Blogs

A leader walking across a bridge toward sunrise while an AI robot stands still, symbolizing personal growth as the real power move in the age of AI.

Why Personal Growth Is the Real Power Move for Leaders in the Age of AI

By Sylvia Lafair | August 20, 2025

Summary: Leaders today stand on a wild new bridge: one foot planted in timeless human capacities, such as empathy, courage, and intuition, and the other testing the unfamiliar terrain of artificial intelligence. The bridge is shaky. AI is moving at lightning speed, and the truth is, if leaders aren’t growing personally, they risk being left…

A glowing constellation in a night sky above a quiet forest path, symbolizing the difference between coincidence and synchronicity as patterns that reveal hidden meaning.

Coincidence or Synchronicity? Here’s the Twist.

By Sylvia Lafair | August 19, 2025

Summary: A coincidence is like bumping into an old friend at the grocery store when you’re both reaching for the same bag of organic spinach. Random, curious, and a little funny. Synchronicity, though, that’s a whole different ball game. It’s when life’s things come together like a cosmic stage manager with perfect timing. Read on.…

A photo of a woman's hand holding a vintage key labeled "The Change Paradox" as it unlocks a modern hotel door, symbolizing the paradox of change

The Change Paradox: Why We Crave the New and Cling To the Known

By Sylvia Lafair | August 13, 2025

Summary: Here’s the uncomfortable truth: we’re biologically wired to chase change and biologically wired to slam the brakes. It’s not personal. It’s human. And it’s why a new idea can feel good at 9 am and like a nasty rash by 4 pm. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Our company is changing our reporting structure. That means…

Wooden table under desk lamp with puzzle pieces labeled Talent Crisis, AI, Economy, Burnout, Polarization, Old Patterns, partly assembled to represent top leadership concerns.

What’s Keeping Leaders Up at Night? (Hint: It’s Not Just the Quarterly Numbers)

By Sylvia Lafair | August 12, 2025

Summary: Around the world, leaders are tossing and turning, not because of poor mattresses, but because the weight of leadership in 2025 is heavier than ever. Here are the top issues robbing today’s leaders of sleep, and what to do about them. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am the executive assistant to a highly creative and…

A butterfly resting on a windowsill in a modern sunlit office, symbolizing transformation and living your best life.

Are You Living Your Best Life? It’s Not a Hashtag, It’s a Choice

By Sylvia Lafair | August 7, 2025

Summary: The phrase “living your best life” has been hijacked by surface-level nonsense. Let’s reclaim it. Living your best life means confronting the behavior patterns that still influence you. It means saying no to outdated roles (such as rescuer, martyr, or avoider) and saying yes to leading with purpose and clarity. Dear Dr. Sylvia, Today…

Resignation cake with hastily written 'Good luck' message sits untouched in office break room while employees remain distant, symbolizing poor employee termination communication.

What Happens When an Employee Is Fired Without Clear Communication

By Sylvia Lafair | August 4, 2025

Summary: When a team member is suddenly fired without clear communication, it doesn’t just impact that individual. It shakes the entire team’s foundation. Here are the emotional and psychological ripple effects, along with practical ways to restore clarity, confidence, and trust. Dear Dr. Sylvia, One of the nicest and most connected members of our Senior…

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.…

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,…

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,…

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…

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…

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

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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