Author: Rachel Hanson

We don't rise to the occasion, we fall to the level of our training. This Navy Seal maxim is true in all facets of our lives. The other day in a practice with a group of leaders they wrote and shared about how their experiences as parents are shaping them into better leaders. For some … Continue reading Integrated living

One of my clients is building a company. They're on a mission to change the industry they're in for the better. I believe they'll do it. They're in startup mode right now and growing quickly with lots of demand for their service. Is it time to bring in more people and scale, they wanted to … Continue reading Survive then scale

Early in a journey of mastery everything tends to be cookie cutter, plug and play. You're learning a new system and skillset so that means a lot of learning by rote and copying. Truth is, with any skill endeavor you must learn the basic plays before you can learn to riff and create. As you … Continue reading Constraint breeds creativity

Rarely is "make things easier" the right answer. "Make things simpler" can be. "Make things more accessible" sometimes works as well. But the inclination to make things easier can quickly lead down a dangerous path. The hard, I believe, is what makes things great. Or at the very least, great things can only be found … Continue reading Face the hard

Direct is not the same thing as demanding. Direct means knowing what you believe and stating it clearly. It means fearless in speaking the truth that needs to be said. It does not, in and of itself, carry any expectations of the other. Demanding carries an implication that my way is right and you'll follow … Continue reading Direct vs demanding

If you're a logic-oriented thinker it's likely very easy and even tempting to think something through to the logical conclusion, solve it intellectually, and then move on. Thinking it is only half the game. Be a practitioner. A practitioner thinks the thing AND does the thing. The doing is the slower work. It's not thinking … Continue reading Be a practitioner

There's value in being an overcomer, a gamer, a grinder. AND...when what you're having to overcome and grind against is your own brain and your own negative self talk, it becomes exhausting. Self sabotage is no fun, even if you're capable of overcoming it. Get your brain on your side so that you can grind … Continue reading Train your brain

Coachable does not mean compliant. Some of my best athletes and most intense competitors toed the line of insubordination. Not often, and not for rebellion's sake. They had strong opinions and beliefs and voiced them. They cared deeply about winning, about the team, about excellence. This made our team better. Experience factored in as well. … Continue reading Coachable vs compliant