Sylvia Lafair
Summary: You know that feeling, your chest tightens, your jaw clenches, and suddenly your to-do list feels like a personal attack. That’s stress! We all relate to stress. Instead of taking the meds, here is another way to pivot the stress factor and feel better faster. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I read your book “Invisible Stress…
Summary: Most leadership problems aren’t actually leadership problems. They’re pattern problems. The conflict you keep running into, the communication breakdowns that repeat, the team dynamics that never quite shift, they’re often not coming from a lack of skill. They’re coming from something deeper that most leadership training never touches. Before you assume it’s strategy, tools,…
Summary: July 4, 2025, began with hopes of fireworks and fun. It ended in a nightmare. Within mere hours, relentless rains unleashed catastrophic flash floods. Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp, became a heartbreaking symbol of this trauma. Here are some thoughts on coping with grief following sudden tragedies. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I live far…
Summary: Are you always giving 110%, but you still feel like you need to prove your worth? You’re stronger than you think, and your persistence is your power. Read on. Dear Dr. Sylvia, It’s exhausting, constantly feeling like I have to do more, be more, just to be seen. I don’t need to be a…
Summary: Flags, fireworks, and food sum up the traditional way Independence Day is celebrated. Welcome to July 4th. But before we fall into another loop of red, white, and blue, let’s pause and ask the underlying question that the Founders discussed over and over as they planned a new way in the 13 colonies. Dear Dr.…
Summary: Let’s learn from the American Revolution. Rewind to 1776, a time before cable news. Back then, the colonies were a hotbed of unrest, rebellion, and yes… conspiracy theories. But instead of letting these theories spiral into chaos and infighting, the early revolutionaries did something brilliant: they used the momentum to unite the colonies under…
Summary: Trust is a leader’s currency; make sure you don’t go bankrupt. Here are seven ways to consider navigating the complexities of trust. Also, a bonus true story from my executive coaching practice. Dear Dr. Sylvia, In every team meeting, we need to examine how we want to work together. There is a mysterious word…
Summary: Let’s call it out. The biggest addiction in the world isn’t sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or your phone.It’s not even power. Let’s discuss what more people are addicted to than anything else. Dear Dr. Sylvia, No matter how many communication and conflict resolution programs we do at my company, there is still way too much…
Summary: Let’s face it, workplaces are loud these days. They are noisy and speedy, not always in decibels, but in energy. Type A individuals are often at the forefront, leading meetings as if their lives depend on it. Then there are the Type B individuals who are not sure how to fit in. Here is…
Summary: Let’s talk about oversharing. It’s that awkward moment when someone turns a team meeting into a therapy session. You’ve seen it. You’ve cringed. Maybe (gulp) you’ve even done it. Welcome to the land of Too Much Information (TMI) at work. Today’s world of stress has this population growing fast. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Why do…
