Sylvia Lafair
Summary: We live with fake news, general rancor, sizzle and sparkle, slander, and superficiality. As leaders, you must look at the information you receive more intently. Here are ways to judge if someone is here to help or hinder long-term success. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I watched a recent 60 Minutes segment that was chilling. It…
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Summary: When tough times happen, it’s easy to pull the covers over your head and stuff down the upset or go to the other extreme and shout it out. A powerful way to drop the doldrums and be courageous is often finding courage from others. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Between the heat, the unrelenting virus, and…
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Summary: The emotions underneath leadership decisions are often ignored. Learning to read your specific personal concerns and upsets can lead to more effective leadership moving forward. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I cannot watch the news anymore without a knot in my stomach. When I see the fires roar around the world and the guns destroy lives,…
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Summary: The world has changed, and more freedom of speech exists. However, freedom has a downside. The big question is how to use that freedom productively rather than hurt and hinder relationships. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Am I alone in using strong words to help calm me down when I am upset? I think not. However,…
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Summary: There is always a risk to telling the truth. Is it more difficult for women to speak up? Most research says “yes.” Here is a way to be clear, heard, and respected. Dear Dr. Sylvia, As a leader, I know I must give difficult feedback to my team. However, I have not mastered “the…
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Summary: We have all heard “the truth shall set you free,”; yet, lying is a daily occurrence. Read on to see which pattern, from fibs to fraud, fits your personality and, more importantly, what to do about it. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I don’t know who to believe anymore. When I ask my direct reports about…
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Summary: If being judged makes you uncomfortable, here are some ways to structure a feedback session for success. Who do you think has the most challenging time with feedback? Is it the giver or the receiver? Most leadership development programs focus on how the giver, the leader, discusses feedback with the receiver, the employee. The…
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Summary: I did a survey asking the following question: What are your usual coping mechanisms? Here are new ways to cope with today’s stress. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Is the world moving faster? Perhaps it’s just me? Nah, I understand that we have more technology to give us information at warp speed. Thus, we know more…
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Summary: How do you stay true to your core values when everything is out of focus? Dear Dr. Sylvia, How do you ever know when enough is enough? I mean, enough in every sense of the word. For example, when is there enough money in the bank? Or when there is enough food in the…
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Summary: Here’s how to tell the truth at work; encourage openness and collaboration rather than defensiveness for successful team development. Dear Dr. Sylvia, We are now back in the office three days a week and working from home for two days. It certainly is changing the dynamic of how people behave with each other. Sadly,…
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