Change

Follow the GLIMMER: How Gloria Steinem Noticed What the World Couldn’t See

By Sylvia Lafair | September 17, 2026 |

Summary: What if the things that bother you most are actually trying to get your attention? Gloria Steinem’s life offers a powerful reminder that change often begins with a GLIMMER—a question, contradiction, or moment that makes you stop and wonder why things are the way they are. Discover what happens when you pay attention to…

Satya Nadella and the Leadership Skill AI Can’t Replace

By Sylvia Lafair | September 3, 2026 |

Summary: What happens to leadership when artificial intelligence can analyze faster, process more information, and produce answers in seconds? Perhaps the answer is surprisingly simple: We have to become more human, not less. Microsoft’s CEO has something to teach us about empathy, self-awareness, and human leadership in the age of AI. Satya Nadella, Chairman and…

The Most Dangerous Sentence in the Workplace: “That’s Just How I Am.”

By Sylvia Lafair | September 1, 2026 |

Summary: There’s a sentence I’ve heard in executive team meetings, family businesses, and coaching conversations for decades: “That’s just how I am.” That sentence is almost guaranteed to shut down conversation and creativity for good. Here is another way to think and respond. Dear Dr. Sylvia, My leadership team is stuck in an “either/or” argument…

Still Playing Hide-and-Seek? What You’re Hiding May Be Running Your Life

By Sylvia Lafair | August 25, 2026 |

Summary: Remember playing hide-and-seek? You covered your eyes and counted to ten. Everyone ran. Someone squeezed behind the sofa. Someone crawled under the bed. And there was always that one kid who found such a brilliant hiding place that everyone eventually forgot where they were. Then came the words, “Ready or not, here I come!”…

What Oprah Winfrey Learned From a Bad Boss: When Rejection Becomes a GLIMMER

By Sylvia Lafair | August 20, 2026 |

Summary: What if one of the worst moments in your career actually pointed you toward the work you were meant to do? Long before Oprah Winfrey became Oprah, she was a 22-year-old television journalist who moved to Baltimore to co-anchor the evening news at WJZ-TV. Oprah has written and spoken openly about those early years.…

How to Deal With a Toxic Boss: Stop Labeling the Person and Start Looking at the Pattern

By Sylvia Lafair | August 18, 2026 |

Summary: You know the feeling. Your boss walks into the meeting, and your stomach tightens. Or perhaps you have an idea, but you hesitate before speaking. Tension comes in many flavors, from yelling and passive-aggressive comments to the silent treatment. Eventually, someone says the words everyone has been thinking: “We have a toxic boss.” Maybe…

What Lin-Manuel Miranda Knows About Leadership (That Most Executives Miss)

By Sylvia Lafair | August 13, 2026 |

Summary: Imagine walking into a room and saying, “I have an idea for a Broadway musical about Alexander Hamilton.” That alone might get you some raised eyebrows. Then add, “It will use hip-hop and rap, the Founding Fathers will be played by a diverse cast, and audiences will pay hundreds of dollars to watch it.”…

You Change Your Underwear Every Day, So Why Are You Still Wearing the Same Old Patterns?

By Sylvia Lafair | August 12, 2026 |

Summary: Let’s start with a question that you don’t get asked often, if ever: When was the last time you changed your underwear? Hopefully, this morning. Most of us wouldn’t dream of wearing the same underwear day after day. We also replace worn-out socks, buy new shoes, upgrade our phones, and trade in cars that…

AI Is Getting Smarter. Are You? The Leadership Advantage AI Will Never Replace

By Sylvia Lafair | July 28, 2026 |

Summary: Artificial intelligence is evolving at breathtaking speed. It can analyze data in seconds, summarize meetings, draft presentations, predict trends, and even coach leaders through difficult conversations. Tomorrow, it will do even more. Yet one question remains: If AI keeps getting smarter, what becomes the greatest competitive advantage for leaders? Read on to find out.…

Freedom Is the Leadership Skill We Rarely Talk About

By Sylvia Lafair | July 14, 2026 |

Summary: We often think freedom comes from changing jobs, relationships, or circumstances, but real freedom begins within. By recognizing the old patterns and stories that shape our reactions, we create space to choose a different response. That moment of self-awareness is where lasting change begins—and where we gain the freedom to lead, connect, and create…