Leadership consultant and communication expert Beth Wonson examines the skills and strengths that make for effective leadership and communication.
There is a pretty good chance that you and those you work with are experiencing some degree of languishing.
It is marked by behaviors like staying up too late binge watching tv or catching yourself playing games online midday, even though you know that these behaviors will impact your ability to hit your goals or the energy you need to deal with the pressures of work.
Read MoreI was recently asked how a leader could get quiet team members to speak up more in meetings. The truth is, change doesn’t begin with the quiet team members, but with you.
The secret to encouraging engagement and participation rests with you and your skillfulness in 5 specific areas.
Read MoreMany people experience an excess of strife by constantly responding to the shoulds in their life. Have you noticed how “should” statements are often used to convince us something is “the best,” when they really just restrict and minimize us? Here’s a few ways to turn those “shoulds” around.
Read MoreAnger is a topic that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it seems to be bubbling up in lots of places.
Listen in or read on to learn about how you might be trying to deal with your anger (and what is happening instead), what would happen if the target of your anger went away (hint: your anger doesn’t go with them), and 4 steps for taking care of your anger – and yourself. Be sure to download the free worksheet and delve a little deeper into your self-development!
Read MoreI often hear from people that they have coworkers, friends, and even family members who they no longer feel the same level of connection with because of disagreements, differences of opinion, different worldviews, or conflict.
So, today, we’ll explore 10 simple ways to experience a deeper sense of connection and a deeper sense of peace, plus where to start looking for peace, joy, love, abundance, appreciation, and connection. (Hint: it’s one place you’ll always find them!)
Read MoreI can’t tell you how many times I’ve taken off in a direction based on a first fact that is flawed. Sometimes I find out quickly, but sometimes the roadblocks, barriers, and failures aren’t eager to reveal themselves, and so it takes a lot longer. Sometimes, I’ve invested a lot of time and energy before realizing that I was headed in the wrong direction from the start.
Listen in for stories with what this looks like, plus three simple tips that will point your efforts in the right direction.
Read MoreWhen we clutch and cling to what we treasure, our tightly closed fist prevents us from accepting anything more, and it can also prevent our moving forward with ease and freedom.
Listen in (or read on) for a short, sweet story about a child who learned to open her fist, which, in turn, opened my eyes – and also a list of nine rocks that many of us hold onto.
Read MoreIn Tosha Silver’s book Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead, she offers this idea: “When you say to the Universe, ‘Oh, this is terrible!’ the Universe responds with, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’ But when you say to the Universe, ‘Oh, this is so wonderful!’ the Universe responds with, ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet!’”
I’d been literally walking around with anger and resentment, and this was a light bulb of insight that I needed for my own shift. Listen in or read on to catch the whole story.
Read MoreWhen you believe you’re seeing someone’s potential, what are you really seeing? Are you seeing them as they see themselves, or are you looking at their situation as if it were you? Is what you want for others what’s truly best for them, or is it simply a reflection of what you want for yourself?
Listen in or read on for real-life examples of how positioning yourself as the expert on someone else’s life can cause tension and conflict – at work and at home.
Read MoreRecently, I was at a gathering of people who I love being around for their vibrant interaction, and I found myself growing annoyed with a new member of the group who pushed his perspectives at every opportunity. Apparently, others felt the same because, before too long, he was standing by himself.
Read on (or listen in) for how I stepped out of annoyance and into the neutral Observer Mode, what I saw and learned from that position, and how I used curiosity to change the dynamic for him and around him.
Read MoreMy life experience says joy and abundance aren’t in the achievement of perfected bliss but in the awareness that when life’s disappointments, confusion, hard choices, and grief-filled moments appear, I can come back to center.
Rather than try to fix, change, avoid, or fight it, I can be like the caterpillar – I can sink in, allow myself to be, take a deep rest, and trust that the way will again become clear.
Listen in for the lessons in caterpillar goop and human soup, along with the warm wisdom of horses.
Read MoreStories play a powerful role in our lives, and the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves are the most impactful. Positive stories can help us launch our dreams, achieve our goals, and propel us to the next level, while negative stories can do quite the opposite, and most significantly, create disconnection from others.
Listen in for the three types of negative stories, the six reasons we use them, and how to slow or stop the endless cycle for someone who has become stuck in their own story.
Read MoreI’ve been listening to You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero because it was recommended by people I respect, although the title feels a bit slimy to me.
Well, her audiobook is fast-paced and funny with a smart, dry wit. While listening to Jen talk about how our words, energy, and beliefs inform what’s possible for us, I began seeing connections – both to myself and to many of the blocks my clients face.
Listen in or read on for more from the book, plus 8 lessons on badassery that I’m putting into practice.
Read MoreTen years ago, whenever I felt certain that something had to change, I was quite certain it was someone else who needed to change and not me. This was true in my friendships, my work relationships, and how I viewed the world. I held the expectation that everyone would be better off if they were more like me.
But now, through a lot of self-work and with more self-awareness, I know that whatever emotional energy comes up in me is simply there for me to continue to learn about myself. Listen in or read on for more…
Read MoreDo you easily make commitments to behavioral changes, but you struggle with following through? The keys to fulfilling your commitments despite external and internal challenges are found in the ancient story of Ulysses and the Sirens’ deadly song.
He had himself tied to the mast of his ship and his crew’s ears plugged so they wouldn’t be tempted to their doom, but you can simply think about when and how you’ll need support, and then ask for it. Read on or listen in for more about this commonly missing piece…
Read MoreReady-made seminars can be helpful, but there are times when a canned approach to leadership won’t get you where you want to go. It’s most effective to tweak the best practices to suit your work style instead of the other way around.
Listen in or read on for a case study on Results-driven Ron, who struggles to sit through meetings that continue in discussion long after he’s ready to take action. The steps he learned in an active listening seminar felt false and frustrating, but our customized strategy is a far better fit.
Read MoreAre you using your brain power as effectively and efficiently as possible? To do your best work, it’s important to create an environment that suits and satisfies your brain, as well as a schedule for tackling tough tasks when your brain is at its best.
Listen in (or read on) for tips on tidying up, sorting out, making way, and letting go so your brain has space – and energy – to do the most amazing things.
Read MoreAnger is not a pure emotion, but a mask for painful emotions such as sadness, fear, and disappointment. At the same time, anger can hide behind numbness, defensiveness, or a feeling of power. Anger plays tricks on our ego, distances us from others (and ourselves), and can have a boosting effect as powerful – and as short-lived – as a sugar rush.
Read or listen in for more on anger’s many disguises, and learn how to dissipate your anger by asking yourself a few simple, yet powerful, questions about your situation.
Read MoreGossip is as addictive as sugar. It can also be damaging and slowly wear and tear at the vital framework that keeps a group or a team cohesive, a family solidified, and an organization moving towards its goals. Breaking the gossip habit is a powerful way you can positively impact your own happiness, even when you’re feeling powerless. Here's how...
Read MoreAre you ever afraid you’ll be found out? You know what I’m talking about – that moment when you stop in your tracks and think, “What if they find out I don’t know as much as they think I do? What if they find out I’m not really equipped for this job?”
Well, if your answer is Yes, you’re in good company because most of us suffer from Impostor Syndrome. The Impostor Syndrome’s voice most often rears its ugly head when we...
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