A friend of mine loves to ask questions. Every time my husband and I go to his house for dinner, we can expect a table question. His intention is to be purposeful with our time and to guide us into meaningful conversations.   I also love asking questions. In my work I get the opportunity to ask people lots of questions; guiding and probing them to go deeper. My goal for asking questions is that it will help people gain greater insight into what is going on in their lives.   3 simple questions I like to ask that can bring great clarity in your life: What is going right? What is not going so well? What can I change?   1. What is going right? This question gives you an opportunity to assess the good things in life; the things that are going well or really well. It also Continue Reading…

  Navigating transitions is a normal part of life. Many transitions occur over the course of a lifetime. We can notice transitions occurring in almost any area of our lives. They can occur during:   Developmental Stages: Different developmental stages of life affect the changing nature of our physical bodies, emotions, and attitudes. Transitions can occur anytime during the lifespan.   Life Phases: Various life phases include different experiences (i.e., leaving home, single life to married life, starting a family, launching children and empty nest, caring for aging parents). We can experience transitions during any of these life phases.   Career & Vocation: (i.e., early, mid-career, advancement, changing careers, being fired, retirement): We can experience a great deal of change over the course of a career and/or our vocations.   Spiritual Journey: For believers our spiritual journey includes the process of spiritual formation. We are growing, developing, and being transformed. Continue Reading…

Many types of leaders and styles of leadership exist. Becoming intentional about your leadership style can make a big difference in your influence. Two of the most important questions today regarding leadership style may be: Who has God called me to lead? and How can I develop the most effective leadership style to do what God is calling me to do?   Here are 5 steps to sharpen your leadership style.   Be Strengths-Smart: Lead with your strengths. Knowing what your strengths are and how to best use them may be your greatest leadership asset. More than likely, you will lead with more effectiveness, influence, and success when you are leading with your strengths. If you aren’t completely sure what your top strengths are ask 3 trusted co-workers, colleagues, or friends. You can also try using a strengths assessment or tool. “Strengths Based Leadership” by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie Continue Reading…

We live in a competitive world. No doubt, staying on top of your game and leadership responsibilities is important. One of the best questions for most leaders today may not be: Are you working hard enough? The better question may be: Are you working smart enough?   Before I go on, let me qualify what I mean by “smart enough.” I mean keeping your work priorities in order while also keeping your life values in order. Most successful people that I know have great business plans; however, the ones I really respect also uphold core life and family values. At the end of the day they know what is most important.   A good question we all should ask ourselves regarding our time: Am I spending my time on the things that God wants me to be doing? Sometimes, the cares of the urgent seem to supersede what is necessary. The Continue Reading…

  I enjoy understanding life from a seasonal perspective. I find that by looking at the seasons of life I can gain a better understanding and clarity about,   what to expect how to manage my time, energy, and resources how to enjoy the present and how to plan for the future   The Bible teaches about different seasons and stages in life, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun” (Eccles. 3:1). The apostle John refers to different life stages when he writes to, “little children, young men, and fathers” (1 John 2:12-14).   The major seasons of life include infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood, and late adulthood. In adulthood the most poignant questions and life decisions will be,   Early Adulthood: college, career choices and development; marriage; fertility and having children; having families.   Middle Adulthood: the questions and life decisions may change Continue Reading…

Gaining perspective on your life is important when planning for the future and understanding where God may be leading you. Spending time being introspective about your life experiences can be very revealing.   One way you can go about this process is by identifying the turning points in your life. Tom Patterson, in his book, Living the Life You Were Meant to Live, defines a turning point as a significant time in your life when the direction of your life changes either for the better or worse.   You can see turning points as you look back on your life experiences and history. What is particularly important about a turning point is that it is a landmark in your life. In other words, something substantial occurred changing the direction of your life. Turning points can be marked by a single event or a period of time. Patterson suggests the following Continue Reading…

I love online connection; the opportunities social media affords us and the doors it opens. Most of all, I am enjoying the people I am meeting. As exciting and fun as social media is, I am going to be taking a break for a couple of weeks. I will be spending time with my family. My desire is to be present and enjoy my time with them to the fullest.   One of my core values in life is being present with people, especially those I love and care about. What I mean by this is that I try to fully engage and enjoy the time I have with them in the moment, or in the time that we are together. Many of the choices I make in my life regarding family and career revolve around this basic core value. For me it has often meant taking a slower pace to Continue Reading…

  Are you feeling restless these days? Chances are you may be in a life or leadership transition. Life is full of them. We all experience transitions. Navigating them well is important. Transitions can be opportunities for refining and shaping; as well as a time for gaining insight, clarity, and perspective.   The problem many face is that they get stuck or paralyzed when experiencing life and leadership transitions. They may not know what to do or how to proceed. Perhaps not recognizing that they are in a transition at all. Transitions can be challenging; yet they can also be great opportunities for growth.   Some years back, I went through a life transition. I began feeling restless; uncertainty swept over me. During this period as I began sorting through my life and contemplating the next stage. I felt I needed some guidance and sought out a life consultant to Continue Reading…

Small groups serve as wonderful opportunities for connection, conversation, and community. Summer is a great time to start a small group as schedules are often more relaxed.   I have been getting together in small groups with women for years for all kinds of reasons: book groups, workshops, retreats, and Bible studies just to name a few. Over the last several years, my focus has been on gathering women to help them identify and deepen their understanding of their unique giftedness and calling. I am passionate about this topic.   Although I am really excited about this topic, I love getting together with women. When women gather regularly wonderful relationships can form. The dynamics and depth of intimacy that can be gained when women connect can be so life giving and refreshing for the soul. I actually believe women need to get together. When we are isolated and not connecting Continue Reading…

Savvy servants are leaders who are serving well. They know the secret to influence is measured by how well they serve others. Savvy servants recognize that their influence is all about a cause much greater than themselves. They understand they are given the privilege to influence for a purpose. Savvy servants know that leadership is all about empowering people, serving them well, and leading with intentionality, honor, humility and hope. They are dignified in their role because they recognize that if not for people their savvy servant leadership would cease to exist. The savvy servant today knows that the best question for leadership is not so much, “What makes a great leader?” Frankly, thousands of books have been written on the topic. Savvy servants already know that there are many types of leaders, personality types, characteristics, competencies, and leadership styles. The better question for savvy servants is, “How well is Continue Reading…