Monday Morning Coffee

Leadership isn’t a quality you either innately possess or lack; it’s the sum of eight skills you can develop over time. Here are the characteristics that will help you become recognized as a leader. Authenticity. Work to build self-awareness and put yourself in positions to highlight your strengths and improve on your weaknesses. Curiosity. Ask questions about what you don’t know. Think expansively and ambitiously. Present as someone who constantly…

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Your career is a journey, not a destination. As we enter a new year, a few enduring insights can help you navigate the twists and turns of your work life. Build a purposeful career. Let your values guide not just how you work, but what work you choose. Purpose fuels both productivity and happiness. Have difficult conversations at work. Tough conversations are inevitable, but you can have them without upsetting…

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It can feel like stress is unavoidable these days. Changes to how we live and work, social isolation, and anxiety about health and finances are triggering us and exacerbating our emotions. If you feel like you’re cracking under the weight of the past year, try introducing some of these simple, proven habits into your day: Move, move, move. Any exercise is a fantastic stress reliever. Breathe. Practice meditation and mindfulness…

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The holiday season gets crazy with shopping and parties nearly every night of the week. Then we have our regular responsibilities and every day tasks. One of the things that will suffer the most is sleep.  Sometimes we have so much going on, the late nights mean only 4 to 5 hours of sleep. I couldn’t do that on a regular basis without looking like a tired mess, so I…

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It can be hard to muster the positive outlook that fuels motivation and creativity. When we lose that positivity, burnout and fatigue can quickly follow. How can you inject some optimism into your day? This two-minute exercise can help. Each morning, finish the following three sentences (either on paper, out loud, or even in your head) before you turn on your computer or start your commute: Today, I will focus…

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“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Thanksgiving Day shouldn’t be the only day to give thanks.  I challenge everyone to continue to give thanks throughout your day and days, and I share the following with you. Being…

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Chances are, most leaders are too focused on having all the answers — and not focused enough on asking the right questions. It’s time to recalibrate. Despite what you might think, expressing vulnerability and asking for help, clarification, or input can be a sign of strength and confidence, not weakness. The right questions are signals of trust — and they can inspire people to trust you in return. For example,…

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Happy Veteran’s Day. Here is some information you may not know! World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into…

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Tomorrow is Election Day……….if you are asking yourself, “should I vote?”, read on. Voting is one of the most fundamental rights in a democracy, and the presidential election is a key moment when citizens can make their voices heard. The importance of voting extends far beyond choosing the next leader; it is a way to influence the direction of a nation. When you vote, you participate in shaping policies that…

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When faced with a high-stress situation, our bodies instinctively go into “fight-or-flight” mode. But recent research has shown that if you can effectively regulate your emotions in these moments, you can actually move into a higher state of openness that invites collaboration, creativity, and thriving. Start by reminding yourself that a biological reaction to stress is totally normal, and direct your attention to any physical or emotional responses you’re feeling….

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