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Two weeks ago, a group of 36 Indian Muslim women graduated from a prestigious fellowship program hosted by the LedBy Foundation, India’s first incubator focused on helping more Muslim women prepare for business leadership roles. I had the honor and pleasure of serving as an Executive Coach to three of these women. Throughout the time…

My second favorite thing to do while traveling is to stop in locally owned bookstores; invariably, I find a gem. My latest find is a children’s book called What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada. It’s a wonderful story about a small child who has an “idea” and not a clue what…

Most coaches would agree there’s a special feeling we get when a client has his/her first “aha” moment. That moment could be a new realization about an existing behavior or an insight about something new that’s needed to enhance life. With one of my clients, there was a palpable level of excitement with his newfound…

I’ve coached several executives on “imposter syndrome” or the sense of feeling unworthy. It’s not something with which I thought I identified, and attribute this to both my parents and grandparents. Through their unconditional love, they taught me that I am enough…perfect in the eyes of God. I do, however, understand about having doubts. As…

Every morning I sit at my desk and watch the squirrels tackle the “squirrel proof” bird feeder. Their acrobatics rival any of our world-class gymnasts … hanging, twisting, jumping, falling … stretching. They are lessons in desire, creativity, learning, endurance and resilience. Their desire to conquer the bird feeder is greater than any fear that…

There’s a typical “get ready” drill when you’re on a plane: stow luggage, buckle up, and hear instructions from a member of the crew. As I write these words, I realize I typed hear and not listen to. After all, most travelers know what the flight attendant is going to say; we hear the announcement…

The movie St. Elmo’s Fire has intrigued me since I was a teenager. Part of the draw was Georgetown University. I never went to school there; however, I did live in the Washington, DC area and got to drive past it often…such a majestic view from the Potomac River! And then there was that catchy…

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what motivates and demotivates us to make changes. Often when I’m in this frame of mind, I will pick up a book and be struck by words that relate to the matter at hand. This happened while reading Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen…

I have always enjoyed watching the Summer Olympics. While I like watching certain events, I appreciate the athleticism of all competitors. This was the first year I also watched the Paralympics; and the word appreciation doesn’t even scratch the surface. These athletes model courage, fortitude, perseverance, drive, focus, and creativity. These were just a few…

Influence doesn’t happen in a vacuum. I’ve coached numerous executives who want to be great at influencing. As we explore what it takes, it quickly becomes apparent that influence starts with paying attention to signals … signals that come from within you and around you. Influence starts with noticing signals or sensations within you. As…