We’ve all experienced the moment when a child asks us to play. We get the board set up and the pieces arranged, the net constructed and the ball inflated. Time passes and they struggle or lose and suggest you play a different game

Setting goals can feel like a cumbersome process. So can the effort to achieve them. Some goals require a lot of work, and others seem relatively easy when we put them on paper, but end up being way more messy or difficult than we anticipated.

When I was 27, I packed up my car and moved to Seattle. I had 5 years of professional experience under my belt, all at the same large non-profit in DC. Soon after, I started applying for jobs, including the open role: Director of Leadership Development at Nordstrom.

I need to apologize. Several years ago, I heard an executive say, “Hope is not a strategy.” I thought it was brilliant leadership, so I began using it too. I’ve been using it for almost a decade now. But I’ve been thinking about hope a lot lately

I returned to work on Monday after several days of exploring the desert. As a New England kid, the beauty of the desert was lost on me for many years, but for a long time now, I’ve come to love and appreciate what makes the desert gorgeous and healing in its own way.

A friend and I recently discussed the pros and cons of taking a sub-par job, just to get your foot in the door. It’s an interesting debate, given most of us can probably make the case for either side. As someone who’s studied human behavior for 22 years

Among the dirt and rock scrambles, the wildflowers and the quiet colors of dawn, I thought about a common theme in recent conversations with clients, colleagues and friends: the fear that we are not enough.

“I wish I had the courage to speak up in meetings like him.” “If only I had the nerve to ask for a promotion like she did.” “I can’t believe she quit her soul-sucking job without a plan—I’d never be brave enough to do something like that!”

I sit in meetings almost every day with senior leaders wearing a t-shirt, a fleece, or a casual button-down and jeans. They are without a doubt (like most of us) among the generations who were told to “dress for the job they want and not the job they have.”

I lead the learning and development team for Amazon's recruiting function, a global group, thousands of people strong. It means I think about candidates and new hires, a lot... definitely more than your average bear. And what always strikes me is

Amazon, as is the trend these days, did away with annual reviews. We replaced them with ongoing development and coaching conversations, and a process we call Forte, which is essentially 360 feedback, primarily focused on superpowers.

Many years ago, I was managing a group of new hires. There was a young woman (we'll call Sue) who consistently fell asleep in class. It was easy to write the story that Sue didn't care about her job or her training; didn't care about her image.

"Can you tell me a little bit about your leadership style?" she asked me during our first 1:1. "Of course," I replied. "One of the most important things to know is that I'll rarely give you an immediate answer when you come to me with a question.

Many years and companies ago, I showed up to the office one morning to find the lobby and other high-traffic areas decorated with large bunches of green latex balloons. "What was the cause for celebration?" you ask... Earth Day.

During a recent meeting with one of my clients, we spoke about an employee who was preparing to leave their company after several years. With only a handful of days left, he was now refusing to carry out the responsibilities tied to his position

When I was in fourth grade, I'd often go to school in a Harvard sweatshirt. I wanted to be a lawyer then. That was just before a friend decided she wanted to be a mortician and I got on board with that plan. Twenty years later,

A decade ago or so, I was a manager at a different company when one of our associates had a heart attack in the company parking lot and died. Everyone loved her, especially me. I'd first met her as a trainee in one of my

I have the great honor of mentoring some pretty incredible people. During a recent meeting with one of them, we worked through an extremely tough conversation she needs to have with her manager. At the end of us practicing, I said,

A few days ago, a woman I know from high school posted to Facebook that her son had said, "Mom, I wish I had friends." He's 7 and recently diagnosed with Asperger's. He's going through a lot. Understandably, his wish broke her heart.

On a recent hike, a friend of mine and I were scrambling over shale to see the view from the very top of the summit. We are avid hikers, so I was shocked when I realized we'd gotten ourselves into a very dangerous situation