How to Lead Through the Misuse of “Therapy Speak” at Work Not long ago, a colleague described someone on her team as “toxic.” When I asked what she meant, she paused and said, “They make me feel bad.” That stopped me in my tracks. Because lately, I’ve noticed this pattern popping up everywhere—people using therapy or mental health language as shorthand for discomfort. “That conversation was triggering.” “They’re so toxic.” “I need to protect my peace.” Sometimes those stateme

We all struggle with strong reactions that hinder progress - as parents, leaders, partners and friends. Over the years, I’ve found three simple practices that help leaders (and parents, and partners) manage their internal reactions.

When “Rude” Becomes Grounds for Punishment In my work with Parks and Recreation departments, I’ve seen a pattern emerge among staff at community centers. A patron might be curt, condescending, or simply unfriendly, and the immediate request from staff is: “Can we ban them? They were rude.” It’s understandable. No one enjoys being spoken to disrespectfully. Rudeness stings. But here’s the problem: there’s no policy against being rude. Unless a patron is blatantly harassing som

I’ve seen this time and time again—whether it’s working with librarians, coaching leaders, or even parenting my own daughter: who  the feedback comes from can be just as important as how  it’s delivered. Me playing piano at 3 years old. Take, for example, when I first led the assertiveness training for library staff. The manager wanted their team to set clearer boundaries with patrons and with each other. They wanted to avoid burnout or tense situations escalating. And while

"I tried being truthful about what was on my mind and it blew up in my face." That's what a client recently said to me as we were...

And How It Can Transform Team Performance One Conversation at a Time During a Leadership Fort Collins session earlier this year, a moment...

Thriving in a Complex World Requires More Than Smarts—It Requires Humanity Complexity Is the New Constant We are living in one of the...

De-escalation, Boundaries, and Leadership on the Front Lines When the Frustration Isn’t Really About You After weeks of receiving...

Recently, I found myself observing a familiar scene—parents and children navigating big emotions in the wild. And in witnessing this...

One of the things I love most (and yes, sometimes groan about) in my work as a leadership coach and facilitator is how quickly the root...

Let’s face it—conflict at work is uncomfortable. Whether it’s a simmering tension in a team meeting or a full-blown misunderstanding...

My 8 month old kitten has been significantly bigger than my 5 year old cat for the majority of the time we've had her. Despite that, the...

My client had suspected that her immediate boss had been embezzling money for a few years before she spoke up. She first disclosed her...