For this week’s newsletter, I will continue talking about some of the biggest things that Dolly Parton can teach us using some of her best quotes. This week we will talk about being yourself. I talk all the time about authenticity, and this is the power in knowing you are and not apologizing for [...]
For this week’s newsletter, I will continue talking about some of the biggest things that Dolly Parton can teach us using some of her best quotes. This week we will talk about positivity. Dolly’s music was always full of positive words even when the topic was not an easy topic. She also had a [...]
I don’t know about you, but I was sad about the death of Dolly Parton. I grew up listening to Dolly’s music and watching her movies. She was not only famous because of her talents, but she was a true philanthropist. Besides giving away a significant amount of money to various charities, the fact [...]
Do you remember where you were 25 years ago today? On September 11, 2001? I remember very clearly because September 11th was always a special day to me because it is my birthday! On that day I was getting ready for work, and my phone rang and it was my mom. I assumed she [...]
Great leadership isn’t just about big strategies — it’s often about small, intentional moments. Our words are important so choosing the right word can set the tone for trust, accountability and success! Over the past few weeks, I talked about the six sentences that belong in your vocabulary. When we have a hard time [...]
I don’t know about you, but my calendar is full of meetings, projects and deadlines! It is truly a reflection of my priorities and helps me manage where my time, energy and focus go. I am also very intentional in my everyday plan. If I said yes to everything, then I would have to [...]
The third sentence that we all need as part of our leadership is “I need you to bring me a solution, not just the problem.” Problems are easy to spot. Anyone can point out when something isn’t working like a missed deadline, a bottleneck in our process or a client who is frustrated. But [...]
Leadership is about helping others to thrive…it isn’t about you and making the right decisions! Some of the best results have come from when I am really leading and not doing…when I have stepped back, when I have said no (instead of overcommitting myself) and mostly when I have trusted my team to own [...]
I remember seeing the Good Dinosaur in the movie theatre in late 2015. My nephew was almost 8 and did not like the movie, mostly because the Poppa dinosaur dies in a flash flood while trying to help Arlo (the smallest and most timid member of the family). Poppa was the leader that took [...]
There are two Inside Out movies, but I am going to cover them together. The main character, Riley, is full of emotions that include joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust and embarrassment. When we look at a leadership theme that comes out of our emotions, it is not about controlling our emotions but instead understanding, [...]
Merida is a spirited and independent young princess known for her fiery personality and equally fiery, wild curly red hair. Hmmm…sounds like me expect for the princess part 😊 Merida values freedom and adventure over tradition (a lesson to be learned there as well)! Merida’s courage and wit often lead her into daring challenges—and [...]
Up is one of the saddest Pixar films in my opinion. Carl is a man who has lost his sense of direction after his wife Ellie’s death. As is somewhat typical when we get older, he is somewhat rigid and self-centered. Carl’s entire dream is to travel to Paradise Falls. However, when Russell accidentally gets [...]
Wall-E is the last of his kind and continues his job of cleaning Earth even after humans abandon it. His quiet persistence and selfless help to EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) demonstrate that leadership can emerge from dedication to a purpose, even without formal power. Wall-E truly inspires others by showing that even small, consistent acts [...]
In Ratatouille, which was released by Pixar in 2007, Remy is truly a visionary. Remy has a clear dream of being a chef and really believes that anyone can cook! His whole leadership is not about being in control but instead inspiring and guiding others toward a common purpose. The entire movie has so many [...]
Cars 2 and 3 have messages of their own. In Cars 2, the characters have to adapt to unexpected circumstances. But in Cars 3, the real leadership lesson is that Lightning McQueen becomes a mentor. Cars 2 reminds us that we need to be aware of others and not be judgmental. Mater is initially seen [...]
Can you believe that Cars is 20 years old? It was produced by Pixar in 2006 and follows Lightning McQueen, a brash and ambitious rookie race car who wants to win the Piston Cup. On his way to a race in California, he gets stranded in the small and forgotten town of Radiator Springs on [...]
So last week we talked about the teamwork of the Parr family to overcome Syndrome and the Omnidroid. But in Incredibles 2, the roles of the Parr family have changed. Elastigirl becomes the face of superhero advocacy and Mr. Incredible takes care of the house and the kids. Often as leaders, we must have role [...]
I guess you know by now that I truly love all of the Pixar movies! So now we are on to the Incredibles and part one of their story! Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl have gotten married, have 3 kids and are the Parr family. They are living a normal suburban life after the government banned [...]
I love Nemo and Dory…for years we had a big saltwater fish tank, and they were truly my favorite fish! So how do Finding Nemo and Finding Dory make us think about leadership? For me the biggest lessons we learn from both movies is the collaboration and problem-solving that they experience. Marlin (Nemo’s dad) and [...]
So least week we talked about the personal leadership that we learned from Mike and Sulley, but this week let’s talk about teamwork! The fraternity in Monsters University struggles due to poor communication at the start. But when the team works together and aligns their goals, they succeed. This reminds us that effective leaders must [...]
