In the pursuit of success, female executives have made remarkable strides, breaking barriers and proving their capabilities. However, to truly compete with their male counterparts, it is essential for them to embrace the transformative power of saying no and setting boundaries. Here are three tips to use the power of "no" to unlock your potential:

Embracing Your Value:

Saying no and setting boundaries is not about being difficult or uncompromising; it is about recognizing and valuing your own worth. As female executives, we often feel compelled to accommodate everyone, sacrificing our own time and priorities. By saying no when necessary, we communicate our self-respect, assert our expertise, and ensure that our contributions align with our strategic goals. Remember, each time you say no, you affirm your value and create space for greater opportunities.

Nurturing Balance and Well-being:

To compete effectively, female executives must prioritize their well-being and cultivate a health...

I recently gave a workshop to a group of leaders who are in the news industry. I’d like to share one of the topics that resonated deeply with the attendees: navigating burnout and cultivating resilience.

As high-achieving professionals, we carry the weight of immense responsibilities, and the added challenges of balancing personal and professional lives can leave us feeling fatigued and depleted. Now, we can all rise to the occasion when called upon, but valiantly trudging through day after day - after day - meeting demands cannot be the ONLY option. Because exposure to chronic stress will lead us straight to physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion. 

So let's dig into a few strategies that'll help you thrive and prevent burnout.

1️⃣ As a senior leader, you may find yourself constantly striving for perfection in your work and decision-making. But can we take a moment to remember that perfection is an illusion? Embracing imperfections and setbacks is a valuable part of your growth ...

Happy Monday!

As we kick off another week filled with endless possibilities, let us reflect on the wise words of Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."

To all of you working professionals out there on your path to success - buckle up! We're six months into the year, and the remaining six have potential for adventure filled with twists, turns, and an epic quest for greatness! Whether you're experiencing hurdles, burnout, or unprecedented challenges, make each challenge an exciting stepping stone on your way to success.

🔹 Failure? Oh, it's just a temporary pit stop on our road to triumph! Think of it as a mandatory detour that recalibrates our GPS, redirecting us towards the path of wisdom and resilience.

🔹 Success is a journey, not a destination. It's important to remember that our achievements, no matter how great, are only milestones on the path to even greater heights. Let's remain hungry, humble, and open to co...

Executive presence is the ability to command respect and influence through your personal style, behavior, and communication. It is the combination of factors that enables you to effectively lead and inspire others, both within and outside of your organization.

As leaders, it is important that we cultivate our executive presence in order to be effective in our roles. This means being confident, decisive, and authentic, as well as having a strong sense of purpose and vision. It also means being able to communicate clearly and effectively, both in person and through virtual channels.

But executive presence is not just about personal style or charisma. It is about building trust and credibility with those around you, and inspiring others to follow your lead. It is about being a role model and setting the tone for the culture of your organization.

In short, executive presence is critical for effective leadership and driving results. It is something that we should all strive to cultivate ...

Executive coaches partner with leaders, helping them to set goals, create desired outcomes, and manage change within their professional domains. As contracted professionals, they leverage their business experience and knowledge of effective leadership practices to maximize the professional development of an organization’s leadership teams.

Dealing with difficult people at work

I was asked by a client how to work with prickly personalities. The question reminded me of when I fell into this spiny little bugger as I was hiking through Red Rock. Not only did it cut me, it left a bruise.

Now that we're heading back to brick and mortar offices, we can't avoid the prickly personalities like we used to. Here are a few strategies to help you avoid getting pricked by the cactus you work with:

1. Don't take their jabs personally. It could be that they're struggling with something that you don't know about. Empathy for this individual may be required.

2. Their perceived sharp tongue might just come down to their communication style. Often times, individuals are simply unaware of how they're coming across to others and are shocked when they learn that people view them as unapproachable.

3. Develop rapport. Take the time to get to know the cactus in your workplace. Making an effort to get to know someone, their interests, priorit...

As a woman in a leadership position, carving out a space for yourself at the top can be quite satisfying. Especially when you know that you're paving the way for others.

We owe our respect and gratitude to the rebels and risk-takers who have come before us.

And here's to the women in the ranks, the ambitious trailblazers, executives and leaders striving to make an even greater impact for women in organizations, growing their spheres of influence, and excelling at new levels in their careers.

As an executive coach, there's nothing more rewarding than working with women who want to excel and break through glass ceilings.

Wear your high heels, Ladies. Because there is glass everywhere.

Polly 

To women. To the risk-takers and the rebels. To their ambition and drive. To their compassion and humanity. To their deep love and undeniable strengths. To the mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives. We celebrate you.

Team presentations involve a lot of different personalities with varying levels of confidence and public speaking experience.

As individuals you may have a few seasoned presenters, but bring them together as a team, and all kinds of questions arise: How do we present as a team? Who starts and who ends a team presentation? How do we transition from one presenter to the next presenter so that it's seamless? And who fields questions from the audience?

Here are some tips to make your next team presentation smooth and effective:

1. Have your strongest speaker kick things off. The same goes for the last speaker. Place the experts in the middle. This is called "bookending" your experts.

2. Ensure you have a cohesive message. Too many messages crammed into a single presentation can confuse the audience. You can avoid this by setting clear goals up front and determining the key talking points.

3. Each presentation (and answer given in the Q&A) should have a clear beginning, middle, and end...

We often let critical conversations slip by that could actually get us on the radar of those who could impact our careers, simply because we feel like we don't have much to offer. Shifting your mindset is critical to stepping into your power. This video gives you insights on how to do just that.