(And 4 Other Strengths Truths) 1. The Mirror and the Manual In 2003, Jo Self encountered a framework that provided what she calls a “user manual” for her own existence. For years, she had navigated her life with patterns she couldn’t quite name, but the CliftonStrengths assessment acted as a…
Leadership
Call Me Dr. Sobers
A Name, A History, A Title, and Why It Matters Back in 2017, I wrote a blog post about struggling with the title of Doctor. I was honest about my imposter syndrome, my fear of being perceived as arrogant, and my complicated relationship with claiming something I had genuinely earned.…
Leadership Lessons from the Dance Floor (Part 1)
Sync Over Stubbornness: The Quiet Strength of Adjusting Leadership isn’t always about being right. Sometimes it’s about listening, adjusting, and finding a rhythm together. At a recent social dance, I found myself dancing with someone who was clearly hearing the music differently than I was. Our steps weren’t matching. I…
The Dance Glossary of Leadership
Lessons from Partner Dance Basic Step Dance meaning The foundational rhythm dancers return to when nothing else is happening. It keeps both partners grounded in the music and ready for the next movement. Leadership insight Strong teams rely on shared fundamentals: When uncertainty appears, effective teams return to the basic…
The Branches That Help Us Grow
There’s something about spring that makes us believe in starting again. Not from scratch. Not perfectly. But intentionally. In the Resilience Tree, growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through what I call branches (the people who support, stretch, and sustain us over time). And here’s what I’ve learned, both…