Thoughts. Reflections. Intentions.

We’ve all felt the pressure to work harder, longer, and take on more. Even pre-pandemic, it was clear we had a problem. At the start of 2020, nearly three in five employees reported negative effects of work-related stress. The problem is so severe that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared burnout an “occupational phenomenon” in 2019. This classification emphasizes its prevalence and potential health impacts—and it underscores the need for leaders to take a proactive stance on identifying and addressing burnout in the workplace. Despite the fact that symptoms of burnout have been simmering for years, it seems many Read more.

Maybe this has happened to you: you get a text from a friend that says, “Not sure about this.” How do you interpret that? Are they unsure about plans you made? Are they agonizing over a decision they need to make? Or is it something else entirely? The uncertainty sends you into a tailspin of what-ifs and worry. Now, imagine this scenario at work: you ask your team to propose a set of metrics to track your department’s performance. When you get the proposal back, it’s not what you expected. The metrics are broad and varied and won’t really shed Read more.

Everywhere you turn, AI dissenters seem to be arguing that artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity. They say that not only is AI poised to steal our jobs, but it’s also disrupting human connection, eroding our empathy, and challenging our ethics. At Transitions Coaching, we help people live, work, and lead more humanly. With that emphasis on our humanness, you might assume we fall in line with the AI naysayers. But we believe that to be human is to be curious, and our curiosity compels us to embrace exploration, examine alternative angles, and look at things from different perspectives. Read more.

When it comes to creating a thriving, successful organization, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But there is a common denominator: effective leadership. What does it take to be an effective leader? It requires knowledge, yes. But it also demands courage, compassion, and accountability. Realize it or not, when you step into a leadership role, you accept a tremendous burden. And while it might seem that some of us are built to embrace that responsibility, the reality is that leadership definitely isn’t for the faint of heart. Over the past few weeks, this article has popped up in my inbox twice. Read more.

As a leader, every day can feel a little like embarking on a critical mission. Never really knowing what’s going to happen or the opportunities and challenges you’ll encounter, you might feel a mix of ambition and anxiety. What you might not anticipate, however, is the actual nature of the barriers you’ll battle. Realize it or not, many of them are of your own making. Fears, insecurities, and self-doubt are just a few of these unexpected saboteurs. And they don’t just impede your progress—they can impact your entire team. Breaking down these internal roadblocks is crucial to achieving your full Read more.

From a young age, we’re told we can be or do anything we want. The opportunities are endless, and a path full of possibilities stretches out ahead of us. But if that’s true, why do so many of us end up feeling stuck or unfulfilled? In most cases, the answer is fear. Something within us acts as a barrier to embracing those opportunities that await. Whether it’s the fear of failure, fear of judgment, or fear of the unknown, these internal barriers loom large, casting shadows over our purpose, passion, or aspirations. I recently stumbled upon this article that sheds Read more.

On any development journey, the starting point is within. Self-reflection and self-discovery are necessary steps toward growth—but it doesn’t have to be a lonely path to travel. As a leader and professional, you’re faced with a growing number of adaptive challenges—complex issues that demand a shift in your values, attitudes, or behaviors. Tackling these challenges requires you to evolve your mindset and capabilities. But that evolution rarely happens in isolation. The way many people approach development falls short of fueling real transformation. It’s a workshop, a book, or an article you squeeze into your busy schedule. And while those tools Read more.

I saw them every day. Stephanie was promoted to a senior-level role. Ann joined a new organization. Julie completed her MBA. Phil obtained another certification. Mike started a (third) business. And everyone was flitting from conference to conference, expanding their networks and accelerating their development. These updates flooded my LinkedIn feed like an unstoppable surge of reminders that my peers were doing more and better than me. Just clicking on a notification could send me into a panic. Should I be doing something else? Aiming for something bigger? I wasn’t racking up any of these accomplishments, so clearly, something had Read more.

When you talk about a “career,” you probably have a rigid definition in mind: the long-term pursuit of a certain job within a structured and hierarchical framework. A career is usually seen as a linear progression, starting from an entry-level position and gradually climbing the company ladder. It often involves specialization in a specific field or industry. It typically represents stability and security, and success is measured by external markers like job title, salary, and even the organization’s prestige. All these characterizations of career may be true in the traditional sense. But sometimes, they come together in a dangerous way, Read more.

As the year comes to a close, it’s natural to reflect. And as a team, we started down that path a few weeks ago. We talked about what happened this year and what we should prepare for next year. We looked back on the challenges our clients have faced and what we can do to help them navigate the future. And then Laurie said something that stopped us all in our tracks: “We don’t spend enough time in the present moment.” It’s true, we realized. We spend so much time ruminating on the past and anticipating the future that we Read more.