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

Fix the Drip!

On August 23, 2018

I had become immune to the drip. For a while, the sprayer function on my kitchen faucet hasn’t worked. Then an annoying tiny spurt of water from the corner of the downspout. And then…water dripping down the neck and pooling at the base. I started keeping a rag near the counter, so I could wipe

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

Bringing Soul To Your Bottom Line

On January 25, 2018

The picture above is the (Save Our) Soul box from Penzey’s Spice company. After the President’s derogatory comments on immigrants from African nations a few weeks ago, Bill Penzey, Jr., the company’s CEO, sent out a newsletter denouncing the people who continue to support racism in our country. To put ‘skin in the game’ so

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

Courage In Everyday Life

On August 30, 2017

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. — Nelson Mandela I used to think that courage was some magical thing reserved for the Medal of Honor winner who runs into

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 Often Do You ‘Walk Your Talk’?

On May 2, 2017

I’m soaked to the skin, standing in the rain. Thinking, “Jane, here you are taking a first step to ‘walk the talk.’” How many people do you know who fail to ‘walk the talk’? How about that friend who often complains to you about how a co-worker is treating her. But she won’t ‘walk the

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

Where Joy Lives

On August 9, 2016

I met a man this week. Someone who, because of his disability, I put in a (mental) box and dismissed. Seriously combat wounded, his obvious physical and mental challenges frightened me. And I made a too quick decision that there was nothing to learn from him. And I was dead wrong. We naturally do that.

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