Dear Madeleine, I am a senior manager in what is essentially a call center. I am hoping you can help me. I am too nice. I am a giver; I come from a long line of nice, generous givers. My Mom ran a dentist’s office and headed several volunteer committees, headed up events at our…
Dear Madeleine, I am currently in an unfulfilling job. I also have digestive health issues that are not being resolved through diet and supplements. I am a creative person and I long to travel. I currently want to leave my job and travel around the world to heal and to write about my experiences—a blog…
Yet another year has sped by. Almost everyone perceives time as moving faster the more time they have been on the planet. Most of us get to this point in the year and sit, dull-wittedly, asking, “What just happened?” So, now is a perfect time to take a moment to reflect on exactly that. There…
As a professional coach, I notice there are certain times when the topics my clients want to discuss seem to be sending me a message. When I find myself coaching three or four people in a row about the same challenge, I often start seeing it as something I, too, might need to look at…
We see and hear a lot of recommendations for how we can not only improve ourselves but also find balance in an increasingly frenetic world. But not everyone is ready to practice yoga or begin mindfulness training. So I’m going to share something I often suggest to clients when they feel as if they are…
We all have something in common—no matter what you do for living, what your social status or job is, whether you’re an executive or executive assistant—life seems to move way too fast. If only you could finish the last email or get that important project started then everything would be okay. If you just get…
Dear Madeleine, I am a leader who is conscientious, caring, and committed. Now, at the middle of my career, I find myself becoming a bit resentful of working long hours. I am constantly in danger of losing my PTO and yet the stress of preparing to be off work, along with the avalanche of work…
I have recently resumed coaching an exceptional leader after a six-month break. In our first post-break coaching call, she updated me on some significant changes she has made at work. In a nutshell, she has achieved clarity on standards for herself and her team. To uphold these standards she has eliminated unproductive meetings and is…
Lowering your stress level—it’s a fact of life many coaching clients want to address. The sheer busyness of people’s day-to-day work lives causes many to feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and ill equipped to deal with situations that come their way. This past week, a client came into a coaching meeting feeling just that way. She…
From time to time, I think about learning events I’ve particularly relished. I fondly recall seeing great presenters I admire or learning about a topic I’m committed to. The most profound takeaways I have from this investment of my time and attention are often simple statements I carry forward and integrate in my life. For…