Does practicing leadership really make perfect?
No. Practice is far more important than that. The best musicians practice. Wynton Marsalis, arguably the best trumpet player alive today, still does nearly every day[1]. John Coltrane, perhaps the best jazz trumpet player to ever have lived, practiced incessantly until the day he died. Which, for some, can seem confusing. If they’re already the best, what are they hoping…
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Lisa Chandler on Thriving Tides Podcast
Lisa was a guest on Julie Ann & Stephanie’s podcast, Thriving Tides. We covered lots of ground including Lisa’s inspiration to start coaching, what she has learned about herself and running a business, why conscious leadership matters and so much more! Check it out on YouTube (linked below) or your favorite podcast platform (Spotify, Apple, etc.)! We’d love to hear…
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Leaders: What’s the Song You Want to Sing?
By: Glen Herbert, Writer/Editor (and Lisa’s multitalented friend who offered to write this excellent guest post) For a number of years, I taught group guitar lessons at a seniors’ centre in Burlington, where I live. Each session—they typically ran 10 weeks—there would be between 20 and 30 people around the circle. If you asked why they signed up, they’d say…
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Leaders, Spending Too Much Time in Scare City?
Most of us spend our whole lives crossing the line between two metaphorical twin cities: “Presence” and “Scare City”even though the city of Presence is so much nicer (and much better leadership comes from there). And while you likely know both cities really well, you may need better directions to access Presence anytime you want. Before we swap travel stories…
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A Bridge Over Troubled Waters
There is a lot of expectant energy in our world right now. I feel distracted most of the time. I have tried to write this post in my head and on my laptop many times. And I have managed to drain myself over it. Perhaps if I was a NY Times journalist, I could pull it off. Instead, I am…
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A Holiday Love Letter
On Friday night, I dreamt about attending a wedding. As part of the wedding festivities, I found myself in a fancy dress, bowling with actress Maya Rudolph. My daughter and I had watched Maya on Nailed It! Holiday! before bed so that explains why she made an appearance. At a certain moment in the dream, I noticed I wasn’t wearing…
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The Death Spiral or The Connection Spiral: What will you choose?
Every leader client I have ever coached has at least one relationship in which they feel challenged or stuck. When we explore what they’ve shared with the other person, invariably, I hear some version of how they are not able to say what they really think, feel or want. I hear some version of how they have withheld. I wish…
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Leaders Willing to “Dip In” Truly Grow
I believe that the process of learning to lead well can help us become better humans. By growing to meet the demands of the call to leadership, we’re presented with a chance to finally, fully, grow up. Jerry Colonna, Author of Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up. When we ask the leaders in our Conscious Leader Forums what…
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Lead Like Hoss with Small Deeds Done Daily
Dear leaders: Early in the pandemic, many of us were operating on our surge capacity (Great article here). We had the kind of energy and focus we’ve seen first responders bring to a natural disaster. Surge capacity works great in the beginning but after a while we get worn out. By late spring, after a few months of business, mothering,…
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Taking Our 100% Responsibility for Racist Systems
These feel like volatile, uncertain, and confusing times for leaders despite that systemic racism has existed for centuries. Now, more so than ever, we hear conflicting messages. Speak up. Go quiet. Use your voice. Use your voice only to lift up black/indigenous voices. Give space to their voices. Why have you been silent so long? It’s time for leaders to find…
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