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Leadership and Life Blog
Quick tips, ideas, and stories that won't take much time to read and might help you consider new ways forward. We will cover leadership and life topics, which will be honest, vulnerable, and, at times, probably controversial. Feedback is welcome. The views expressed are those of the authors, and while we encourage debate, we ask for respect in any comments. If there are topics you'd like covered, we take suggestions too!
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Lead yourself first
Are you struggling with job satisfaction or can't find the right next steps? The best place to start is YOU! If you are waiting for your...

Lisa Pickard
Jul 22, 2024
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Happy New Year!
Welcome, 2024! Rather than start a list of resolutions I know I won't keep, I'll continue the promise to stay true to myself: Make...

Lisa Pickard
Jan 1, 2024
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Emerging Leaders
Have you ever noticed individual contributors who hold informal leadership roles due to their extraordinary success? Some colleagues want...

Lisa Pickard
Nov 29, 2023
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Atlas Gray turns 1!
Happy November! Today marks the first anniversary of Atlas Gray. When I think back to last November, my plans, and what has changed, I'm...

Lisa Pickard
Nov 1, 2023
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Make it count
Why choose to do something if not to do it well? Many of us have opportunities that are gifts: education, sports, jobs, and more. We can...

Lisa Pickard
Oct 26, 2023
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Danger zone
Thinking we understand everything, not recognizing multiple sides of a topic, or oversimplifying an issue creates a false sense of...

Lisa Pickard
Oct 19, 2023
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Blank pages
We all have life mile markers representing specific meanings: graduations, promotions, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and even...

Lisa Pickard
Oct 18, 2023
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Unraveling Ambition
Ambition is so coveted, it’s rarely questioned. We tend to work at warp speeds with busy-ness as our culturally accepted scorecard. We...

Valia Glytsis
Oct 17, 2023
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Better circles
Looking up to someone sometimes lets us hide their weaknesses in the shadows. Behaviors that aren't normally tolerated get rationalized,...

Lisa Pickard
Oct 3, 2023
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Which way?
Knowing your audience makes all the difference in how you give directions. Using street names for an out-of-towner or colors for someone...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 28, 2023
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Light the way
Lighthouses may guide ships, but people can be beacons, too. When we lead with honest kindness, build people up, and put in effort rather...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 27, 2023
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Hear this
Leading and listening go hand in hand, but how we take action on what we hear determines what kind of a leader we are. Listening on its...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 20, 2023
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Jot it down
Joining a new team as a leader or teammate brings together multiple skills at once, often while working outside your comfort zone. It can...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 18, 2023
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Everything changes
Especially people. It is easy to overlook that people change. Life happens. Experiences happen. Sometimes, the change is gradual; other...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 13, 2023
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I can't
I love it when I get asked what I do. I help leaders and athletes who think "I can't," I'm not ____," or "I'm afraid" change their...

Lisa Pickard
Sep 6, 2023
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Parts for a better whole
It's a skill to see and manage the parts that make up a complete project or goal. Adjusting smaller pieces or leading a team where...

Lisa Pickard
Aug 28, 2023
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A recipe of strengths
I love food and cooking, but grocery shopping is one of my least favorite activities. I have friends who are the exact opposite and could...

Lisa Pickard
Aug 21, 2023
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Leading with help
Growing into more senior leadership positions can be more effective and less stressful if supported by a strong mentor or coach. Leaders...

Lisa Pickard
Aug 15, 2023
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Communication routines
Leadership can feel like a hamster wheel of catching your team up on what was said and trying to keep them up to date on what's about to...

Lisa Pickard
Aug 2, 2023
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People make the difference
The best wins as a leader, for me, were people driven. It was a gift to see someone accomplish something they didn't think possible or...

Lisa Pickard
Jul 26, 2023
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