Change

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…

When a Glimmer Becomes a New Beginning

By Sylvia Lafair | July 9, 2026 |

Summary: Most breakthroughs don’t begin with a grand plan. They begin with one small moment of awareness, a GLIMMER. Discover how curiosity transformed one executive coach into a jewelry designer and how your next chapter may already be waiting for you. “Sometimes the smallest spark changes the direction of an entire life.” —Sylvia Lafair Most…

The Greatest Freedom Is the One No One Can Give You

By Sylvia Lafair | July 7, 2026 |

Summary: Every year around this time, we celebrate freedom. Flags wave. Families gather. Fireworks light up the night sky. And while we are meant to remember past freedom fighters, we often get caught up in our day-to-day activities. Let’s take a look at freedom from another vantage point. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I see Independence Day…

How to Know If You’re Truly Self-Aware: Key Signs for Leaders

By Sylvia Lafair | June 30, 2026 |

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” — Richard Feynman Summary: Everyone talks about self-awareness. It has become one of leadership’s favorite buzzwords. Executives say they value it. Organizations build training programs around it. Coaches promise to develop it. Yet the intentions fall short…

What the Living Former Presidents Teach Us About Leadership and Shock

By Sylvia Lafair | June 25, 2026 |

Summary: Politics divides people. Human experience connects us. No matter where we stand politically, one thing is impossible to ignore: each of the four living former Presidents of the United States has lived through profound personal shocks. Perhaps that should not surprise us. Here is how they transformed the pain of shock into wisdom. As…

Strategy Is Logical. Stress Is Biological.

By Sylvia Lafair | June 23, 2026 |

Summary: Most leadership problems are not caused by a lack of strategy. They are caused by stress. Organizations spend millions teaching communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills. Yet when pressure rises, even smart leaders often react in ways that surprise themselves. Why? Because strategy is logical, and stress is biological. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am…