Few skilled professionals show up to work each day with the intention of being unaccountable or disengaged. Most people want to do well. We want to contribute, feel valued, and be part of something meaningful. In fact, many of us thrive when we feel helpful, recognized, and trusted. And yet, something often breaks down within …
Accountability and Ownership: It’s Rarely About Laziness Read More »
Have you noticed? Recently, Entrepreneur Media reported on a wave of user complaints about ChatGPT’s new overly cheerful and validating tone. The updates to OpenAI’s GPT-4o model made the AI feel… well, fake. People described it as “toxic positivity” – where every idea, no matter how flawed, was celebrated as “brilliant” or “amazing”. Even OpenAI …
Toxic Positivity Is All Around Us — Even in ChatGPT Read More »
On a weekly basis, clients come to me to work on how to better respond to the defensiveness of others – or how to feel and act less defensive themselves. These conversations often begin in the context of meetings and feedback sessions but increasingly extend into more informal settings: dinner table debates, hallway chats, or …
Managing Defensiveness at Work (Including Your Own) Read More »
A kanelbulle (or korvapuusti) enjoyed outside in the spring sun—during that brief, precious hour of good weather that this otherwise chilly day in Turku offered. Visiting my old hometown reminds me once again: Finnish happiness often isn’t about grand, extraordinary moments when everything is perfect. It’s found in the small, meaningful experiences—moments accessible to all, …
All-or-nothing thinking. Also known as black-and-white thinking, it’s a cognitive trap that many of us fall into, especially high achievers, leaders, and entrepreneurs. It’s the voice in your head that says: Sound familiar? This kind of binary thinking simplifies a complex world into extremes. Our brains love simplicity. It saves energy. It creates certainty. But …
The Hidden Cost of All-or-Nothing Thinking in Life and Leadership Read More »
Executive presence is traditionally described as the ability to project confidence, competence, and credibility—qualities that inspire trust, influence others, and command respect. It’s the invisible X-factor that makes people want to follow you, especially in high-stakes situations. In her well-known research-based framework, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, in Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success …
Redefining Executive Presence in a Polarized, VUCA World Read More »
As someone who works remotely most of the time, I’ve gotten used to the rhythm of home life: the familiar desk, the predictable routines, the same four walls. But last week, I had the chance to step away — even if only briefly — and immerse myself in somewhere different. Somewhere beautiful. Somewhere new. Fresh …
Sometimes, We Really Do Need a Change of Scenery Read More »
Reclaiming Your Agency: The Choice You Always Have Many mid-career professionals come to me feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure of their strengths and purpose. Often, this frustration stems from a loss of personal agency—the ability to make choices and influence one’s circumstances. The relentless cycle of meetings, emails, and the juggle between career and personal …
Reclaiming Your Agency: The Choice You Always Have Read More »
Daring to Fill Space: A Call to Women Many women have a complicated relationship with space—hesitating to take it, yet often filling it with the needs and problems of others. We navigate meetings cautiously, downplay our own needs, and often still carry the hidden load of work and family life. This constant balancing act leaves …
Watching the morning news today once again reminded me of the irony that self-doubt, like empathy, is extremely unevenly distributed. Often, the intelligent, reflective, and empathetic people we need as leaders have too much of it—while others, well… have far too little. Neuroscientific research suggests that the brain processes verbal affirmations similarly to financial rewards. …
