Why is happiness the end goal? Do we REALLY want our family, teams, employees to be “happy” or are we really wanting people to feel safe, supported and valued? Happiness is fleeting and easily impacted by outside things and people. Contentment is long term and deeply rooted in self. I’d argue the latter is the greater pursuit.
Nurturing an idea or a strategy or a person/thing can become smothering. Pushing can become counterproductive. But leaving something alone and allowing it AND YOU to adjust to new information or a new environment can bring amazing results. This is a key part of clarity – knowing the different between letting go and letting rest. You haven’t given up, you are just waiting for additional information before taking the next steps. And this waiting is a good thing.
“I think therefore I am.” I must wonder because it doesn’t seem link thinking about things is very important anymore. The speed at which we move has pushed deep thinking to luxury reserved for very few. But THINKING is critical to doing things that are aligned. It is critical to leadership. It is critical to existence. So why do we do so little of it?
Women’s History Month 2022 is in the books and it was AMAZING! Sharing my Village with all of you was an incredible honor! We talked about finding YOUR village, about being discerning about who you have in your village (not everyone is your friend). We talked about having a safe space to just take the mask off. About celebrating each other, empowering each other and standing in our power as women! These women are some of the most amazing humans on the planet. I encourage you to listen to their g...
There are few things more powerful or more critical in your career than your posse. They may be part of your personal BOD. They are definitely part of your Village. They are your safe space. They are your mirror. They are your sounding board. If you don’t have one, you need to find one. But be discerning. Not everyone is posse material. Dina L. Clark In May 2021, Dina Clark began her role with Skanska USA Building as the company’s first Senior Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. As a memb...
Sometimes you just need to be around black women. The story that black women don’t support each other is a myth. The story that we are infinitely strong and resilient is also a lie. Sometimes, you need to lay aside the strength and let go of the resilience and just take a pause. Take off the mask. Take off the armor. And just have a little banana pudding and peach cobbler. And a few adult beverages. And talk about the stuff that just makes you crazy without having to explain the backstory. About...
In this second installment of the WHM2022 series, you will meet my Fierce Five! These are the women who came into my life during transitions. High School to College. International grad School. Post grad school work. Big city moves. But there was just something about a shared spirit and a common connection. And, my common connection built their common. Who said women cant be FIERCE and FRIENDLY? About the Guests: Suzanne Anderson Suzanne Anderson is an experienced Senior Talent professional with ...
Launching Women’s History Month with a conversation with 4 women who were the first members of my Village. We have known each other since we were a twinkle in our mothers’ eye. And this conversation is about how those shared beginnings and shared values built a bond that has been a foundation and support as we have moved through our lives. It’s about women supporting women! About the Guests: Natalyn Daniels Born in Odessa, TX to Napoleon and Temple Daniels, Natalyn attended First Baptist church ...
We have not because we ask not. But at some point during our careers, it becomes taboo to ask questions. At least questions to gain clarity or to ask for help. Yet, its that lack of clarity or determination to do it ourselves that can create the very situation we are trying to avoid – failure. So why can’t we just ask the question? Let’s talk about it! About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch personal advisor a...
Sometimes what we avoid like the plague is the very thing that hits dead center in our sweet spot. As the first black female CEO of a Technology company in Antigua & Barbuda, Janice carried a certain prestige. But she also carried a perceived availability to her time as a result of the small environment in which she operated. When she made the decision to step down and into her next role, it wasn’t a slam dunk. She had to allow herself to “swerve” into the sweet spot she has now attained. Ab...
What do we mean when we talk about productivity? And how do we measure it for ourselves? Is just checking off all the things being productive? Are all the things necessary or aligned with where we are going? If not, then why are we using their completion as a sign of productivity? In fact, why are they on the list at all? About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch personal advisor and women’s leadership coach. He...
Perseverance is not always gut wrenching pain, but it is usually uncomfortable. By definition, it is overcoming despite challenges, obstacles and failures. But perseverance also shows grit and determination to get to the stated goal. It also leaves room for “modification” of the pathway to that goal. And think of the story you will have to tell when you get there! About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch person...
Having “LASER focus” isn’t necessarily all it’s cut out to be. That myopic state of being can prevent us from taking in information that is necessary to achieve the desired goal. Instead, try just blurring the background like in a picture. That way, if something catches your attention, you can make the choice to attend to it or not. But you aren’t at risk of missing something critical because you cut off all outside distractions. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy...
Your vision of what you want and how you want to do it is PERFECT! You know what you want to deliver. You know where your gifts are and how you want to utilize them. The challenge is getting support in the execution of the what. Why? Because “support” can often lead us to changing our vision to suit what an “expert” tells us. But if you are not living in your purpose and your genius, success may happen, but it won’t be sustainable. So be discerning in what advice you follow. After all, you know ...
What would happen if you believed deeply that what you wanted were possible? When we doubt the possibility, we leave room for comparison to everyone else’s achievements – or at least what they let of see of them. But if we get solid in who we are and what we really want, we can stand firm in the possibilities, even if the path is a shaky one. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch personal advisor and women’s...
Episode Summary I’m not sure when the selection of an annual word started. I’m sure I was late to the party whenever it was. After having selected words for a few years, what has become evident is that it’s not the word that’s the driving force. It’s the behavior that accompanies the word that makes the difference. E.g. discipline without supporting behavior is just a word with projected importance. Its power is in its execution not its mere existence. Just a thought… About the Host: Laurel Rutl...
Have you thought lately about how your actions can impact far beyond your immediate visions or knowledge. Your actions indeed have a ripple effect. What’s amazing is that the ripples can reach farther than we even know and impact people we may never know. It’s also what makes it important to be mindful of the actions we take and the words that we use. Leaders recognize their ripple effect. TRUE leaders understand the power of their ripple effect and use it wisely. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge...
Legacy is a funny thing. We think we have to be rich or famous or somehow bigger than life to have one. Or we have to have offspring to hand things down to. But legacy is so much more than that. Legacy is about IMPACT. What will people say you have done for them? How has your presence uplifted or supported someone else? What are you creating that build instead of breaks. THAT is Legacy! About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make...
Perspective enables us to see multiple sides of a situation. It helps us to operate in the gray when we want to live in black and white because is seems safer. Through perspective, we can get clear and make definitive decisions while enabling flexibility and adaptability, and yes, even empathy. Perspective can pull you out of despair and into possibilities if you let it. Perspective is a SUPERPOWER. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individu...
Leadership is not for the faint of heart. And having a “leadership position” shouldn’t be seen as the only measurement of success. This leads to many people who have no desire to lead or no skills to lead being put in positions where their lack of desire and skill negatively impact an organization’s culture and outcomes. But it doesn’t have to be that way. How about we find ways to “promote” technical experts in ways that are satisfying and growth oriented and not necessarily tied to leading tea...
Whew! Unmet expectations are a killer! As we approach the end of the year, it is important that we manage our expectations of ourselves and of others in order to manage our emotional response to them. It is also important that we clearly communicate our expectations so that we understand the gaps and can choose accordingly. It’s not hard, it’s just not always consistent. But let’s make it so this year. We all have enough to conquer without conquering the disappointment of unclear, unnecessary or...
Persistence is a superpower. In the madness of making things happen, we often focus on our resilience and consistency, but we rarely talk about how our persistence serves as a foundation for achievement. For in the persistence, there is room for imperfection, changes of direction, and increased clarity. All of those serve us well as we step fully into our unique purpose. How’s your persistence holding up? About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of in...
We seem to have it all wrong! Leadership is not about the ANSWERS. Leadership is about PROVIDING SOLUTIONS. Too often we get caught up in the standard process or the “we’ve always done it that way.” We fail to pause, listen and then actively pursue a solution to the problem that is being presented to us. You know that saying, “if you are going to call out a problem, also bring a solution?” The same holds for leaders. How do you respond to problems that are brought to you, your team, your departm...
Sometimes pushing is the wrong thing to do. It can lead to injury. It can lead to the diminishing returns. It can lead to burn out, frustration, anxiety. While we need to exercise our resilience, that resilience is often grounded in a keen sense of awareness the enables us to just take a minute to regroup when needed. How are you taking a pause this week? About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch personal adviso...
How often to you pause to appreciate everything you have done to get to where you are? How often do you say “thank you” to YOU for your grit and resilience. As we move through this gratitude month, take some time to show appreciation to others. A kind, sincere word goes a long way. And while you are at it, show yourself some appreciation too! You got this! About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of individual needs make her a top-notch personal advis...
Fear does not have to be debilitating. In fact, fear can be a driver in moving you forward. Jacqueline Wales has spent her career studying human behavior and the impact fear has on success. She knows that fearlessness is not the absence of fear but the courage to take the next step. About the Guest: An astute observer of behavior, Jacqueline is endlessly fascinated by the messiness of being human, and finds people who are vulnerable and honest about their struggles incredibly interesting and cou...
Fear in and of itself is not bad. It keeps us on our toes. But when taken to an extreme, it can prevent us from moving forward. Tapping into caution as a bellwether for action is a way to move forward with awareness of the risks and plans to mitigate them. Caution gives pause where fear makes us stop. So the next time you are hesitant, ask yourself, “am I afraid or just being cautious?” and adjust accordingly. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding ...
It’s been a “messy brain” kind of month already. But this show is all about “perspective” so we are finding the power in the mess. The reality is that sometimes what we feel is messy is what makes us really good at what we do. It’s our “superpower” of sorts. But if we spend too much time focused on cleaning up the mess as opposed to finding the gems hidden inside, we miss opportunities for greater impact. About the Host: Laurel Rutledge’s human-centered approach, empathy, and understanding of in...
Is being “influential” enough to cause systemic change? You can increase your influence by increasing your presence and being seen everywhere. BUT does mere presence carry enough power to create sustainable change? According to Rashad Robinson, President of The Color of Change, real power is the ability to change the rules. As leaders, are we exercising the power of intimidation caused by our mere presence and position or are we exercising the kind of power that changes hearts, minds and institu...
Our guest this week has found a way to successfully earn a living AND serve others at the same time. Author, TV Show Creator and Songwriter Lisa Caprelli left a thriving marketing business to follow her passion and fulfill her purpose. She lets us know how she navigated that switch and how she uses her talents to educate and inspire young people. We also touch on building teams, dreaming big and executing your vision. About the Guest: Lisa Caprelli is a speaker, songwriter and an award-winning a...
