Articles

You are valuable simply because you exist.

The Difference Between Accepting and Valuing Matters

November 18, 2022

The Difference Between Accepting and Valuing Matters A few years ago, I was talking with a friend about the upcoming holidays, and where she would be spending her time. She shared with me that she felt accepted by her family, and valued by her besties, which was something altogether different. Her comment comes to mind each holiday season. The difference between accepting and valuing matters. Googling this topic, as writers often do, accepting and valuing are used interchangeably. The results…

Imperfect Children's Drawing illustrates that you don't have to be perfect to be amazing.

You Don’t Need be Perfect to be Amazing

January 8, 2022

You Don’t Need to be Perfect to be Amazing Intellectually you know it’s impossible to be perfect. No one is perfect. Certainly not you, or your role models, not very successful people, or very kind people, nor any humans on earth. Maybe you are nodding your head right now. You think you understand and believe this. You may have said these words to a friend or colleague who is being too hard on themselves. Maybe you have reminded your own…

Becoming a Better You

January 10, 2019

Becoming a Better You Recently my older son (21) was sharing with his younger brother (17) the idea of becoming a better you. As a leadership and development coach, of course my ears perked up. My son was explaining that the “you” you are today, is the not the “you” you will become in the future. He asked his younger brother if he’d ever given that idea any thought (this made me smile). Who’s Your Hero? To make his point,…

Compassion Makes All the Difference

August 28, 2018

Compassion Makes All the Difference In a TV interview on CBS This Morning, Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn CEO, said that he has come to understand that compassion is not just a better way to build a team, it’s a better way to build a business. In his commencement address to the Wharton School graduating class (on May 13, 2018) he talked about his vow, that if he were to manage people, he would aspire to manage them compassionately. Weiner said, “if…

Empathy in Leadership Matters

June 26, 2018

Empathy in Leadership Matters Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO was interviewed on CBS Today. He was promoting his new book Hit Refresh, published in early 2018. Nadella explains that empathy is the theme of his book. And that empathy in leadership shaped his success in transforming the culture at Microsoft. In the CBS interview, he shares a couple of stories that have shaped his understanding and belief in the role of empathy in leadership and more importantly, in life. The Question…

The Living a Richer Life Community

May 23, 2018

The Living a Richer Life Community Thank you for allowing me into your inbox over the past three years. While you haven’t heard much from me in 2017, I’ve been busy writing a book with my dad, Harvey Schoof. In fact, our new book, Living a Richer Life; It’s All in Your Head, was published in late February, and is now available on Amazon. In addition, I’m excited to announce a new collaboration. Insight Coaching (me) and Insight Consulting (my dad) are merging…

Self-Awareness – It’s All in Your Head!

May 6, 2018

Self-Awareness – It’s All in Your Head! Often, we go about our lives with very little self-awareness. We just do what we do, without much thought. We’re busy with the hum of daily life. We’ve got places to go, people to see. We’ve got bills to pay. We’ve got stuff to do. And if we’re lucky, we carve out some time for ourselves. Yet, all the while, there is a constant whirr of noise in our heads. This noise subtly…

Your Thoughts ARE Showing; Developing Self-Awareness

April 24, 2018

Your Thoughts ARE Showing; Developing Self-Awareness Think about all the people you encounter every day; in your work, school, church, gym or grocery store. Everyone you encounter is impacted by your self-awareness, as you are impacted by theirs. Are Your Thoughts Showing? Think about your boss or colleagues. Can you tell when they’re having a “bad” day? They may think they’re concealing it well, but you know when something is bothering them. You can see it in their body language, the look…

Self-Awareness Improves Your Life

April 4, 2017

Self-Awareness Improves Your Life Have you ever been in a really crowded Subway/Metro or a packed elevator at quitting time? Your awareness is heightened in these extremely close quarters. You may notice your elbow touching someone, or your bag bumping awkwardly around you. You may notice the silence, or the noise, the whirr of the machine, the clanking, the quiet conversations, a burst of laughter, maybe even your own breathing? You may notice the scent of freshly washed hair, or aroma…

Leadership’s Secret Ingredient; Connecting

February 14, 2017

Leadership’s Secret Ingredient; Connecting What kind of leader or manager inspires you? Brings out your best? Makes you feel engaged, empowered, and valued? Think about your very best manager, someone you respect and admire. If you need to dig deeper, how about a special teacher or coach? A volunteer, a church figure or community leader? And the question I ask you is: What is it that makes them memorable? Did you think of their knowledge and skills first? Or their education and…

Follow Us