Communication

Why “Nice” Leaders Often Create Resentment: A GLIMMERS Effect™ Perspective

By Sylvia Lafair | May 26, 2026 |

Summary: Leadership is often misunderstood. Many people assume that if a leader is nice, as in pleasant, agreeable, generous, and always trying to keep the peace, they are automatically effective. Not always. In fact, some of the most quietly frustrating workplaces are led by nice leaders. Let’s take a closer look at how this behavior…

Jean Houston, Leadership, and the Doorway to Possibility: How One Mentor Helped Shape The GLIMMERS Effect™

By Sylvia Lafair | May 21, 2026 |

Summary: When a mentor who made a difference transitions, it prompts reflection on the core of how life has changed. The words from the song “Wicked” have been quietly ringing in my ears. For Jean Houston, “knowing you has changed me for the better.” Change Happens in Unexpected Ways “Something is wrong here.” That was…

Ted Turner, Restless Energy, and the Leadership Glimmers That Changed the World

By Sylvia Lafair | May 15, 2026 |

Summary: Many years ago, I attended a conference focused on one enormous question: What do we need to do to make the planet healthier and more humane? The room itself felt electric. Among the dignitaries were John Denver, Ram Dass, and Ted Turner. To say Ted Turner commanded attention would be an understatement. He was…

The GLIMMERS EFFECT: Reawakening Clarity, Courage, and Connection in a World Fueled by Fear

By Sylvia Lafair | May 5, 2026 |

Summary: Everywhere we turn, there’s noise, uncertainty, division, and pressure to perform. A constant low hum of anxiety that never quite shuts off. Leaders feel it. Teams feel it. Organizations live inside it. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: most leadership tools today are designed to help people cope with chaos, not transform it. Let’s go…

America’s Addiction to Gun Violence: Can We Move from Triggers to Glimmers?

By Sylvia Lafair | April 28, 2026 |

Summary: Every time there is another mass shooting, another child killed by a stray bullet, another family shattered in seconds, the same question rises like smoke: why does this keep happening in the United States? Here is a perspective that can lead us out of so much darkness, despair, and fear. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Why…

The Leader Who Chose Legacy Over Approval

By Sylvia Lafair | April 24, 2026 |

Summary: This week I’m featuring Lynsi Snyder, CEO of In-N-Out Burger. She didn’t just inherit a company. She inherited a family system disguised as one. When she stepped into that role, she walked into something far more complex than a typical CEO transition, carrying a deep legacy on her shoulders and navigating all the patterns…

Vulnerability Is Not Enough: The Missing Link in Modern Leadership

By Sylvia Lafair | April 21, 2026 |

Summary: We’ve been sold a powerful idea that vulnerability is the key to better leadership. And to a point, it is. Thanks to the groundbreaking work of Brené Brown, leaders now understand that courage, connection, and trust require emotional honesty. But here’s the problem no one is saying out loud—vulnerability, by itself, can backfire. Here…

Safra Catz: The Quiet Power Leader People Actually Follow

By Sylvia Lafair | April 16, 2026 |

Summary: When people talk about leaders others want to follow, they usually point to charisma, vision, or bold public personas. Let’s challenge that. Because Safra Catz didn’t build loyalty through spotlight leadership. She built it through something far more powerful, and far more rare; relentless clarity, unshakeable execution, and zero need for applause. And that’s…

Friction vs. Conflict: The Leadership Distinction Most People Miss (and Why It Matters More Than Ever)

By Sylvia Lafair | April 14, 2026 |

Summary: Let’s start with a truth that may surprise you ➜ Not all tension on a team is a problem. In fact, some of it is essential. But here’s where leaders get it wrong; they treat friction and conflict as if they’re the same thing. They’re not. And when you confuse the two, you either…

The 6 Reasons People Love Working With Certain Leaders (And Leave Others)

By Sylvia Lafair | April 10, 2026 |

Summary: Let’s start with a truth most leaders don’t want to hear. People don’t leave companies; they leave patterns. And more specifically, they leave leaders whose patterns create disconnection, confusion, and emotional exhaustion. But the reverse is also true. When people love working with a leader, it’s not random. It’s not charisma alone, or just…