As the year winds down, I find myself at a natural reflection point — what worked, what stalled, and how am I performing against my goals. If you’re a high performer and you didn’t move as far or as fast as you expected in your career this year, you’re not alone. Many talented professionals hit a plateau not because they lack capability, but because they’re missing the one factor that accelerates growth: strategic relationships. As you set your goals for 2026, this is the sh

Years ago, I worked for a leader who used shame and blame on a regular basis, putting immense amounts of pressure on everyone around her. I recognized the impact it was having on one of my direct reports and shared that with our leader. “It’s worked well for me for years,” this leader told me. I tried to reason with her, sharing how distressed the employee was and that I didn’t want to lose her – she was conscientious, hard-working, and had incredible presence in her interact

I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Brené Brown . Her work is grounded in research, and she is unapologetically herself. I've been devouring her new book, Strong Ground , and as I read it, I keep connecting her insights to my work as an executive coach. We’re seeing huge shifts in political and corporate culture. With 20+ years of experience helping leaders navigate organizational change, I’ve seen one truth hold steady: how we lead determines how well we adapt