Who’d You Bring to the Dance?

On October 4, 2018

I’m a bit of a Dancing With the Stars junkie and this season features its first blind competitor, paralympian Danelle Umstead. She is paired with professional dancer Artem Chigvintse. The job of Artem and the other pros on the show is to train non-dancers to dance. Their role is to design an experience which stretches their partner’s

Where Did Your Wings Take You?

On September 20, 2018

Jump, and you will find out how to unfold your wings as you fall. –Ray Bradbury, author I don’t really think of myself as a ‘jump off the cliff’ type, more a ‘calculated risk’ taker. I prefer to travel off the beaten path, yet I can’t see myself hacking a new trail through unexplored

Beyond My Comfort Zone…And Loving It!

On June 5, 2018

Stretching far out of my comfort zone today. In a different time zone, in a different country, in a different language, heading to a destination I’ve never been. By one bit of security is a good cell signal and google maps. (How did we get along without google maps before???) I’m in Lisbon, Portugal, the

The Gift Of Generosity

On December 21, 2017

I recently lost a very good friend to cancer, someone I had known for close to 40 years. My friend was a dynamic spirit who filled her life with adventures. At her celebration ceremony, many people from different interests in her life came forward to share the piece of Valerie that they knew. Her whitewater

What Do A Carrot And Being A Leader Have In Common?

On October 5, 2017

When was the last time you played with your food? I was in Santa Fe NM recently on a long weekend vacation with my sisters. Santa Fe is known as an art community and the three of us are pretty far from being art aficionados. To really experience the vibe of the place I signed

Get Real, Be Real—The Impact Of Authenticity

On July 27, 2017

“That’s who I am. They will just have to learn to deal with it.” That was the self-justification of a manager proclaiming her ‘authenticity’ and leaving a trail of employees reeling and ducking for cover. This person voiced whatever came to her mind, often with hurtful impact. That was ‘being real’ in her view. At

How Do We Move From ‘Performance’ To ‘Potential’?

On September 27, 2016

Over coffee with a friend with a mutual interest in creating environments that encourage diversity, she commented on an undercurrent she has observed at several tech industry groups she attends. Her perceptions matched what I have also experienced during my speaking and coaching discussions in various professional forums. Here’s what we’ve both observed — Women

Another Flag At Half-Mast

On July 12, 2016

The flags all around town are at half-mast….again. It was not too long ago that half-mast was an unusual phenomenon, reserved to honor the passing of presidents and other prominent officials. In recent months it has become sadly ubiquitous, a national sign of mourning for those precious and innocent lives taken by hateful violence. With

What Creates Confidence?

On March 1, 2016

Can you be confident if you are not also self-aware? I’ve been pondering that question since I spent a week working with transitioning military to help them establish a plan for their future. I experienced dozens of men and women with amazing stories of courage and resilience who have faced incredible adversities during their military careers…Yet they didn’t

Am I As Good As I Once Was?

On November 3, 2015

I wrote last week about learning fearlessness, as I reflected on re-connecting with the strong beautiful women from my high school class. It was a heartwarming night of reverie and reminiscing. Health? School? Career? Home? Kids? Grandkids? (An observation: not much interest in who we married or what they do…) Decades of change captured in

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