Leadership

Footsteps winding through shifting desert sand at sunrise, symbolizing leadership communication skills through direction, clarity, and forward motion.

Stop Overthinking and Start Talking: Why “Letting Them Be” Isn’t Leadership

By Sylvia Lafair | July 31, 2025 |

Summary: You’ve heard the advice before:  “Just let them be. ”You can’t change people. “Ignore them and move on.”Sure, there’s a time for inner work. There’s also a time to get off the meditation cushion and actually speak up. Let’s get real: thinking about how you feel isn’t the same as doing something about it.…

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Illustration of King Midas turning his daughter into gold, symbolizing the tragedy of valuing net worth over human worth.

Beyond the Bank: Why It’s Time to Redefine Net Worth as Human Worth

By Sylvia Lafair | July 29, 2025 |

Summary: The term “net worth” was invented by economists to assess financial value. Fine. Let them keep it in their spreadsheets. But somewhere along the way, society hijacked the term and started using it as a proxy for who matters and who doesn’t. Here is another way to think about “net worth.” Dear Dr. Sylvia,…

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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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Smartphone recording of a crowd capturing a silhouetted couple in a concert balcony, symbolizing public scrutiny in the CEO-HR scandal

Concerts, Cameras, and Consequences: What the CEO-HR Scandal Teaches Us About Leadership in the Age of Public Scrutiny

By Sylvia Lafair | July 21, 2025 |

Summary: The internet did what it does best: took a grainy concert video and turned it into a full-blown social media bonfire. The latest “did-you-see-this?” involves a CEO and the head of HR caught on camera looking very cozy. Let’s consider “two consenting adults” versus “a total breach of workplace ethics.” Dear Dr. Sylvia, I…

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A green sprout growing through cracked concrete on a steep San Francisco sidewalk, symbolizing how curiosity transforms stress into growth.

When Stress Clamps Down, Curiosity Blows the Doors Off

By Sylvia Lafair | July 17, 2025 |

Summary: You know that feeling, your chest tightens, your jaw clenches, and suddenly your to-do list feels like a personal attack. That’s stress! We all relate to stress. Instead of taking the meds, here is another way to pivot the stress factor and feel better faster. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I read your book “Invisible Stress…

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A silhouetted business leader stands at a crossroads at sunset, with directional signs reading “Old Patterns” and “New Awareness,” symbolizing a leadership choice.

Why Most Leadership Programs Fail, And How Pattern Awareness Changes Everything

By Sylvia Lafair | July 15, 2025 | Comments Off on Why Most Leadership Programs Fail, And How Pattern Awareness Changes Everything

Summary: Let’s get right to it: most leadership programs fail. Not because the content is bad. Not because the facilitators lack experience. However, they focus on surface-level skills while overlooking the underlying factors that drive behavior. Der Dr. Sylvia, I would like to persuade my favorite member of our Executive Team to participate in your…

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A single white feather floats against a vibrant blue background, symbolizing quiet strength and resilience, reflecting how to build self worth.

Stop Giving So Much: Think About Yourself Like a Feather in the Wind

By Sylvia Lafair | July 8, 2025 | Comments Off on Stop Giving So Much: Think About Yourself Like a Feather in the Wind

Summary: Are you always giving 110%, but you still feel like you need to prove your worth? You’re stronger than you think, and your persistence is your power. Read on. Dear Dr. Sylvia, It’s exhausting, constantly feeling like I have to do more, be more, just to be seen. I don’t need to be a…

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Happy Independence Day graphic with bold patriotic text declaring personal freedom and empowerment — “Happy Independence Day” in red and blue against a white textured background.

What Is Your Declaration of Independence?  Lead the Rest of 2025 Like You Mean It

By Sylvia Lafair | June 30, 2025 | Comments Off on What Is Your Declaration of Independence?  Lead the Rest of 2025 Like You Mean It

Summary: Flags, fireworks, and food sum up the traditional way Independence Day is celebrated.  Welcome to July 4th. But before we fall into another loop of red, white, and blue, let’s pause and ask the underlying question that the Founders discussed over and over as they planned a new way in the 13 colonies. Dear Dr.…

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Founding Fathers depicted with historical textures reflecting the leadership patterns that shaped a nation.

How American Independence Was Sparked with Rumors and Conspiracy Theories, Much Like Today: Pattern Repetition to Pattern Transformation

By Sylvia Lafair | June 29, 2025 | Comments Off on How American Independence Was Sparked with Rumors and Conspiracy Theories, Much Like Today: Pattern Repetition to Pattern Transformation

Summary: Let’s learn from the American Revolution. Rewind to 1776, a time before cable news. Back then, the colonies were a hotbed of unrest, rebellion, and yes… conspiracy theories. But instead of letting these theories spiral into chaos and infighting, the early revolutionaries did something brilliant: they used the momentum to unite the colonies under…

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A dramatic gap between two broken cliffs under stormy skies, symbolizing the communication breakdown and disconnection caused by mistakes leaders make.

Broken Bridges: 7 Trust-Busting Mistakes Leaders Make, and How to Avoid Them

By Sylvia Lafair | June 25, 2025 | Comments Off on Broken Bridges: 7 Trust-Busting Mistakes Leaders Make, and How to Avoid Them

Summary: Trust is a leader’s currency; make sure you don’t go bankrupt. Here are seven ways to consider navigating the complexities of trust. Also, a bonus true story from my executive coaching practice. Dear Dr. Sylvia, In every team meeting, we need to examine how we want to work together. There is a mysterious word…

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