Sylvia Lafair
Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am filled with self-doubt. I am wondering if this is just a “gal thing” or do the males of the world also worry about their abilities, about the way they come across to others? So many I talk with (once we break the ice of superficiality) are competent executives and directors who…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, Look, we’re all human. Right? We all have good and bad personality traits. Right? We all change and grow as we become more seasoned leaders. Right? And in this uncertain and complex world, we all need to give each other some slack and help each other become the best we can be.…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, I’m not sure how to say this politely. This year has been a frigging mess. Not just for me, for so many I know. I’ve been lucky that no one in my immediate circle has come down with the virus. Yet, we all know someone who has a friend or colleague who has been…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, You remember the song from “My Fair Lady” that has the following words “Why can’t a woman be more like a man” and on and on it goes about male superiority. It really seems a bit old-fashioned these days when women are gaining strength at work, at home, everywhere. However, I think…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, Here’s a crazy one. I was walking with a plate of cookies (anything to diminish the stress of this chaotic time) and I tripped. I must admit, I would have eaten the whole plate of cookies while watching the election results, or rather the inconclusive election results. In any case, tripping is…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia. I hate to complain, but my boss is driving me totally crazy. He is smart and knows the science behind what we do, however, as a leader he is just plain awful. For example, He is always telling us how great he is, how many awards he has won, about how much…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, Well, it finally happened! And it has been awful, horrible, and over the top frustrating. My whole leadership team requested a Zoom conference call and said they were ready to walk out, quit, leave, go away, and never come back. I felt like I had been hit by a huge truck or…
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Watching all the back and forth, division and blaming, fear, and concern about this election got me thinking. Not long ago, on Twitter, someone posted “Whoever goes to the White House will bring along many others with their personal baggage.” There was no claim as to who would win the election or who they would bring with them. Just a less than 280-character bit…
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Dear Dr. Sylvia, Every time I think of getting ready for the holidays, you know, the Thanksgiving/Christmas Push I start to feel a mixture of happy and frustrated. Top that off with looming lousy fourth-quarter earnings (definitely frustrated) and I just want to find a friendly rock to climb under till, well, maybe till next…
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Recently I’ve been asked “When is it better to ‘make waves,’ and say ‘NO’ rather than just go along with what is being said? My response: The art of communication involves both active listening as well as the ability, to tell the truth appropriately. Here is some important learning about the impact of the simple…
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