Early in my executive career, I remember juggling team deadlines, strategic planning sessions, and high-stakes meetings—while questioning whether I had what it took to lead.  There were moments of self-doubt, especially when the pressure mounted, but also sparks of confidence when I saw my team thrive or when a challenging project succeeded against all odds.  […]

My perspective on leadership changed drastically when I stopped relying on big, lofty goals I’d write down at the start of each year (how many of us did that in the last few days?). Instead, I started focusing on the daily systems that bring those goals to life.  I realized that jotting something like “expand […]

I still remember when my office walls were covered in sticky notes, my inbox overflowed, and my goals lived in a forgotten digital file—rarely opened or revisited.  As a woman executive juggling large-scale projects, a growing team, and a personal life I was determined not to neglect, I felt like I was spinning far too […]

I still remember a time early in my executive career when my weeks felt like a series of frantic sprints.  Monday mornings started with me diving straight into urgent requests, back-to-back meetings, and constant demands from multiple stakeholders.  By Friday, I’d often look back and wonder: Did I make any real progress on my long-term […]

When it came to goal-setting, I used to fall into a familiar pattern. I’d start the year bursting with enthusiasm, jotting down both my personal career aspirations and the targets set by my boss that I would be held to.  These weren’t just nice-to-have achievements; they were benchmarks that could influence my performance reviews, shape […]

When I think back to my early leadership journey, I remember how often I felt like I was juggling too many moving parts. I had the basics covered—knowing my team’s job roles, project deadlines, and the progress we needed to make—but the deeper, more personal details often fell through the cracks. One moment in particular […]

There’s a moment that every executive experiences—a day when everything seems to be falling apart. A day when the back-to-back meetings, endless emails, and unrelenting deadlines collide, leaving you overwhelmed and questioning how you will stay on top of it all.  I’ve had my fair share of those days, where no matter how many digital […]

Leadership is more than just managing people or projects—it’s an expression of who you are, how you think, and how you inspire others. As a female leader in higher education, your leadership is a reflection of who you are—your personality, values, and approach to challenges. Understanding your leadership style can help you leverage your strengths […]

As I close out my final business trip of 2023 (whoa, where did the time go!?), I thought I would share some steps I took with my kiddos to help them manage the change. Why? Because these are the same steps I recommend leaders to take to prepare their team for change. Communicate change early […]

It’s an all-too-common tale: You enter a new leadership role with high expectations that your team will embrace you and your leadership approach. But soon enough, you realize things aren’t quite falling into place. Expectations don’t seem to be aligned, you’re not sure how to help them navigate the change in leadership, and you feel […]