I had the pleasure of giving a keynote address for the Doctoral Student Association #FranklinConference. It was a wonderful event that was engaging and inspiring. The organizing committee, faculty, program and university leadership, and the students were more than AMAZING.
The conference was virtual and the energy was palpable. That is the kind of audience every presenter hopes for. Especially if you are presenting about how important human connection is.
The topic was “Connection is the Key to Innovation”. I of course prepared and practiced. I also have a habit of ad-lib and going with the flow when I present…
Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~Mark Twain
COVID-19, killer bees, political woes, and social unrest. The only word that comes to mind is STRESSED. When and if people ask me how I am doing or how I am feeling my first response is “stressed”. The response is true. I am not lying. Yet the response is shallow and does not get to the heart of what I am feeling. No wonder a hot bath and clay mask are not cutting it on self-care Saturdays…
Are you doing it wrong?
We were just catching our breath and feeling like things might get a little better. Then, it happened. The tide has once again turned and the guidelines, mandates, and policies that were lifted are being put back into place.
No one understands the need to protect the public more than care providers at the bedside. The hospitals are filling up as people are now being impacted by variants and children are getting sick as well. To top things off, there is a shortage of people to provide the care.
I have been a nurse for 20 plus years and have…
I find myself sitting in a meeting with a group of people that I am familiar with. I have been among them before, introduced myself before, and volunteered to do the work of the group. The round-robin of introductions begins and my turn comes up. The facilitator asks me where I’m from because she doesn’t have my name on the list. Then, as I go on to begin telling the group about myself she interrupts and goes to the next person.
On the surface, no big deal right?! Except at this time in my life, it was a really big…
Ask “What?” Instead of “Why” to Keep Moving Forward
Disclaimer: This article addresses health and well-being. If you or someone you know needs help there are resources available at the end of this article. The information written here is not intended to diagnose or treat.
The professional world of sports is a case study of what it means to be fully committed to winning no matter what. To prepare for writing this, I did some research to find out how many athletes came out of retirement to seek a championship title they never won. The answer to that is more than I can list here. I can say that…
“Passion does not fall out of the sky for everyone so keep your eyes on your own paper (or social media)”
When I was younger I wanted to be a lawyer, teacher, aeronautical engineer, physician, and so many other things. One of my nieces wanted to be a professional waitress. Well, as it turns out neither one of us became those things except I did find my way into the medical field in a different discipline. In the early years of my career, I enjoyed it but I can’t say for sure I was passionate. The passion grew over the…
Here Is How You Tell The Difference
“A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” — Zig Ziglar
These words resonated with me as I read an article by Kelli Richards in Forbes that can be found by clicking HERE. The advice she offered rang true for me and is what I share when it comes to deciding if you need a coach or a mentor.
The success that I have had in my career is the combination of hard work, great mentors, and coaches. My mentors and coaches were not always the same people, although sometimes…
I got the job! The well wishes, gifs, and memes are rolling in one after the other. My family, friends, and extended network are all cheering for me. I am on top of the world! Then reality sets in and I crash. I crash hard. What happened?
Being honest, I did not see it coming because at this point in my career I assumed I was confident and comfortable with myself. I am an experienced leader and have transition into new roles many times. …
What almost dying taught me
I laid there on the floor at the staff meeting surrounded by familiar faces. I knew where I was and assumed everything was fine. It all shattered when my co-worker and friend asked me to recall the birthdays of my beautiful daughters. I could not do it. If someone was able to look inside and see how hard I was working they would see a hamster running full speed on a wheel. …
You Can Be A Leader That Has Everything: Just Say Yes
Have you ever worked with a group of people that managed to get things done? I mean, there was no stopping your team! What made it work? What was it about them that made things happen?
Reflecting on the teams that I have been with over the years there are some attributes that stand out. The teams that top the list all had the same things in common.
High Trust
Trust on the team is critical. Anything that undermines trust is an issue and must be addressed immediately. I…
