Leadership

Business leader navigating change from Industrial Revolution to AI era — a visual metaphor for chaos fatigue and pattern transformation

From Steam Engines to AI: Leaders’ Chaos Fatigue is Real, Here’s Why This Time Feels Like the Industrial Revolution All Over Again

By Sylvia Lafair | June 9, 2025 |

Summary: We’ve been here before. Not exactly here, with algorithms whispering into our ears and AI generating your next social media post. But we’ve been at this kind of edge. It’s a precipice of massive societal upheaval and a growing sense of chaos fatigue, which is a real phenomenon, especially for leaders. It’s time to…

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Beyond Either/Or: When Leaders Embrace the Power of “And”

By Sylvia Lafair | June 5, 2025 |

Summary: “We’re all in it together, and no one wins unless we all do,” is precisely what leaders need to hear right now. It’s a core theme of Creative Energy Options Inc., and no, it’s not too simplistic. It’s deceptively profound. In a world addicted to binary thinking, right/wrong, win/lose, my way/the highway, let’s cut…

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The One Thing Every Leader Must Know—Now More Than Ever

By Sylvia Lafair | June 3, 2025 | Comments Off on The One Thing Every Leader Must Know—Now More Than Ever

Today’s work environment is fueled by uncertainty, AI overload, and emotional burnout. The workplace is a psychological pressure cooker. And guess what? No amount of corporate jargon will fix that. Here’s how leaders help employees succeed. Dear Dr. Sylvia, There is a song  from way back in the 1980s titled “Looking for Love in All…

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In a spacious loft, two work colleagues are fighting.

ALPHA MEETS ALPHA: How Strong Leaders Can Thrive Together Without Making People Choose Sides

By Sylvia Lafair | May 26, 2025 | Comments Off on ALPHA MEETS ALPHA: How Strong Leaders Can Thrive Together Without Making People Choose Sides

Summary: It takes practice for two strong-willed individuals to collaborate. Here’s how strong leaders can find common ground, so people dont have to choose one over the other. Dear Dr Sylvia, My colleague and I, both Senior VPs in a fast-moving tech company, are constantly butting heads. We are two strong leaders, and our teams…

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The Great Disconnect: Why Communication in the Workplace is Crumbling and What It Is Doing to Our Productivity

The Great Disconnect: Why Communication in the Workplace is Crumbling and What It Is Doing to Our Productivity

By Sylvia Lafair | May 22, 2025 | Comments Off on The Great Disconnect: Why Communication in the Workplace is Crumbling and What It Is Doing to Our Productivity

Why Communication in The Workplace is Crumbling and What It Is Doing to Our Productivity

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multi colored hands holding to show trust

Rebuilding Trust in a Chaotic World: Why Leaders Must Lead With Courage, Not Control

By Sylvia Lafair | May 20, 2025 | Comments Off on Rebuilding Trust in a Chaotic World: Why Leaders Must Lead With Courage, Not Control

The Trust Crisis is Real—and it’s Costing You. Tension is everywhere. Everyone is careful and afraid to speak out. Trust isn’t just low in today’s chaotic world; it’s evaporating. And without it, even your best strategies fall flat. Here is what to think about moving forward. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I just resigned from a company…

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Modern leaders burning from being so out of touch

When Modern Leaders Are Out of Touch

By Sylvia Lafair | April 10, 2025 | Comments Off on When Modern Leaders Are Out of Touch

When Modern Leaders Are Out of Touch: Don’t Be the Nero of Your Workplace History and headlines repeatedly show us what happens when modern leaders lose touch with the very people they are supposed to serve. The result? Low morale, missed opportunities, and, at worst, organizational collapse. One of the most enduring metaphors for detached…

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A women in a wheelchair defying all perceptions

Exploring Perspectives: Leadership Lessons from ‘Rashomon,’ ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace,’ and ‘Good American Family’

By Sylvia Lafair | April 3, 2025 | Comments Off on Exploring Perspectives: Leadership Lessons from ‘Rashomon,’ ‘The Curious Case of Natalia Grace,’ and ‘Good American Family’

Summary: Understanding that individuals can have different perspectives of the same event is crucial for effective leadership. This concept is vividly illustrated in Akira Kurosawa’s classic film Rashomon, the Netflix series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, and the recent Good American Family. The narratives delve into the complexities of subjective truth, offering valuable insights…

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Parents as Leaders: Netflix’s “Adolescence” Reveals the Hidden Stress of Being a Leader at Home

By Sylvia Lafair | March 27, 2025 | Comments Off on Parents as Leaders: Netflix’s “Adolescence” Reveals the Hidden Stress of Being a Leader at Home

Summary: If you’ve watched Netflix’s Adolescence, you probably felt your heart twist a few times. I know mine did. The show brilliantly captures what it means to come of age in today’s turbulent world. There’s another layer quietly pulsing beneath the surface—the stress of being a leader as you parent your children. Dear Dr. Sylvia,…

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A sign pointing towards the importance of accessing the facts.

The Secret to Strong Leadership: Less Sparkle and More Facts

By Sylvia Lafair | March 25, 2025 | Comments Off on The Secret to Strong Leadership: Less Sparkle and More Facts

Summary: How to lead is often more about charisma, clickbait, and influencers than “just the facts, ma’am.”It’s easy to fall under the spell of charm. Whether it’s a smooth-talking executive or a magnetic team member who lights up every meeting, the sparkle often gets more attention than the substance. But for strong leadership—the kind who…

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