Category: Leadership Topics

March Madness reminds us of something we often forget in our day-to-day work: when the pressure is on, no one rises to the occasion, they fall back on their preparation. Lisa Hayes (Director of Strategic Development and Leadership Growth) has recently been supporting clients with improving their communication and presentation skills. Here are some highlights […]

March is wrapping up, and that means a lot of things. For many of us, it means busted brackets! The agony of knowing we could have made better picks, the excitement of a last-second shot to advance “just one more round”…and the annual question: why do I keep doing this? As a graduate of the University of South […]

Most of us have heard the phrase, “See it before you achieve it.” But in Peter Mierke’s recent article, “Seeing Success Before It Happens”, he takes that idea even deeper… showing how athletes like Michael Phelps mentally rehearsed not only the perfect race, but also how they’d handle things going wrong. That extra layer of […]

In last month’s Expert Insights, I asked the question: Are you trying to convince me, or yourself? We explored how our internal pictures—positive or negative—shape our confidence, behavior, and results. This month, I want to take that idea one step further with an example from someone who mastered the art of visualization long before he ever stepped on the […]

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I’m just not good at that,” or “I’ll never be able to do it like they do”? Those quiet thoughts matter more than you think. Just like Peter shared in his article, the stories we tell ourselves don’t just live in our minds… they show up in our actions. […]

Try this exercise: Think about a common challenge for many professionals—public speaking. Before your next presentation or meeting, take five minutes to visualize it going exactly right. Picture yourself walking to the front of the room confident and relaxed. See yourself speaking clearly, connecting with your audience, and noticing nods of agreement as your message lands. Visualize finishing […]

Peter’s message this month highlighted a powerful truth: companies that invest in people see long-term results. But here’s the other side of that coin… growth isn’t just an organizational responsibility. As leaders and professionals, we each have the opportunity (and responsibility) to personally invest in ourselves. Just like a company wouldn’t expect a machine to run indefinitely […]

I recently attended an event where I was able to hear Greenville, SC Mayor Knox White speak. He was sharing some stories and the one that struck me was about the common trait he has seen with successful companies and leaders – he said, “you don’t invest in capital projects unless you are confident in […]

When we think about growing as a leader or a professional, it’s easy to focus on the “big” relationships — the boss who mentors us, the coach who challenges us, the team we’re responsible for. But there’s one group that often gets overlooked, and it might just be the most valuable: your peers. Your peers […]

Last time, we talked about the power of relationships—and nothing is more powerful than building strong connections with your peers. A strong network creates trust, fosters open dialogue, and encourages candid feedback, all of which lead to stronger, more impactful results. Too often, we’re so heads-down in our own work that we miss opportunities to […]