Why Leaders Offer Help with Stress But Ignore Its Triggers: A Wake-Up Call

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Summary: Stress is no stranger to the modern workplace. Deadlines, performance reviews, and balancing personal and professional lives create a pressure cooker environment. Many leaders recognize stress’s toll on their teams, offering perks like yoga classes, meditation apps, or flexible work hours. Yet, one crucial element often gets overlooked: the root causes of stress. The…

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Why Business Leaders Struggle to See How Family Patterns Show Up at Work — And Why It Matters

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Summary: As a business leader, you juggle a multitude of responsibilities—strategizing for growth, inspiring teams, managing resources, and navigating conflict. Yet, a hidden element influences how you handle these challenges: patterns from your family of origin. These ingrained patterns shape your reactions to conflict, guide your communication style, and influence your decision-making processes. Despite their…

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The Power of Glimmers: How Intuition Can Lead to Great Discoveries

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Summary: Throughout history, many groundbreaking discoveries, made not solely through logical reasoning or methodical experimentation, came from intuitive “glimmers.” These seemingly fleeting moments of insight that connect head, heart, and gut play pivotal roles in shaping science, art, and innovation. You can use these glimmers as a leader in your own life to make a…

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From Tyrant or Timid to Visionary Leader: Transforming Extremes into Empowered Leadership

A cat looking at its own reflection in the mirror.

Summary: In every workplace, leaders influence their teams’ and organizations’ direction, culture, and overall success. Those in the extremes are the hardest to change. They are either persecutor/ tyrants or pleaser/milk toasts. On one end of the spectrum, the persecutor or tyrant leads through intimidation and fear, while on the other, the milk-toast or pleaser…

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Leadership Tips: Beyond Problem-Solving to Design Thinking

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Summary: Move beyond problem solving. Use design thinking to stay action-oriented and create a better future for your company. Then, you are in the driver’s seat of the fastest car that will get you from here to where you want to go. Design thinking is the winner. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I would like some ideas…

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A Collaborative Journey to Success: How Direct Reports Can Talk Truth to Power and Help Their Boss Be More Effective

A group of people holding hands on top of a mountain.

Summary: In the workplace, a hierarchical dynamic often characterizes the relationship between direct reports and their leaders. These power differences can create challenges regarding open and honest communication. But speaking truth to power is essential for a transparent and collaborative work environment. This can significantly enhance a leader’s effectiveness. Direct reports hold valuable insights about…

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