The topic of radical candor came up twice this week so it felt like a sign that it's time to talk about it The simple way to think about it is that we have to care enough and build trusted relationships so that we can be honest in a valuable way..

Are you moving in rhythm right now, or are you off the beat? I don’t have a great sense of rhythm, so I’m often off the beat when it comes to my dance moves or clapping. In the grand scheme of things, there are certainly worse limitations than this.

We all have multiple identities we associate with - parent, child, sibling, employee, boss, coach, community leader, and the list goes on. How often do you ask yourself, "who am I?" Does your response start with those "hats" you wear or does it start with something deeper?

How would you define who you are right now, who you serve, and how you best serve them? Even if you are part of a bigger organization, these are still questions that you should challenge yourself to answer because you might be surprised at what you find.

How are you evolving as a professional?

We are all imperfect leaders, of ourselves and of others. However, along our life journey, we have the opportunity to learn lessons that we can take forward as we become more intentional leaders. Though these lessons were hard at the time, I am thankful for the experiences and the leadership coaching I received that have helped me become more intentional in my style.

At some point in 2020, a colleague suggested that I should turn some of my LinkedIn posts into a book. Initially, I wasn't sure if I saw myself as an author, even though I knew I had written a lot of content, and there's always the concern that no one will buy it.

I remember the days when my kids were young and loved opening the advent calendar and counting down the days until Christmas.  They were so excited to wake up on Christmas morning to see the presents that Santa had put under the tree. Their hopes for what was going to be unwrapped were so powerful. The anticipation was such a big part of their experience. Now, as teenagers, the awe of the experience isn’t quite the same and the expectations are different. They recognize that the experience is what we each make of it.  Lessons that we, as adults, can take to heart as we head into this holiday season.

It’s hard to believe that we’re already counting down the days until we leap into 2022. Having a countdown like this can be valuable but also depressing if you let it. So let’s dive in with a set of questions to guide your reflection.

Recently, I heard the phrase "Covid cloud" about how we've been making decisions in our personal and professional lives. Every choice is filtered with thoughts about Covid's implications for ourselves and others. If you spend just a few minutes thinking about it, you'll realize how many decisions have this filter in them.

Brave isn’t about one type of person. It’s a mindset, behaviors, and actions that we all have the ability to reach for when needed. Brave can come in all shapes and sizes.