain science shows us about how leaders think, develop, and perform, and recently they are inve