Posts by Joan Fletcher

In Okinawa, Japan, people live longer than almost anywhere else in the world. Why? They have Ikigai. They understand their strengths, and they know their purpose. Ikigai is a combination of two Japanese words: iki, meaning life, and kai, meaning effect or result. It translates to “something that gives a person a purpose and reason…

Many of today’s conversations about workplace wellbeing spotlight what leaders can do to improve employee wellbeing. While this should be top-of-mind for leaders, we often overlook a crucial cornerstone of being successful in that pursuit. As a leader, your ability to cultivate a culture of wellbeing begins with first nurturing your personal wellbeing. The reason…

Written by Karen Mack, MSOD, CPCC, PCC, Leadership & Executive Coach for Winning Ways, Inc. The ability of executive leaders to navigate the complexities of their roles often hinges on the capacity to let go, even when they would rather not – especially when they would rather not. Whether it is letting go of a…

If there is one thing we know, it’s that change is constant. This means that for leaders to keep up with the ever-evolving landscape of the workplace, they must be ever-evolving themselves. But just as change is constant, it can also be hard, and we might even find solace in an “it’s how we’ve always…

One of my clients, a senior leader at a large organization, was running late for a meeting. When she arrived, she apologized profusely. “No worries,” I told her. “During the 10 minutes I waited for you, I worked on my next blog article.” “Oh,” she responded. “I don’t blog much, but I always feel like…

Leaders, there is no doubt that we have a lot competing for our attention: looming deadlines, never-ending to-do lists, days packed so full of meetings that we don’t have time to take a 2-minute breath, etc. It’s no wonder that having the time to listen to our direct reports may feel more like an aspirational…

One of the most popular questions my team and I get from leaders is, “How do I motivate my team?”. It’s a great question! The quick answer? The secret to motivating and engaging your team is to develop your emotional intelligence in leadership. As leaders, we have many opportunities to better understand ourselves and our…

Leadership is not easy! As a leader you are always running – bringing new projects online, launching products, managing teams. And always, driving growth. With all of this going on it’s easy to get blinkered and forget about the people around you that are also running in their roles. We forget to show our gratitude…

Leadership burnout is a growing concern in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure work environments. While burnout is often associated with employees, leaders are equally susceptible, yet their struggles can be overlooked. Remember, leaders choose the weather. If we are bored and burnt out, likely, our teams are as well. What is Burnout in Leadership? Burnout in leadership…

How many of us are up all night and burning the candle at both ends? Whether it is that imminent deadline, a challenge at work, or the number of commitments and responsibilities we have said ‘yes” to, sleep often becomes the least of our concerns. We toss. We turn. We think…and think…and think… With so…