Distracting Laugh

Do you have a distracting laugh? “Jolene’s laugh is really distracting.” That comment on a class evaluation took me off guard. As a public speaker and teacher, I have received a lot of interesting comments and feedback over the years, but no one has ever criticized my...

Help Me Do What I Cannot Do

Have you ever been there? You’re the one in charge, and you have no idea how you should handle the situation that has been presented to you? Wading through difficult or unknown territory is hard enough on your own, but leading others through it, too, can seem like a...

The Peony Principles

I love flowers. Each spring I wait expectantly for my perennials to bloom and for my annuals to grow. All summer long, I watch and gather hope and courage from their beauty and hardy existence. When pounding rains come, I find myself hoping that my little flowery...

Five Essential Tips to Engage Volunteers

Leaders resemble vessels. We have a limited capacity (yes, it is true!). Consider a ten-ounce bowl. It is impossible for it to contain eleven ounces of water. Once that bowl reaches capacity, additional water forces some to flow over the edge. The same is true of our...

Why Wait?

My son sat in the kitchen working on his math homework. He was stumped and called me in for help. I picked up a pencil and talked him through the problem, explaining each step. Done!  “Now, you try it,” I said. But, even though he was capable, he resisted and wanted...