Author: Rachel Hanson

Great leaders know how and when to wield a high level of energy, similar to a skilled warrior in battle. They know how to turn the room, raise the energy level, lower it, turn the tide in a certain direction. Not everyone has that ability. But the ability itself is not what’s impressive, it’s the … Continue reading When to wield

I dislike the phrase "we're all dispensable/replaceable." I believe it's often a misguided attempt at humility. The problem is it's in no way inspirational to you or your team. No one, especially those who work for you, wants to feel replaceable, like they're simply a cog in the machine. Communicating to someone that they're an … Continue reading Words matter

Having hard conversations is a skill. It starts with a willingness to be truer (read day 173). AND...mastery of this skill looks like an ability to have these conversations in a way that does not cause others to go triple D (defend, deny, destroy). Giving someone truth is half the battle. Giving it IN LOVE … Continue reading Truth in love

If you find that communication comes up as a problem team-wide or company-wide, it's likely that it's less of a communication problem and more of a trust problem. You likely see the survey results that rate communication poorly and wonder how you can possibly communicate more?! You email, you give speeches, you host town halls...and … Continue reading Survey says

You are not your stuff. Seems obvious, but we in the Western world consistently struggle with this. We accumulate more stuff as we age in an effort to better represent ourselves. Stuff becomes a stand-in for self. The bigger house, the faster car, the fancier title - all the better, because it signifies we're more … Continue reading Stuff and self

Progressing toward a big dream, a clear vision takes time. Baby steps can happen consistently, the arrival requires patience. Patience if you don't want to settle for a sub-par replacement for your vision. This played out real time with a client in our last couple of team practices. They have a big hire to make. … Continue reading Big dream (team)

Progressing toward a clear vision takes time. Baby steps can happen consistently, the arrival requires patience. Patience if you don't want to settle for a sub-par replacement for your vision. This played out real time with a client in our last couple of practices. They have a big hire to make. First round - candidates … Continue reading Patience

Our fight or flight limbic system is wired to protect our physical safety. The human spirit/soul does not need to be protected, it needs to be nourished. How do we nourish it? Meaning and purpose. This goes right back to Gu's comments on a recent blog post. The two different systems - motivational and inspirational … Continue reading Meaning and purpose