There are many lessons aspiring women leaders can learn from sports coaches and managers. First, there’s the importance of connecting with others to build a cohesive team, then there’s using positive self-talk to enhance performance, and finally there is looking forward, rather than backward, when the opposition scores a goal. One critical lesson that is … Read more
When women know what they value, they naturally become leaders. Their lives have meaning, which gives them more energy. They take more risks in the name of their cause and are more resilient when things don’t go as planned. All of this adds up to more of that precious commodity known as presence. Without meaning, … Read more
Recently, I sat with a woman who described applying for a CEO position in a prestigious trade organization; she was offered the job, and then turning it down. Unsure about why she didn’t grab the ring when it was presented, she mused that maybe on some deep level she didn’t see herself as a leader. … Read more
Nearly a decade ago I went to Canyon Ranch, a health spa in Arizona, carrying not only an extra 100 pounds, but also the psychological baggage of numerous failed diets. I was full of fear that I would be unsuccessful once again. Fortunately, early in my stay, I attended a lecture by an amazing therapist … Read more
Recently, the Canadian Women in Mining described me as a risk taker when I was named their 2015 Trailblazer, a title which was both an honour and surprise. Me, a risk taker? Here’s the thing: I declined the opportunity to bungee jump in New Zealand, I always take a huge medicine bag to Mexico (just … Read more
If you were born before the turn of the millennium, you probably remember the United States Army’s slogan, “Be All You Can Be”. Just reading it here has probably started the jingle reverberating in your head! Let me suggest a better way to “Be All You Can Be”: that is to quit treating any opposing … Read more
Each of us has a story about who we are, the work we do, the people we love, or even why we arrive late to the office. We live each day according to these stories, seeing and believing the information that reinforces them and ignoring the rest. Our stories are created to offer comfort, reassurance, … Read more
On my desk is a glass paperweight with an important question carved on one side. What would you do if you had no fear? it says. Seeing the inquiry, a friend asked for my response, and without hesitation I answered, “Give up perfectionism.” She casually suggested that that would be a good New Year’s resolution, … Read more
The holiday season can feel like a storm at sea. Extra socializing can wash away your physical energy, extra spending can create a monster wave of mental worries and extra time with familiy can bring up emotional issues which tempt you to abandon the ship. It is easy to feel spiritually adrift wondering about your … Read more
Five years ago I gave a speech to a group of women engineers discussing my theories of ‘gender energy’. Before stepping on stage I felt some trepidation that this group of scientifically trained women would have a different specific notion of energy than what I was proposing. The idea that there are energy patterns which … Read more
