In a recent session with a client of mine, I was asking her about her goals for the New Year. A lot of people I have asked about this have been rather complacent about it, as if this human-made construct of the threshold of December 31st and January 1st has some magic fairy dust in it. Somehow at the changeover our lives will have a different meaning and purpose and our goals and visions will finally be realized. My client was revealing a few things that she wants to do this year and she seemed more stalwart than usual. She had some experiences lately that have her become more awake, more in her own power, more ready to assert herself in the world. Then she said something that struck me as powerful. When I asked her about this new found sense of power, she calmly said “I belong here”....

As most of us know and feel, the hectic pace of the holidays can put us to the test emotionally, mentally, and physically. With so much to do and so little time, overwhelm and anxiety can be real reactions we have to these stressors of fitting it all in. Maybe your are going to roll smoothly through the holidays with no stress, I say good for you! This is the ideal and you should bottle your secret recipe up and share it with others. For the rest of us however, we have the opportunity to slow down a little bit to keep ourselves intact....

In my work recently I have noticed a more comprehensive way (in my mind at least) as to how triggers work. There are many reasons why we get emotional upset, but I will give you a scenario that seeks to encapsulate my understanding. Remember, triggers are not just the hot emotions: Frustration, anger, rage. They also encompass anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, depression. Any of those so-called ‘negative’ emotions are what I coach around in organizations because they can cause a lot of havoc when not managed well....

In my work with leaders and teams, the first thing I address is emotional triggers. We all feel negative feelings from time to time, especially when we work with other human beings. Differences in personality, style, role, position, status, etc. can play a part in why we get emotionally upset by others. This is natural. Through self-awareness of what triggers you and why, you can begin to evoke different strategies to deal more effectively with them, thus becoming more of a master of your energy and a constructive force in the workplace. In pondering my work with others (and with myself as I am constantly practicing as well) I realize it is a possibility to fall into the blame game....

As most business leaders and managers know, organization culture is real, yet it is hard to put a finger on exactly what it is, and thus how to engender it in the workplace day to day. It has always been my premise that culture happens whether we are intentional about it or not, so why not be strategic about the practices that set the conditions for a positive, collaborative and innovative culture?...

We all experience adverse emotions from time to time, some more than others. Sometimes when others present us information that we don’t want to hear, such as feedback for our attitude or performance, we take it personally. What does it mean to take something personally? To me, whenever we feel offended, embarrassed, insulted, defensive or upset there is a reason behind the scenes that is motivating these emotions. Say, for instance your co-worker gives you some feedback about a process that you are following that isn’t quite right. When this person comes to you and delivers the feedback, you may feel ‘less than’ or even ‘the worst employee ever’....