The Art of Asking: Communication Lessons With Dave Matthews

One of my yoga teachers is a huge Dave Matthews Band fan. One year, her husband got her front-row tickets to see DMB. Being the wise yogi she is, she spent an afternoon creating a bright, glittery sign that read, “May I meet you, Dave?” As Dave came onto the stage to introduce the opening band, she held up her sign with proud arms, put a bold smile on her face, and communicated her request. …

Why You Need Your Own Joyful Pursuit (Especially If You’re A Super Productive Leader)

What do you do that’s just for you? That fills your cup so you can pour into others? (I don’t need to tell you that as a leader you constantly have to pour into others.) What do you do for yourself that’s simply for the pleasure of joy & experience & creativity? I get hung up on this often. Being driven & in the pursuit of big goals keeps me on the regimented “doing” path. …

Our Rock-Climbing Adventure: Lessons in Leadership & Courage

Last weekend, my husband, our boys, and I embarked on an indoor rock-climbing adventure. It was an eye-opener on multiple levels. For starters, my boys got to witness their mom be the badass that she is. (Hello first person to make it to the very top and ring the victory bell! 💪) I feel like I’m often the “bad cop” in our family, reminding the boys to take a bath or that it’s bedtime, so …

Efficient Isn’t Always Effective.

As a server in my teens and early 20s I was efficient – my managers knew they could trust me with any type of guests and that I could handle more tables than other server I made good tip money, but I rarely got those wow 10X tips that some of my co-workers received. Why? Because my efficiency didn’t allow me to truly connect with guests. When guests shared why they were in town or asked about my life, …

How To Help Your Team Increase Their Self-Awareness

“How can I help my team increase their self-awareness?” This was the most common question I got while at the CMAA World Conference in Vegas earlier this month.  (Well, besides the question: “Have you done anything for fun while in Vegas!?” The answer is yes, btw, I saw Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson One and it was off the charts! People moonwalking up the side wall, zombies dropping down from the ceiling to Thriller, and …