I had a college professor who explained during a lecture that there wasn't just one way to get somewhere. He said there was "the" way like there were many paths you could take to reach your vision or end goal and there was "thuh" way - meaning that there was only one way that would work and all the others were subpar or would even fail to achieve the desired goal.

And as I reflected on that lecture, I realized that this could apply to many things. For instance, in math there are a few ways to get to 10. Such as 5+5, 2+8, and 1+9.

And in business, there's no right way to achieve a vision or goal.

We would all love the direct route, but what typically happens is the curvy, zig-zag path.

You might have one way that you think it ought to be handled, but if you're working with a team and not fully leveraging what they are individually and collectively bringing to the table, then the vision will not be as full and impactful as it could be. By allowing your team the opportunity to...

It’s another day at the office, and it seems like everything that can go wrong has, and you are frustrated. Maybe it seems as though each time you complete an item on your action list, three new items are added. Or perhaps you can see delays in schedule or cost over runs and no sign of improvement. Or perhaps you are short-staffed and do not have a new employee starting anytime soon to help with the workload.

I know I’ve had each of these situations happen before, and I definitely felt frustrated and overwhelmed. It can be easy to let the things that aren’t going well to be all that we see. And when we focus on those frustrations, we tend to see even more of them.

Soon enough, it feels like a continual spiral of overwhelm and frustrations that can be challenging to stop. When that happens, how do you go about changing your perspective?

The answer is easy, but it takes effort and practice.

When you look for the positive, you will start to feel a shift. Not only...

As you lead your organization or business, time becomes a resource that you might feel you don’t ever really have enough of.

There’s always something that needs to be done. Something that requires your attention for the vision to move forward.

Just as some tasks or projects are completed, new ones are added to the list. It can be all too easy to not take a break because it feels like there’s much more to do. And even when you are passionate about what you do, you can still reach a point where taking time out for you would serve you more than continuing to tackle your growing to do list.

When those points come, do you take the break, leave the office or computer and really let your mind rest or is your mind still at work?

What if I told you that the break would do you more good?

What if I said that taking care of yourself needs to be on your priority list and not only when you are reach that breaking point?

It might seem selfish when there’s so much to do and...

The technology we have is amazing because we can use it to bridge time zones and footprints. With that in mind, here are six quick tips to help step up your efforts when connecting and engaging with remote team members or clients:

#1 Video

When you're able to see the other person and engage as close to face to face without physically being in the same room, you'll get so much more out of the communication. You'll connect better and when you do meet in person, it will feel more comfortable because of the face to face chats you've already had.

#2 Share your screen

When you've got a document or web page to review, video can help here, too. Whether you share your screen during the face to face video or record a separate video going through the document or web page, you're able to connect your message more specifically and efficiently for the recipient.

#3 Access with instant messenger or voice messenger

This is the same idea as number one, but ideally it can supplement video, not...

When you think of point of view or POV as it relates to a book, it’s the perspective of the character and how the story is told. Are you coming from the main character’s vantage point or more of an observer and not knowing what’s happening with their inner thoughts?

Same can be said for leadership and driving your overall vision forward.

Just take a moment and think about where you are in your organization or business….. are you in the weeds? Are you really heavily in the details? Or are you at the 10,000 or 100,000 foot view?

Changing your point of view can help you see progress from a different perspective.

It can help you determine what changes are needed.

Each vantage point gives you a different perspective, and each one helps you to change your point of view.

When you run into a challenge, do you typically view them as a problem or opportunities to do something different?

Sometimes shifting your point of view makes it easier or even quicker to find a...

 There are so many ways we receive and send information.

Sometimes it can feel like information overload.

Like we talk “at” each other, not with.

I think we’re all guilty of that at times.

Like being on the phone, but still scrolling through the computer while you’re in the conversation.

Or allowing texts and calls that really aren’t important to interrupt a face-to-face conversation – virtual or in-person.

Or saying something without realizing that it could be received completely wrong and not because of what we said, but how we said it.

Each time distractions like that happen, they are communicating a message to the recipient. They are apparent to the other person and convey that you don’t care, no matter how much you really do.

Take a minute and think about how you’ve felt when that’s happened to you?

I know I don’t like it, and I’m guessing you don’t either.

This skill - communication - is so important...

So let's talk about something that seems almost contradicting to anyone pursuing their goals, leading their organization or running their business - the fear of success.

Yep.

That’s a thing.

The fear of success.

And if you’re like me, you’ve had to face this fear before, and sometimes it comes back up when you least likely expect it.

If you aren’t sure what this looks like, consider the following:

• Are you playing small?
• Are you not really putting yourself out there?
• Are you lacking confidence when sharing your ideas?
• Are you scared or reluctant to take on that high visibility, challenging project that you know is a great fit for you and will shine a lot of light on you and your work?

If you answered “Yes” to any one of these, the fear of success is a likely culprit.

So, how do you turn it around? How do you deal with the fear of success?

It’s super simple – recognize that it’s there and keep going anyway.

It doesn’t mean...

Your clients and customers come to you for a reason.

They want a solution - whether it's to purchase the perfect gift for someone that you've created or a personal and deeper transformation that they want to experience so that they grow. They see your business as part of that solution, which means that the more you can grow in your business, the better you'll be able to serve your clients and the more rewarding it will be for both of you.

Here are some thoughts that resonated with me when I thought who I am for my clients:

• A safe space for clients to talk, be vulnerable, and supported
• A welcoming hostess
• A trusted advisor
• Modeling a strong, positive, heart-centered leader while showing that I'm not perfect which exudes confidence in myself, my decisions, my abilities
• Encouraging
• Willing to hold them accountable
• Willing to hold them as the amazing, strong, positive, heart-centered leader I know they are capable of being even when they can't see it or feel it
• Willing to ask them...

When we’ve made decisions that didn’t work out, it can start to chip away at our confidence. When that happens, you start to doubt your abilities and instincts and spend more time second guessing new decisions versus making them confidently and moving forward with clear action.

Take out a piece of paper and spend 15 minutes max to write down the times you made decisions that resulted in successful outcomes.

Write down how you felt before you made that decision and after.

Did you feel a deep knowing on the inside that this decision was right for you?

Did you feel excited because you KNEW it was right and you were so full of joy that you were proud of yourself?

Did you feel a sense of peace when making that decision? Or after? Even when the decision you made caused you to step out of your comfort zone? Or when you were saying no?

Sometimes it’s easier to see the successful decisions when you feel excited or good about them, but those decisions where you said no and...

It seems that we go through various cycles in our life of mastering something and then starting over as the student.

When we start a new job, even if it's with the same company or group of people, or transition from the corporate world and into our own business, there are new responsibilities, processes, and systems for us to learn.

Each time we try something new, we are breaking out of our comfort zones.

Sometimes it's not a matter of trying something new, but rather breaking a system that made sense at one time and now no longer serves us.

At that point, we have a choice – we can choose to view change as positive growth instead of negative or scary.

We can choose to stay where we are or to rise to the next level and allow ourselves to be the student once more. It’s easy to stay where we are because it’s comfortable and known.

Because moving to the next level requires more from us.

So, what can you do to better prepare for the next level?

The first step is to...