Latest Blogs

Why audiences don’t want polished presentations—they want someone who’s actually done the work In retirement, I’ve unexpectedly found myself being called upon as a speaker at national industry trade shows, conferences, and expos. No one is more surprised than I am. I never took Speech in high school, never performed in a play, never presented to a boardroom full of executives. The only meetings I led were daily production meetings at my company—and even those I eventually handed off to someone better at it than me. Yet now, I’m standing in front of 30, 40, sometimes 50 industry peers who’ve

It rarely looks like misuse when you’re the one in charge There’s a line I’ve always liked: The people you misuse on the way up are the same ones you might meet on the way down. It’s a little blunt.A little uncomfortable. And completely true. I’ve been around long enough to watch how people behave when things start going their way. Not in theory. In real rooms. Over real years. And here’s what I’ve noticed: Most people don’t think they’re “misusing” anyone. They’re just moving fast.Making decisions.Protecting their position.Surrounding themselves with people who make things easier. It doesn’t look like

Somewhere in midlife, many women discover they’ve become invisible. It turns out that’s not entirely a bad thing. If you are a woman somewhere in midlife, you may have noticed something curious. We have become invisible. This was not a dramatic “wrap the cloak of invisibility around you and poof, you’re gone!” kind of vanishing. I’m referring to a much more insidious, gradual, drip-campaign sort of situation. If you are my peer—a woman in early to late middle age—and you work hard to look attractive with fashionable clothes, tasteful makeup, and maybe even keeping up with TikTok trends, this may