Most of us live our lives in the “ordinary world”, living largely ordinary lives if we choose the safety of ordinary.  Others hear a call to adventure and embark on a hero’s journey¹ to find their treasure.  Of course, the journey from ordinary/ safe to purpose/adventure is not easy or certain.  Crossing the threshold into the “special world” requires courage…

Have you ever been part of a leadership team so aligned that they were able to maintain a unified front even in the face of complex challenges? Lucky you! What a beautiful thing to behold. Sadly, it’s so rare that most of us have never experienced it. It doesn’t have to be. The world of systems coaching gives us skills…

  Don’t drink at the water’s edge, throw yourself in. Become the water. Only then will your thirst be quenched. – Jeanette Berson Sometimes we throw ourselves into the metaphorical water and get in over our heads, drowning in failure or loss. Sometimes, even from the water’s edge, circumstances beyond our control wreak havoc in our lives. When faced with…

For three mornings in a row last week, my little girl Lali woke up as angry as a hornet. On the third morning of fury, exhausted from her highly charged storm clouds, I wept openly in front of her. It happened spontaneously as I allowed her to bring me to my breaking point. About 30 seconds in, I became conscious…

My client, Laura¹, was late for her own wedding. Not traditionally late. Really late. The minister almost called it off. And she’s been late for almost everything for decades since.  Lateness has been her life-long pattern. She wants it to stop yet feels powerless. We jumped in by exploring the costs of her lateness habit. For her, there were no…

Imagine a workplace where all leaders respect their people, provide clear and consistent expectations, and encourage employees to be independent, intrinsically motivated critical thinkers. Such a workplace would look a lot like a Montessori school in fact. I read this post on the 7 phrases Montessori teachers use because my daughter goes to a Montessori afterschool program. Right away my…

Ask any CEO if s/he recommends leading their company like a military general.  Most would say a resounding “No!’.  And yet, a well lead army is like a fine-tuned machine. Most of the companies we work with are not so finely tuned (yet). We don’t like war. We do like great leadership. And we especially like an approach called Commander’s…