Business & Life Patterns

rather be happy or right

Would You Rather Be Happy or Right? The Question That Changes Your Leadership

By Sylvia Lafair | December 8, 2025 |

Discover why the question “Would you rather be happy or right?” can transform your leadership by reducing stress, improving communication, and strengthening relationships.

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patterns escalate

Patterns Escalate at This Time of Year: Complete Them or Repeat Them, Your Choice

By Sylvia Lafair | December 4, 2025 |

Explore why family patterns escalate during the holidays and learn simple shifts that transform your reactions, relationships, and leadership.

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The Patterns We Pass

The Patterns We Pass at the Thanksgiving Table: A Lesson in Leadership, Love, and Letting Go

By Sylvia Lafair | November 24, 2025 |

Summary: Thanksgiving has a way of shining a spotlight on the people we love most and the patterns we pass around, but would prefer to keep in the pantry with the canned cranberry sauce. Let this year be a day of gratitude and learning. Keep reading about how to make this time with family and friends…

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the next big shift in leadership

The Next Big Shift in Leadership Development: Stop Guessing and Start Leading with Confidence

By Sylvia Lafair | November 20, 2025 |

Summary: Let’s get one thing straight: you, as a leader, don’t need more theories. Or frameworks. Or another shiny workbook that sits gathering digital dust. You need integration. That elusive moment when the light bulb goes on, and it stays on long enough for behavior to actually change. You can do it as long as…

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Feeling disconnected at work, a symbolic red figure surrounded by muted tones representing isolation and the path to reconnection.

What to Do When You Feel Disconnected From Your Team at Work

By Sylvia Lafair | October 28, 2025 |

Summary: Even in the most collaborative workplaces, it’s natural to go through periods when you feel disconnected from your team. Maybe everyone’s working remotely, or priorities have shifted, or you’re just not clicking the way you used to. Whatever the reason, disconnection doesn’t have to last forever. Here’s how to reconnect with your colleagues, your…

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Office celebration with coworkers toasting champagne glasses, capturing the spirit of success, teamwork, and camaraderie in an office drinking moment.

Why So Many People Drink Too Much at Work Offsites and Holiday Parties: And What It Really Says About Culture

By Sylvia Lafair | October 15, 2025 |

Summary: In my work studying patterns of behavior, I’ve learned that culture isn’t built in Executive Leadership meetings; it’s revealed by what happens after hours. Offsites don’t just show how we celebrate; they show what we avoid. Here are some thoughts to consider as we prepare for the holiday season. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am…

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A dramatic sunset silhouette of two teams locked in a tug-of-war, symbolizing the struggle of overcoming toxic polarization through effort and unity.

When Polarization Becomes the Norm: Here’s What to Do

By Sylvia Lafair | September 11, 2025 |

Summary: Let’s face it: these days it feels like the world is split into “us” and “them” about… well, everything: politics, workplace policies, parenting styles. Polarization has become the default setting. And when being “right” matters more than being in a relationship, the cost is steep: broken teams, broken families, broken trust. The question is:…

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A leader walking across a bridge toward sunrise while an AI robot stands still, symbolizing personal growth as the real power move in the age of AI.

Why Personal Growth Is the Real Power Move for Leaders in the Age of AI

By Sylvia Lafair | August 20, 2025 |

Summary: Leaders today stand on a wild new bridge: one foot planted in timeless human capacities, such as empathy, courage, and intuition, and the other testing the unfamiliar terrain of artificial intelligence. The bridge is shaky. AI is moving at lightning speed, and the truth is, if leaders aren’t growing personally, they risk being left…

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Wooden table under desk lamp with puzzle pieces labeled Talent Crisis, AI, Economy, Burnout, Polarization, Old Patterns, partly assembled to represent top leadership concerns.

What’s Keeping Leaders Up at Night? (Hint: It’s Not Just the Quarterly Numbers)

By Sylvia Lafair | August 12, 2025 |

Summary: Around the world, leaders are tossing and turning, not because of poor mattresses, but because the weight of leadership in 2025 is heavier than ever. Here are the top issues robbing today’s leaders of sleep, and what to do about them. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am the executive assistant to a highly creative and…

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A bright orange lifesaver and a silver ladder side by side on a paved surface, symbolizing the shift from rescuer to mentor.

Stop Rescuing. Start Leading: How the Rescuer Becomes the Mentor

By Sylvia Lafair | July 23, 2025 |

Summary: They’re falling behind. You swoop in to help. You make sure they won’t drown. You’re praised for being “the one who always saves the day. ” After the tenth time of fixing someone else’s mess, a thought creeps in: ”Why am I working harder than the people I’m rescuing?” Welcome to the Rescuer Pattern,…

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