Do you remember the old M&Ms commercial? “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand?” I think of that line every time I mess up. Several years ago, I heard an analogy that stopped me in my tracks. It was so brilliant I immediately claimed it as my own. Now, let’s be honest, this is what […]
I was chatting with a dear friend the other day when our conversation turned to what makes certain people and cultures truly stand out in business and life. Here’s what I’ve always believed: no person is inherently better than another, regardless of their origin or appearance. The loudest voice isn’t always the smartest one. […]
Have you ever found yourself in one of those conversations that stops you in your tracks? The kind where someone shares a perspective so different from yours that you’re left wondering how two people can look at the same world and see such completely different things? I had precisely that moment earlier this month during […]
Between 2009 and 2014, I joined Toastmasters—much to the bewilderment of everyone who knew me well. After all, my employers had already invested thousands in speechwriters, presence coaches, and confidence boosters. I was accustomed to inspiring audiences of up to 1,000 people and had been leading teams of all sizes since I was 25. […]
Sometimes the best tools come into our lives exactly when we need them most. Ten years ago, my world changed in an instant. A brain injury scrambled the part of my mind that had always made writing feel as natural as breathing. Since I was five years old, words had been my friends. Throughout my […]
I’m writing to you from an unexpected classroom. The physical therapy clinic where I’ve spent most of July recovering from hand surgery. What started as a necessary step toward regaining full mobility has become one of the most profound learning experiences, and I couldn’t wait to share these insights with you. It all began with […]
I’ve been having frequent conversations lately about the word NO. And saying far too often, NO, is a complete sentence. Given that I once struggled with the concept and had to learn the hard way that saying NO is not a deal breaker, I thought I’d share some of the ideas I have learned. Saying […]
I decode what’s already making you exceptional and build it into a strategy you can use deliberately. 30 years, 70 acquisitions, 10 dispositions and more than 40 financial reengineering projects, including one bankruptcy I personally chaperoned all the way through to the trustee’s office, which I mention not to brag but because it is genuinely […]
There’s been a horrible sexual assault/sexual consent trial happening here in my country. Five young guys beginning their careers in the minor hockey leagues. Each with their own lawyer. Lots of alcohol and admissible and inadmissible detailed texts between the boys. One young woman. A police department trying to make up for a shoddy first […]