I got an email from a woman who said the message from last week’s ezine hit her inbox at just the right time because she was going through some of the same issues I addressed in the article. I get similar emails each week, which is beyond gratifying because it’s reason I started sending them in the first place! But, it really got me thinking about common grounds. Finding common ground with people is the impetus for creating valuable relationships. Our commonalities are what make us accessible and relatable. The common ground is the equalizer. It tethers a connection with a person or people for the moment, the meeting, the present, or perhaps the future. “The longer we listen to one another - with real attention - the more commonality we will find in all our lives. That is, if we are careful to exchange with one another life stories... Read more →

“I think your self emerges more clearly over time.” ~ Meryl Streep What a difference a year makes. My head is spinning today, my mind full of reflection, introspection, jubilation, anticipation, wonder and… trepidation! Now, admittedly right now the trepidation part is minimized by the other more effusive emotions and thoughts. But, every year on my birthday – yes it’s today – I spend some good time reflecting, etc. Where have I come? Have I done what I set out to do in my life in my life and career? Am I the kind of person I’m meant to be? Am I on the right path? What’s the meaning of life?! …and so on! But, this year the trepidation is much different than it was a year ago. The trepidation this year is more about being a year closer to fifty! And, I would re-phrase it as an “anxious anticipation”... Read more →

"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for; perfection is God's business." ~ Michael J. Fox Read more →

Does gratitude make you a better leader? "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." Melody Beattie, Author Gratitude is the highest of attitudes. This thought came to me full throttle this past week. And, when gratitude is combined with wisdom, lessons can be learned, embraced and then taught. Last weekend my computer got a nasty virus! I actually started writing this at the library because after SIX days Geek Squad had still not fixed the problem. (never again will I use Geek Squad but that's a whole other story) So, I was without a dedicated computer and the internet for a week. And. sadly, I went through a withdrawal that brought up some... Read more →

"Successful people are masters of their words; they do not allow words to master them." ~ George Foreman, Boxer & Entrepreneur Read more →

Fashion icon and Harper's Bazaar editor Diana Vreeland once said, "The only real elegance is in the mind; if you've got that, the rest really comes from it." It got me thinking about how much power we have or don't have over our own states of mind. If elegance is indeed a state of mind, then can leadership be an acquired mindset as well? I would posit that it is. Some appear to be born leaders, and it's true that some people do have an innate sense of their leadership qualities and how to put them into practice no matter what field they're in or whatever endeavor they embark on. But, there are ways to recognize and adopt a leadership state of mind. One way to do this is to examine the differences between a "manager mindset" and a "leader mindset". Both roles are necessary, but it's when you truly... Read more →