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Last week, in a coaching conversation, a leader spent the first few minutes describing a challenging employee. The behavior she wanted corrected. The frustration she'd been carrying. The conversations she'd tried. She had been focused on this person for months. I realized where her focus was placed and said, "As I hear you talk, this phrase comes to mind...What you focus on grows." She paused, and I heard the shift in her understanding. She had been growing the problem. And t

This Sunday, I'll hear it again. The squeal of tires leaving pit row. The pop of exhaust cracking out the back of an Indy car at 225 mph. Thirty-five years of that feeling — and it still sends chills up my spine every single time. My arms stand at attention before my brain even catches up. This year is going to be different, though. For 17 years, I lived in Speedway, Indiana. Race weekend meant an alarm clock of helicopters overhead and the cannon booming from the track at da

We like to think our words are doing the heavy lifting in communication. But often… they’re not. Recently, a client was walking me through a situation. As she spoke, something stood out immediately—her tone. Not the words. Not the story. The tone. It was obvious to me…and completely invisible to her. And it was working against her, the relationship, and the outcome she wanted. I asked if I could reflect something back. She said yes. I said, “It sounds like you’re pleading. W

Last week, I drove to Indianapolis for a conference…one I wasn’t attending—I was speaking at it. Originally, I was scheduled for two afternoon workshops. Then a call came in the week prior: Their plenary speaker had an emergency. Could I step in? I paused for less than half a second. “Absolutely, yes.” Three sessions. One day. 4.5 hours of speaking. My kind of day. The afternoon workshops focused on: Strengthening Communication Skills Reframing Your Thoughts to Unlock Possib

Every three years, I renew my coaching certification with the International Coaching Federation. Not all coaches do this, but I make it a priority to keep my skills sharp and to ensure I’m delivering the highest-quality coaching for my clients. As part of my 40 continuing education hours this round, I attended a workshop on coachability . By definition, coachability is an individual’s willingness and ability to seek out, be receptive to, and act on constructive feedback to dr

I’ve had several conversations lately about upgrading a team or organization’s culture. Oof. When a work environment isn’t healthy, productivity, fulfillment, and overall team spirit suffer…badly. And over time, it becomes the kind of place where good people quietly start looking for the exit. What many leaders don’t realize is how much responsibility they carry in birthing a healthier culture into existence. Psssst… it takes consistency. Here are a few practical ways to star