Professionals & Executives Blog

Staying Open to Honest Feedback — The Good and the Bad

Being our best self is about embracing our gifts and staying open to criticism. Criticism is not an absolute judgment with 100% accuracy. It’s just someone else’s opinion. So, we need to discriminate the value of that opinion. All criticism is not worthy of your attention. Some are extremely helpful. Others should be chucked. But if we are to soar in this world, we must be willing to see with open and honest eyes. At its best, criticism is a knock at the door to help us see that we are off track from our best. It can serve as a supportive nudge to not hang on to something and choose to stay open to change.

Vulnerability: The Courage to Unmask Toward Our Best Self

Experiencing vulnerability is rarely a pleasant journey, but it is honest. And that honesty offers freedom to the person. Freedom to breathe in her own truth and to feel 100% acceptance of herself. It is beautiful. Even if it lasts for but a minute. It’s a doorway to her true self. Once experienced, the courageous can not help but return to venture through this doorway again. When we learn to shut this doorway, we shut down our truth. As we shut this out from ourselves, we shut this out from others in our life. Before you know it, we’ve created a society where everyone dons “the life mask”, dancing in a dance that sometimes is so far from our own. I find this particularly true for the overachievers, the “successes” in our society.

Want Cooperation? Befriend Your Vulnerabilities

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

So far, none of my coaching clients have ever told me they don’t believe in cooperation. In fact, they believe collaborating with a colleague or working with another team is the right thing to do. No doubt, this is what most would say when asked. So why is true cooperation so hard to do? Here’s my hypothesis. Cooperation is a great idea but real life cooperation requires us to face our vulnerabilities and fears because the only way to collaborate with another person is to recognize we are better with someone else, which means we are not enough or we are not perfect. And who likes to admit that?

The Organic Planner aka Accepting My Preference for Planning…or Not

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

I have a love-hate relationship with planning. I think it all started when I had my first job when we were all introduced to the Franklin Planner. Notating priorities, deleting done items, forwarding unfinished items. Let me be clear that I strongly endorse planning, planning systems and the like…if they work for you. The world is inhabited by people who love to plan and people who love to live in the moment. Neither is good nor bad. Both has its merits and downsides. As with all things, let’s take all this in moderation.

What Matters Most

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

These tragedies offer observers like us the opportunity to re-assess if we are serving life, if we are living what matters most. Coupled with being close to year-end, it is indeed, a well-appointed time for reflection.

Teamwork Essentials in the 21st Century: And It's Not About Technology

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog, Universities Blog / By dreambridge

Team effectiveness is driven more by EQ and CQ (emotional and cultural intelligence) than IQ. Why? Because it’s the interpersonal skills that will draw out the fullest intelligence of the team. Setting operating principles, protocols and clear team goals are critical processes to ensure team members from varying backgrounds and preferences are truly engaged.

How I Prepare and Engage in Networking – A Perspective

International Students, Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog, Universities Blog / By dreambridge

I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to support many professionals and students as they embark and improve on their professional networking. It’s the one thing we know we “should” do but it’s one of the most challenging things to actually do. Trust me. I know. I still have to work at it. I still have to “psych” myself to engage in it. On a few occasions, I’ve skipped the “networking” part of a conference, because I just wasn’t up to being “on” that day. So, I am a practitioner, still practicing.

Transition – A Dance with Aspirational Anxiety

International Students, Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

Whenever we arrive at a new opportunity, whether it’s a new job, a new school or a new life situation, we all hope for the best in our new chapter. Yet, at the very same time, we feel understandable anxiety in this place of the unknown. We have leapt, but how will we land? This dance to maneuver between hopefulness and doubt, elation and terror is the necessary path through any new experience.

Speak Up and Be Counted — Themes from a Recent Workshop

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

Speaking up starts with a state of mind that believes what we have to say, matters. Believe that. It may take practice, perhaps a lot of practice before you feel more comfortable. That’s ok…Instead of berating yourself, congratulate yourself on your courage. Keep giving yourself positive reinforcements…

Why Are We Still Putting Marissa Mayer in a Fish Bowl?

Judy's Blog, Professionals & Executives Blog / By dreambridge

The recent media focus on Anne Marie Slaughters article, “Having It All”, and the appointment of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer shows the great strides yet to be made on truly leveraging and accepting the immense talents of powerful executive women in America.

Staying Open to Honest Feedback — The Good and the Bad

Vulnerability: The Courage to Unmask Toward Our Best Self

Want Cooperation? Befriend Your Vulnerabilities

The Organic Planner aka Accepting My Preference for Planning…or Not

What Matters Most

Teamwork Essentials in the 21st Century: And It's Not About Technology

How I Prepare and Engage in Networking – A Perspective

Transition – A Dance with Aspirational Anxiety

Speak Up and Be Counted — Themes from a Recent Workshop

Why Are We Still Putting Marissa Mayer in a Fish Bowl?

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