How to Kill Psychic Vampires and Toxic Relationships

Look at your to-do list. Look at your calendar. Now, think about your personal or professional goals for today, this week, this quarter, or even this year. How much alignment is there between the way you spend your time and the goals you’ve set for yourself to achieve? My guess is: not a lot. And … Read more

Mentors vs. Champions

Mentors vs. Champions Give me a show of hands: how many of you have mentors?  Lots?  Peachy. Now, give me another show of hands: how many of you have champions?  What?  None?  We gotta fix that.  STAT. Mentors offer support, they tell you stories, they pass along wisdom.  They teach you things. They are terrific. … Read more

TEDx – “The Thing” That Scared Me Most

Driving my 8th grader home from school one day, I received a call from a friend who happens to be the executive producer of TEDxCambridge.  Knowing she was in a bit of a career transition — one that I had energetically encouraged — I felt the responsibility to take the call to make sure everything … Read more

I’m Not Fierce

I like to own the stage.  I channel my inner showman, and turn on the razzle dazzle.  I’m really one jazz-hand number away from selling tickets.  And, inevitably, whether in a public arena where I’m teaching leadership, or in a quiet coffee mentoring meeting, that stage persona always leads to the same question. “When did … Read more

How High Should You Jump?

Somewhere along your path from doer to leader will be a boss who mindlessly forwards an email or tosses out an idea with the intro, “Wouldn’t it be great if…”   And, you’ll find yourself scrambling to come up with ideas, present solutions, innovate in a vacuum of information, the whole time wondering what on … Read more

OH, NO…Success! Now What?

I’m often asked to speak about my experience as an entrepreneur.  Invariably, someone will ask me what I planned to do if I failed in any of the various endeavors I’ve founded or helped found.  I tell her that she is asking the wrong question of me, but also of herself. “You tell me,” I … Read more

What I Wish I Knew at 22 – Life Advice

This isn’t going to be your mother’s blog post about, well, calling your mother more often.  Though, you should do that. Instead, here’s the life advice I’ve learned and what I really wish I knew when I was 22: 1. There are very few decisions in life that are permanent.  Very little in your life … Read more