What is iMap Strategic Solutions?

iMap Strategic Solutions manages 2 data types including blog posts. Helps you organize, track, and share your work in 1 place for teams and solo users.

Tuesday Tips

Articles & Insights

Practical advice and insights for leaders, coaches, and teams.

What Matters Most

I did something this last weekend that I haven’t done in ages. I read an entire book just for fun. There was nothing educational, inspirational or business worthy about the book. It was pure entertainment from cover to cover. I started on Friday and ended on Sunday. The pleasure was all mine.

May 26, 2026

The Enemy

There are not too many people in this world that I haven't been able to get along with. But there have been some. I also spend a fair amount of time listening to other people about those that they "can't stand". The most...

Apr 21, 2026

Blind Spots

Over the last several weeks I've been interviewing coaches and consultants about what they are encountering in their practices. Given all the changes in the work world, I'm interested in hearing their observations on how...

Apr 14, 2026

It Takes A Team

I've been sitting in the airport waiting for my delayed flight to take off and I amused myself with some YouTube videos of talent competitions. There are quite a few to choose from! What I love to watch are the faces of ...

Apr 7, 2026

How To Really Grow

Let me go on the record to say, I am one of the worst gardeners in my neighborhood. As hard as I try, I always do something wrong and end up hurting myself or the plants I'm trying to nurture. Besides, there are so many ...

Mar 31, 2026

Help Needed

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down

Mar 24, 2026

Turbulence

If you were traveling at all this week then you know it's been really bumpy. The weather from the Midwest to the East Coast has caused the flights I was on to rock and roll. You know, those flights that the pilots announ...

Mar 17, 2026

Your Story

March is Women's History month, and I think it has a lot of unrealized potential. Women's success stories are often unreported and yet when you start digging in a little, there are some remarkable, accomplished women tha...

Mar 10, 2026

Disruption

Travel is built into my DNA. As a child my family moved a lot, and as an adult I kept it going. I had an advisor in grad school that suggested that I at least put some roots down to use as a home base. I took his advice ...

Mar 3, 2026

Up, Down and Across

As you might have picked up from a previous Tuesday Tip, a lot of my time recently has been focused on providing 360 feedback to executives. This is where a manager, peers and direct reports are asked to share their perc...

Feb 24, 2026

Perfectly Imperfect

Last week was a doozy. But everything fit together perfectly. At least on paper. Flights, rental cars, meetings, four different hotels, multiple clients to spend time with, lots of meaningful conversation. It all came to...

Feb 17, 2026

Trust Me

I was watching a You Tube clip of this man/comedian/magician who was auditioning for a spot in a talent show. As part of his act, he enticed onstage a celebrity judge to participate. The performance involved each of them...

Feb 10, 2026

Perceptions

A good portion of the people living in the United States have been experiencing what winter was like before climate change. It has been snowy and often accompanied by sub zero temperatures. I found it amusing to watch th...

Feb 3, 2026

Mercy Me

Not too long ago, I was on one of those trains in the airport that transport you from terminal to terminal when a woman hopped on just before the doors shut. My eyes were immediately drawn to her name tag which was engra...

Jan 27, 2026

Adaptability Expanded

We're almost through the first month of the New Year. This is the time when strategies, budgets and organizational structures are often reviewed and tweaked to ensure that end of year goals are met. Usually there is a se...

Jan 20, 2026

Your Strengths In The New Year

Nearly all of us welcome the start of each New Year with reflection and resolutions about the year ahead. The resolutions are typically filled with good intentions, but we often miss the mark without a robust plan to get...

Jan 13, 2026

The Cards

One of the things that I love about this season is getting all of the holiday greetings from friends and relatives that I don't have much contact with throughout the year. I keep the cards, whether they're the old fashio...

Jan 6, 2026

35

We're almost at the 2025 finish line, and this is a time when we start checking whether or not we've hit our goals for the year. For me, this years assessment is quite unique because it is the 35th anniversary of iMap St...

Dec 30, 2025

Blah

I'm spending a fair amount of time doing things I rarely have had the opportunity to think about which is color selection. We are building a new house and there are so many decisions to make about color. Interior, exteri...

Dec 23, 2025

Mirror Mirror

It's that time of year.....the time when people in management roles are responsible for providing feedback to those on their teams as to how well they have done throughout the year. I know a lot of companies have been tryi...

Dec 16, 2025

Gratitude Attitude

Anyone who knows me may also know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is the one holiday everyone can be included. Your religion, politics, ethnicity, gender, where you live, what you do or who you work for does...

Dec 9, 2025

Show Off

Have you ever been with someone who was intent on advertising their accomplishments? Maybe I was thinking about this because of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. It's not uncommon when there is a large family gathering ...

Dec 2, 2025

The Trapeze

It's not so much that we're afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it's that place between that we fear. It is like being between two trapezes. It's like Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There's not...

Nov 25, 2025

Put Me In Coach

One of the fun things I was able to do this fall was attend a soccer game played by six and seven year olds. What a riot! One boy, playing defense, spent his time practicing cartwheels. A couple of girls who were guardin...

Nov 18, 2025

It's Time

I'm going leaf peeping today because I love the fall with all of its glorious colors. There's even a unique smell in the air along with some crisp breezes. So, I'm going to take some time for visual renewal and drive o...

Nov 11, 2025

Silence

A few years ago, I was facilitating a workshop for a team of cross-functional leaders who were there to make some very important strategic decisions. There was quite a bit of tension going into the meeting because there ...

Nov 4, 2025

Who Cares

A remark I frequently hear from others is "it's obvious you love what you do". It's true. I have been working with executives and their teams for 30+ years, and it has yet to get boring. It's sort of like snowflakes, n...

Oct 28, 2025

Perfect

I was facilitating a workshop for a client last week on process mapping. It was two days of intense focus on restructuring some critical parts of their business that had just been through a reorganization. The CEO had be...

Oct 21, 2025

Stretch

Last weekend I had the fun experience of being "crew" for my niece who was running her first ultra marathon; a 35K. Mine was the easy job which basically involved being at various places along the course to cheer her on ...

Oct 14, 2025

What Matters Most

I did something this last weekend that I haven't done in ages. I read an entire book just for fun. There was nothing educational, inspirational or business worthy about the book. It was pure entertainment from cover t...

Oct 7, 2025

The Newbie

We have a new member of our household. A Portuguese Water Dog named Schooner. An eight week old puppy is something that really changes your life! Schooner is a ton of fun and we haven't laughed this much in a long tim...

Sep 30, 2025

The Top

I'm writing this Tuesday Tip on my way home from an absolutely fabulous adventure where I spent 12 days and 11 nights on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. It was only about a mile in length and entirely self-contained...

Sep 23, 2025

Solitude

I was talking with my brother this weekend about his upcoming trip to Spain where he will be walking El Camino. This journey is an ancient pilgrimage with a variety of routes all ending in Santiago de Compostela. It typi...

Sep 16, 2025

It's Complicated

We often hold iMap certification classes for team leaders and facilitators. A good portion of the time is spent learning about the Map and how to help other people understand it. There was one time when I really ramped u...

Sep 9, 2025

Time To Cool Off

It's hot out there! If you live in North America, chances are that unless you work outdoors, you have the benefit of air conditioning. I was talking with one of our iMap consultants in the UK who informed me that most pe...

Sep 2, 2025

Fun Times

Last week was a blast. I was able to spend it with friends and family doing everything from picnics at the beach to a sail on a schooner. I was orchestrating the comings and goings of many people and I have to say, every...

Aug 26, 2025

Crash Proofing

It happened to me. Has it happened to you? Recently I crashed. There was a build-up of more and more bad news in the press. Work projects stalled. People weren't returning calls. Emails went unanswered. Our vacation plan...

Aug 19, 2025

Next??

I am a dreamer. Ever since I was little I was able to imagine things as if they were real. I even had two friends, KiKi and Dodie, who were my besties. Although they only existed in my mind, I interacted with them as if ...

Aug 12, 2025

The Declaration

One of my favorite places in the world to be on the 4th of July is the western corner of Massachusetts in the Berkshire Mountains. It is quintessential Americana. Home of Norman Rockwell, the famous artist who captured i...

Aug 5, 2025

Enemies

Last week we had a really bad storm that knocked out our power. After waiting it out for a couple of hours with no change, we decided that we might as well get out of the house and go somewhere where the electricity wa...

Jul 29, 2025

Blind to Blindness

My new car, with just less than 9000 miles, has a 'glitch'. My dashboard has started to go out from time to time. Visible one moment, black - or is it blank? - the next. No rhyme or reason. Sometimes 'short' sometimes 'l...

Jul 22, 2025

Tide's Up

I had the absolute best day of my life last week. I was in Maine and got to spend it on the beach at low tide with miles of coastline in view. The weather was perfect, the water was warm, and because of all the new san...

Jul 15, 2025

Al Italia

I just spent two weeks in Italy, and not the part that most people go to. Instead, I was on a journey with some family-in-laws who were tracing their roots in the Abruzzo region on the Adriatic coast. Now, as you may alr...

Jul 8, 2025

Memorial Day

Not too long ago, I reconnected with someone I had worked with in the past, but had not seen in more the ten years. We literally had no contact in many, many, days, weeks, months so when we did finally get together, ther...

Jul 1, 2025

When Things Go Wrong

This has been an absolutely terrible year for travel. The worst ever. About 80% of the flights have been late and not by a few minutes. It's usually hours and hours. In fact, one time when a fight from Boston to Philadel...

Jun 24, 2025

Connections

Did you know that for over one hundred years there have been formal studies on what makes people happy? The scientists have looked at socio-economic variables, behaviors, positivity, social media and even genetic markers...

Jun 17, 2025

Just For The Fun Of It

The other day I was rushing to catch the open door of an elevator and, as I quickly jumped on board, I lost my shoe. Now this wasn't just any shoe, it was a very nice sling back with a two inch heel. Perfect for the seas...

Jun 10, 2025

Strength Training

Here's what I'd like you to do. Before reading any further, take a minute and jot down on a piece of scrap paper ten of your strengths. Don't overthink, rethink, critique or analyze your choices. And, if you don't happen...

Jun 3, 2025

Who Would You Be?

Have you ever had a time when life seemed really dark? It's sort of like being on an airplane that's taking off in the fog. As the plane rises in the air, you keep hoping that you will at some point see the sun, but some...

May 27, 2025

Mysterious Motivation

You've tried everything you know to motivate your team to deliver.......cash bonuses; clear targets with significant rewards for meeting them; pizza parties complete with beer; off-sites at cool places where you can get to k...

May 20, 2025

Trust Me On This One

There was a study done several years ago about what makes a great team. They evaluated all types of teams from people in manufacturing to surgical teams, business teams and even cockpit teams that fly airplanes. What the...

May 13, 2025

The Truth Be Told

Not too long ago, I had to deliver a report to the Division VP on people's perceptions of what it would take to win a major proposal for a large, multi-year project. There was a lot of good news. People were committed to...

May 6, 2025

Just For The Fun Of It

Last weekend I was at a birthday party for a friend of mine. It was one of those murder mystery parties where everyone is assigned a character, and you come dressed for the occasion as that person. Over dinner, and wit...

Apr 29, 2025

The Balancing Act

It's always fun for me to introduce a team to their combined iMap profiles. After explaining what each of the four symbols mean, I then display the Map for each of them. The first reveal is usually accompanied by an au...

Apr 22, 2025

Her Story

In case you missed it, last Saturday, March 8th was International Women's Day. The intent of this day is to bring focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. As a...

Apr 15, 2025

Blind Dysfunction

Last weekend I had fun seeing a play by Noel Coward called Hay Fever. It was essentially about a dysfunctional family of four, Mom, Dad and two adult children. They each had invited someone unknown to the others to spend...

Apr 8, 2025

The Loop

Back during the Holiday season, I hosted a family dinner at the hotel I stay in when I travel to Maine. It was the first Charles Family Christmas celebration in a long time and all the nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cou...

Apr 1, 2025

You Matter

Last week the weather was pretty challenging in many parts of the nation. I went from -11F in Idaho to a snowstorm and 5F in Wisconsin. And I forgot my gloves. Steering wheels are sure difficult to hang on to with you...

Mar 25, 2025

Easy as A B C

Not too long ago, we held an iMap Certification class for team leaders and facilitators. A good portion of the time was spent learning about the Map and how to help other people understand it. Pressure in the class was r...

Mar 18, 2025

Happy Living

If you read last week's Tuesday Tip, you'll remember that it was about being happy while on the journey, not just when you reach your destination. It sounds good, doesn't it? However, the reality is that sometimes we jus...

Mar 11, 2025

Happy Trails

There's a Facebook group for the teeny tiny town where my parents grew up in upstate New York. To join, you have to apply and, after someone checks out your lineage, you are invited to become a member. The group was form...

Mar 4, 2025

When Was Your Last Inauguration?

Yesterday we witnessed an event that occurs once every 4 or 8 years. A new President is sworn in and there was a transition of leadership. While our country does this somewhat infrequently, and only in January, in your b...

Feb 25, 2025

Back To School

I recently have had more opportunities to spend family time with the up and coming generation of new relatives. As I watch and wonder, it has amazed me how education has changed. Language immersion schools, algebra in el...

Feb 18, 2025

Pura Vida

I am just now on my way back from my holiday vacation which was spent in Costa Rica. It was my first time visiting the country and it was certainly nice to have a couple of weeks out of the cold artic air that was in the...

Feb 11, 2025

More Joy

I was going through some of the Tuesday Tips that I had previously written and came across this one about Joy. Since, "tis the season", I thought it would be worth a rerun. The interesting part about this is that it st...

Feb 4, 2025

Time Sucks!

My worst nightmare. A cross-country flight in a middle seat. That was my fate last week. I had to make a last-minute travel change and the only thing left was a fully loaded plane with no decent seats. I tried to use poi...

Jan 28, 2025

Finish Strong

I was on a call yesterday with a colleague and we both agreed that it can't be December already. It feels like this year has blown by at an unprecedented pace. Of course, everything has been "unprecedented". I'm rather ...

Jan 21, 2025

Thanksgiving - Feeling Good

Feeling Good.

Jan 14, 2025

GRRRRRR......

Last week I was in New Hampshire teaching an iMap Certification class for a HR team. I left the hotel fairly early for a short drive in my rental car to where the class was going to be held. Not having had my usual kicks...

Jan 7, 2025

Sacrifice

I was recently in Washington D.C. for a meet up with some family. It was the kid's (6&9) first visit to the Capitol and they were truly impressed. They made it through several museums and visited the Lincoln, Jefferson a...

Dec 31, 2024

The Beholder

Last week I was on an early morning flight that took off just as the sun was starting to make an appearance. There were no weather or mechanical issues so for once there weren't any delays. Right at the end of the board...

Dec 24, 2024

Unmasked

We were out for a walk this weekend and a daughter of a neighbor was in her front yard setting up Halloween decorations. She was very excited about the upcoming festivities and we chatted a bit about trick or treating, f...

Dec 17, 2024

All Stressed Out And Nowhere To Go

It was not that long ago that we were all preoccupied with the pandemic and the many constraints that it brought to our daily lives. Kids were schooled at home. Zoom became the communication tool of choice. We wore masks...

Dec 10, 2024

Lost and Found

One of the hazards of travel is losing things. Throughout my career I've spent a lot of time on the road and have lost jewelry, cell phones, laptops, purses and every type of clothing. I even left behind a brand new dr...

Dec 3, 2024

A 10 Minute Investment

Ever had a total disconnect with one of your colleagues? I'm sure you have. We've all been there. The clean-up from misunderstandings, people feeling offended or a team that spends hours/days working on the wrong priorit...

Nov 26, 2024

Significant

If you read last week's Tuesday Tip, then you'll know that I've just completed a major trip to parts of Europe. Two weeks were spent on the island of Crete enjoying some R&R with friends. It is an amazing place to hang o...

Nov 19, 2024

Different Is Just Different

I have been on the road in Europe for almost three weeks now. My travels have taken me through Switzerland, Norway, Greece and to my last destination in Denmark. What I love about travel is being exposed to how people l...

Nov 12, 2024

A 10 Minute Investment

Nov 5, 2024

The Basics

Back in 2019, 181 of the nation's top CEOs agreed that driving shareholder value was no longer their sole business objective. Apparently at the Business Round Table (BRT) a document was created acknowledging that there w...

Oct 29, 2024

Serve

Last week I did a workshop at the Department of the Air Force Technology Conference in Montgomery, Alabama. I was a little nervous about the presentation, not because of the content, but instead because I had a new Surfa...

Oct 22, 2024

It's Almost Over

The unofficial end of summer is upon us. Labor Day Weekend has long been associated with our final fling with summer before turning our attention back to school and business. The back to school part is already underway ...

Oct 15, 2024

Cool Change

Early this morning I opened my front door to head out on my morning walk and was greeted with a big surprise. It was 58 degrees and the humidity was heading down to 50%! After weeks of sweltering weather in the 90s with ...

Oct 8, 2024

Run Away

I had a recent flash back to when I was seven years old and ran away from home. While I don't remember the details of what triggered this bold action, I do recall that it had something to do with getting my feelings hurt...

Oct 1, 2024

Play Time

Earlier in my career I became known for the "toys" I would use as part of the workshops I led. Some of these events were very memorable and I'll share a few with you for your amusement:

Sep 24, 2024

Zoning in on France in July

The Tour de France, which recently celebrated its 111th year, took center stage in the sports world in July. While many were fixated on the start of the Paris Summer Olympics, this renowned cycling event never fails to ...

Sep 17, 2024

Noticed

I have an upper deck that looks out on our backyard where a line of ten ginormous spruce trees separates our yard from the neighbors. When we planted these trees, they were six feet tall and now they go up over 40 ft. Th...

Sep 10, 2024

Connections

Have you ever met someone and just clicked? Several years ago, I was attending a conference at Disney World in Orlando and had an instant connection with a woman I was introduced to. We talked for hours. We even blew off...

Sep 3, 2024

Set Your Sails

I just got back from two weeks on a catamaran in the Virgin Islands. It's one of my favorite vacations because I love bopping from island to island and finding great places to anchor in the middle of paradise. This was o...

Aug 27, 2024

A Surprising Team

I was STARVING! And anyone who has worked with me knows that my brain goes into shut down mode when I'm out of food. Not a good situation. It was half way between breakfast and lunch and my choices were; Jack in the Box,...

Aug 20, 2024

What's Your Story?

"You write your life story by the choices you make."

Aug 13, 2024

End Meeting Misery

"Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything."

Aug 6, 2024

Who Would You Be?

Jul 30, 2024

Grow Up

We have lived in the same neighborhood for 30+ years and it has been amazing to watch the growth of everyone's landscaping. That small cherry tree planted by the side of a house is now so big it blocks the windows. The s...

Jul 23, 2024

The Sound Of Silence

Ever have a nagging problem and you couldn't find a solution? I was in that boat last week. Maybe you were there with me.

Jul 16, 2024

To Tell The Truth

Back in the days of black and white TV there used to be a television game show called To Tell the Truth. A panel of celebrities would question three guests who all claimed to be the same person. The goal was to figure ou...

Jul 9, 2024

Time Out

Ever watch a three-year-old have a melt down? I was at the airport on a recent trip and observed a young girl, who was done with travel, laying on the floor of the gate area kicking and screaming. Her parents picked her ...

Jul 2, 2024

Nuts and Bolts

I just got back from Maine where we are starting to explore what will some day be our new home. I absolutely love the culture, people and their history. However, as much as I appreciate the area I will never really belon...

Jun 25, 2024

Just Sayin'

Jun 18, 2024

Yes

I was recently out shopping with some grandnieces and I was bombarded with "can we get this?" or "how about this? Pleeease." It was exhausting. I can't remember when I've said no so many times in such a short period of t...

Jun 11, 2024

Sticks and Stones

This little ditty was something we were taught to say whenever a childhood bully called us something mean like stupid, ugly or some other childish slur. This was supposed to be an anthem of confidence that indicated no o...

Jun 4, 2024

Spring Cleaning

We are having an absolutely delightful spring. The Magnolias, Forsythia, Cherry Trees, Tulips, Daffodils and more are all at their peak. And it finally stopped raining, so for a couple of days I've been able to delight i...

May 28, 2024

Not My Problem

Several years ago, I wanted to organize a vacation with some of our favorite travel buddies. When I proposed the idea, the response I got was "we can't find any affordable flights". This sent me into "help" mode and I qu...

May 21, 2024

The Decision Zone

If you've ever been in a workshop that I've led, you probably heard me talk about being in the zone. It's when you're doing what you love in a supportive environment that allows you to use your strengths with confidence....

May 14, 2024

Beginners

Last week I did something I have never done. I attended an orchestra concert of student musicians from 4th-12th grades. 230 of them all organized in sections on the floor of the gymnasium. My grand-niece was part of the ...

May 7, 2024

Contradiction

I had the opportunity to be in New York City last week which, in my mind, is the best place to be if you want to be alone. I love being surrounded by 8.5 million people and not a single one of them knows my name, cares h...

Apr 30, 2024

Can You Tell?

Take a look at the two iMaps in the header of this Tuesday Tip. What we can tell from looking at the symbols is that the person on the left loves to build things, is very thoughtful in their approach and needs to feel th...

Apr 23, 2024

The Window

There was an assignment I had in grad school that has stuck with me for more than 30 years. We were told to choose a location and then hang out there for 30-60 minutes every day at the same time for the entire semester a...

Apr 16, 2024

Bumps and Bruises

The other day I was trying to get the dishwasher unloaded before I had to run out to a meeting. I grabbed a couple of glasses to put away over the sink and suddenly, whack! My head was throbbing. I had left the cabinet a...

Apr 9, 2024

Love Is In The Air

This is a public service announcement......tomorrow is Valentine's Day. You have a few hours left to buy your card, get some flowers or make reservations for a nice dinner with your sweetheart. Yes, I know that some people s...

Apr 2, 2024

Do Butterflies Hurt?

One of the amazing things that we can observe in nature is the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. The process unfolds right in front of our eyes as we watch the caterpillar reach its full size, form into a c...

Mar 26, 2024

Paint By Numbers

Scary, Creepy, Astonishing, Unexpected. These are not words used to depict a new Steven Spielberg horror flick. Instead, they are terms people have used to describe iMap. "It's scary how accurate this is." "It's somewhat...

Mar 19, 2024

Grief On Stage

I recently had the opportunity to go to my favorite jazz site, the Dakota, in Minneapolis, MN. It was my sister's birthday and we used that as an excuse to hangout together and hear some great music. The performance that...

Mar 12, 2024

Smarts

Last week I was in Cambridge, England, home to the famous University of the same name. It is rich in history, culture and a diverse population of students and residents. I was staying at the University Arms Hotel that da...

Mar 5, 2024

The Dance

Happy New Year! My last couple of weeks have been spent wandering around the countryside of Spain and Portugal. What I love about visiting other cultures is how it opens you to a totally new way of seeing life. I also lo...

Feb 27, 2024

A Year of Tuesday Tips

As the holiday season wraps us in a festive spirit, we're reflecting on the incredible journey we've embarked on this year, enriched by our diverse collection of Tuesday Tips.

Feb 20, 2024

My Gift To You

Finally, a great year. It's been a long time coming. But I am very grateful for 12 months full of growth, personally as well as with the iMap business. We have had a great team of people dedicated to expanding iMap to al...

Feb 13, 2024

All I Want

'Tis the season when lists of wishes are shared and some of them get pretty interesting. I heard that one eight year old had Caviar on her list. That would never make it on mine! On the way out the door to visit Santa my...

Feb 6, 2024

Who Cares

A remark I frequently hear from others is "it's obvious you love what you do". It's true. I have been working with executives and their teams for 30+ years and it has yet to get boring. It's sort of like snowflakes, no t...

Jan 30, 2024

Word

I love words. I love games that involve words. I do the New York Times spelling bee almost every day and I'm a sucker for a good round of Scrabble. Because of this passion, yesterday's announcement of the word of the yea...

Jan 23, 2024

The Color Of Gratitude

Gratitude is not a "one-size-fits-all" proposition.

Jan 16, 2024

Write Your Story

Last weekend I had the privilege of guiding a team of women leaders through a workshop on empowerment. It was held in Sedona, Arizona a place that's perfect for inspiration and reflection. I can safely say everyone came ...

Jan 9, 2024

The Sandwich

I was leading a team session last week for one of our iMap users and we were talking about how to build trust with people. While there are many factors that go in to whether or not someone trusts you, the starting point ...

Jan 2, 2024

Good Grief

Some of you may already know this but I have become a part time resident of Maine. I hope to at some point, become a full-time resident, but that won't come until retirement, which is still a little way off. For now, I'm...

Dec 26, 2023

Words Or Deeds

Today, Robert Reich, former United States Secretary of Labor was trying to address in a blog why our current president, Joe Biden, is not getting credit for some of the results he's achieved. No matter which side of the ...

Dec 19, 2023

Chance Your Arm

Hello from Ireland! I'm here for some meetings and a few extra days of seeing the sights and learning about the culture. One of the stories that has stuck with me is about two Irish families, the Butlers and the FitzGera...

Dec 12, 2023

Go Overboard

I got to my flight today and was actually travelling light for a change. All I had was my rolling briefcase and a small, very small purse. As I got to my seat, the person sitting next to me jumped up and said, "Can I hel...

Dec 5, 2023

No One Dies

I was getting a cuppa Joe at a local cafe that had the usual line up of thermoses, each with a variation of the bean and it's roast. Ahead of me was a woman going back and forth between the coffees taking a little sample...

Nov 28, 2023

Invest

Due to my desire to be closer to family, my husband and I have recently become part time residents in a small town located in mid-coast Maine. In addition to the drop-dead gorgeous scenery, I've been enjoying the history...

Nov 21, 2023

Trust Me

I don't know how I found it, but I stumbled on a YouTube clip that just cracked me up. It was of a woman being coerced into doing a "trust fall". This used to be a popular exercise at offsites and team meetings and was d...

Nov 14, 2023

Believe Me

CAN you believe it? Can YOU believe it? Can you BELIEVE it? Can you believe IT? The number of different ways TV weather forecasters have commented on the fact that it is unbelievable that the fall season is already here....

Nov 7, 2023

The Elephant In The Room

When I was in Kindergarten, our afternoon task one day was to color in a picture of an animal. I was given an elephant. I distinctly remember moving my crayon in one direction for a few strokes and then switching to a di...

Oct 31, 2023

Noticed!

I finally got to it and joined a gym. It's one where you attend a class that goes through a high intensity exercise routine led by a coach. Whew! What a workout. But, I've stuck with it and even attended an occasional 5:...

Oct 24, 2023

Help Needed

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down

Oct 17, 2023

It's Complicated!

Oct 10, 2023

Rip It Off!

I was talking with a colleague the other day who is doing some pretty significant clean up work from some errors that had not been caught in time. A serious mess had been created with consequences that could impact the h...

Oct 3, 2023

I Feel Good!

I am in northern Maine and just got back from a morning walk. I left at 5:15 AM when the sun was just coming up and what a spectacular morning. I wandered through the streets of the small town where we are staying and ha...

Sep 26, 2023

Rev Your Engines!

We did something last night I haven't done on a weeknight in a very long time. We stayed up late and watched a movie. Now, it wasn't just any movie, and it wasn't the first time we'd seen it. I'm sure you'll understand w...

Sep 19, 2023

The Ghosts

I did not grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth. In fact, I started looking for ways to make money when I was 11 years old and needed a pair of shoes. Now this isn't a sob story about what an awful childhood I had beca...

Sep 12, 2023

DoBeDoBeDo

"To be is to do"-Socrates.

Sep 5, 2023

Trust Me

Aug 29, 2023

Fear Your Strengths

We often hear the advice to 'build on our strengths' or something similar that emphasizes strengths first and only strengths.

Aug 22, 2023

You're Licensed To Chill

"Leave me alone I've got a license, a license to chill,

Aug 15, 2023

The Practice Of Peace

Cherry Point, North Carolina. The place I was born, six days after Memorial Day. And my home for exactly six weeks. I was a Marine Corps baby and my mother would often say that I was her $17 child. Military hospitals wer...

Aug 8, 2023

Twenty-Six

The number of weeks before my favorite holiday occurs is exactly 26. We are precisely half-way through the year to Thanksgiving! While I know this is an American holiday, the purpose of this annual commemoration is somet...

Aug 1, 2023

VUCA

My world can be summarized with one acronym. VUCA. In case you don't know, it stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. This represents much of what I'm contending with on a daily basis. Not that it's...

Jul 25, 2023

Purpose

You might have missed this, but at the end of 2022 there were several organizations that announced their vote for the word of the year. In 2022, Dictionary.com listed "woman" as its word of the year because there was a 1...

Jul 18, 2023

Prevention

Over the last few days, I have had the opportunity to be in downtown Los Angeles. It's been at least 20 years since I spent any time heart in of LA. I have to say, it was impressive driving down Grand Avenue by the Dorot...

Jul 11, 2023

Back To School

An exercise that I often do in workshops is to have everyone take a piece of paper and sign their full name as if they are endorsing a large bonus check. This is done with a bit of fanfare and part of the drama consists ...

Jul 4, 2023

Different? The Same.

A little over a week ago, after 14 hours in the air, I got off a plane in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Suddenly every one of my senses was introduced to something entirely different; sight, sound, smell and even taste wer...

Jun 27, 2023

The Peaceful Choice

Ok, true confessions here........I hit my boiling point in traffic. And there is no more frustrating place than the shopping mall in Delaware. It's a small state with only one real major mall. And it is a magnet for shoppers...

Jun 20, 2023

Scenery Change

I just got back from a whirlwind trip to England, France and Belgium. Lots of travel time but what an amazing journey. Even with piles of garbage everywhere in Paris because of the labor strikes, it still was awesome. I ...

Jun 13, 2023

Normalized Dysfunction

My best friend in high school was always late. To everything. We went to the same college for the first two years and the pattern of being late to everything continued. So, we created Cindy time. That meant the real star...

Jun 6, 2023

Vindicated

This month is dedicated to the History of Women. I usually don't pay attention to these things but given the fact that I am female and have been running my own business for 30+ years, I thought maybe I should acknowledg...

May 30, 2023

Right for the Job

I was following my usual travel routine......pull out the license, show it to TSA, put it in my pocket for later use at the car rental exit. Pull it out of my pocket as I get in the car, set it on the console while I get my ...

May 23, 2023

The Dirty Word

This may be taking you back aways, but do you remember the comedian, George Carlin? His comedy was often about words and their impact on our society. The emphasis in many of his comedic routines was: Words Matter. Banni...

May 16, 2023

Balance

I wish I had a video going yesterday. If I had, you would probably understand the inspiration behind the title of today's topic. I was on a ski slope for the first time in over a year and my first run was a great strugg...

May 9, 2023

Free To Love

A few years ago, my husband and I visited Prague in the Czech Republic. What an amazing city and culture. If you've never been, it should be on your bucket list. Cobbled streets, golden spires, stone bridges and a city d...

May 2, 2023

State Of The Business

It's that time of year when the President of the United States gives his annual speech sharing his team's perception of how well the country is doing. Of course, every phrase is selected with great care and intended to n...

Apr 25, 2023

Snow Snakes

You don't know what a Snow Snake is? I'm very familiar with them. Maybe it's because it's ski season that I'm reminded of their sneaky presence. Snow Snakes cannot be seen because they are white making them invisible to ...

Apr 18, 2023

Remember When

A couple of weeks ago I was travelling with some iMap colleagues and we stayed at a quaint place in Wales just across the Severn River from England. It was one of those old castles that had been converted into a hotel. A...

Apr 11, 2023

Care

Last week was spent with some of my iMap colleagues on an US Air Force base in England. We were there to learn about military life and its unique culture. It was quite a week. Some highlights included watching fighter je...

Apr 4, 2023

One Touch Teamwork

My family is a soccer family. It started when we lived in Lima, Peru for a few years and were exposed to the sport. This was long before anyone in the US had even heard of "football" the way the rest of the world knows i...

Mar 28, 2023

Peace

Last week my Tuesday Tip was inspired by the weekend spent in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. It was all about high levels of energy-producing Joy. This week is with the Maine half of the family and the vibe couldn't be mo...

Mar 21, 2023

Joy

For some reason, this year I am really getting into the holiday spirit. My usual pattern is to work until the last minute and then head somewhere exotic to hang out for a few weeks of recovery. This year is different.

Mar 14, 2023

'Tis The Season

December can be the most jam packed of any of the months. There are business obligations for closing out the year. Then we throw into the mix holiday celebrations, school plays, family dinners, musical extravaganzas alon...

Mar 7, 2023

Mirror Mirror

Feb 28, 2023

You Gotta Feel It

Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday. But I am getting more and more dismayed by how it is being squeezed out by Halloween and Christmas. Over a week ago I went to find some Thanksgiving napkins and had to search...

Feb 21, 2023

Winston's Wisdom

Several years ago, I was invited to a holiday party for one of the teams that I had been working with throughout the year. It was a pretty classy event held at the home of the VP of the business unit for that team. Lucky...

Feb 14, 2023

Problem Solver

Have you ever been confronted with a problem and didn't know where to begin to find a solution? You know, a real stumper. One where an obvious solution wasn't going to work. I was wrestling with that this week.

Feb 7, 2023

A Halloween Treat

I don't know how last night's Halloween was where you are, but where I live, it was a bust. Right around 6:00 pm, there was a huge downpour which turned into a steady drizzle for the rest of the evening. I was so disappo...

Jan 31, 2023

Cheerleaders

The iMap team had a big win last week. We learned that a research grant that we had applied for was accepted and funded. It's a project that will enable us to expand the capabilities of iMap which will benefit not only o...

Jan 24, 2023

The Best Medicine

Have you ever been sitting in a boring meeting barely able to keep your eyes open? You're finding it really hard to stay alert when it's a topic you find complicated, irrelevant or presented poorly. Then, all of a sudden...

Jan 17, 2023

A Time To Just Be

A topic that is often brought up in business circles is the subject of work/life balance. It's usually discussed as a result of people feeling stressed and disconnected from any form of personal life. Who we really are i...

Jan 10, 2023

How To Help

I was once working on a project with a group that was predominately made up of engineers and technical professionals. One of the concerns of that organization was that problems were not surfacing quickly enough to avoid ...

Jan 3, 2023

Post Performance Blues

It was the summer in between my junior and senior years of college. I was working for a community organization where we provided activities for children on a weekly basis. The culmination of the summer long program was a...

Dec 27, 2022

I'm Sorry For Your Loss

This has been an interesting week as we have observed from a distance our friends and colleagues in the UK deal with the loss of their Queen. No matter what your opinion of monarchy is, you can't deny that many people we...

Dec 20, 2022

The Journey

First of all, thanks to Doug Leonard who stepped in to write the last two Tuesday Tips while I was away. I appreciated being able to take a real break. Now, not unlike your first back to school assignment after summer br...

Dec 13, 2022

Trust in the African Bush

Photo Credit: Doug Leonard - White Rhinos at Ongava Preserve

Dec 6, 2022

When Was The Last Time You Deeply Connected With Nature?

Sunrise on the Zambezi River approximately 3 miles above Victoria Falls

Nov 29, 2022

Don't Quit

If you've been reading news feeds the last few days then you will be familiar with the term Quiet Quitting. It's a new trend. Actually, it's not a new trend, just a new name to describe job detachment. For years employee...

Nov 22, 2022

It's Painful

I sprained my ankle. But I was having fun when I did it. I was at a wedding in Charleston, SC doing something I will never do again, dance in high heels. That was the defining moment. But there is nothing better than a g...

Nov 15, 2022

Celebrate

Have you ever gotten so busy that it seemed hard to find time to even breathe? I'm sure you've been there. I just finished a marathon month of back to back projects and deadlines that was making me a little dizzy. I was...

Nov 8, 2022

Working with Purpose

This morning I had the opportunity to kick off the 2022 Millsummit conference with a workshop on Working With Purpose. It was the most stressful workshop I've ever done, and I've facilitated my share of them. What made ...

Nov 1, 2022

How To Cool Off

It's hot out there! If you live in North America chances are that unless you work outdoors, you have the benefit of air conditioning. I was talking with one of our iMap consultants in the UK who informed me that most peo...

Oct 25, 2022

Customer What?

I follow a couple of travel groups on Facebook and it seems like most of the space is taken up with complaints about poor customer service. "The flight attendant didn't serve PDBs (pre departure drinks)", " I didn't get ...

Oct 18, 2022

How To Recover From A Fall

Ok, this one is a tough one to admit. I was walking along with a colleague after a meeting last week, deep in conversation. In one hand, I had my note book stuffed with papers and notes. My purse was slung over my should...

Oct 11, 2022

Multi-Generational Workforce

Independence Day 2022

Oct 4, 2022

You're Pretty Good At This

One of the things that I got hooked on in the pandemic was a subscription to the New York Times. But to be totally honest, the first thing I do when it hits my inbox is to scroll all the way to the bottom so I can play t...

Sep 27, 2022

Get A Move On!

Today is my all time favorite day of the year, the summer solstice. I absolutely love the long days. I seem to get so much more done when there's plenty of light. Tomorrow we start the down hill ride to the shortest day ...

Sep 20, 2022

Summer Breeze

I was out for my usual morning walk last week, and it was particularly quiet. No dogs in the yards, no kids with backpacks standing on the corner and the usual exodus of neighbors on their way to work seemed to have dwin...

Sep 13, 2022

Incensed!

There is a lot going on in the world today to be incensed about. Mass shootings, unprovoked wars or climate change, for starters. It seems like every time I read my news feed there is something that can make my blood boi...

Sep 6, 2022

I Quit!

I am not a quitter. But sometimes I think I should be. Ever since I can remember, I've not been the type of person to give up on anything.

Aug 30, 2022

Remember

I was a Marine Corps baby. My entrance into the world took place on a base in Cherry Point, North Carolina. My mother was very fond of saying that I only cost $17 to be born. I am a lot more expensive now.

Aug 23, 2022

The Marathon

My niece ran her first marathon this weekend and it gave us a good excuse to get together as a family. The race was in northern Maine and it turned out to be pretty fun to watch. Unlike a lot of organized races where th...

Aug 16, 2022

What And How

When I was a young girl, not unlike most kids at the age of eight, I wasn't great at keeping my room clean and tidy. So, the Saturday morning ritual was that my mother would take a dust mop and go around the room until ...

Aug 9, 2022

Turbulence

I don't know if it's just me, but last week was a really bumpy week. Even the flights I was on were rocking and rolling. You know, the kind where the pilots tell you that the flight attendants need to stay in their seats...

Aug 2, 2022

It's Sprung!

I was participating in video meeting recently and an ice breaker question "what is your favorite season?" was asked. Three fourths of the participants selected spring (I was the only one that said winter) and this year i...

Jul 26, 2022

Scared

Last week I had the fun privilege of being on a panel for a STEM conference for high school students. The purpose of the panel was to help students find their career paths and I was there to introduce iMap to the confere...

Jul 19, 2022

The Experiment

I have been conducting my own social experiment over the last couple of years and it's finally starting to produce some interesting results. There are only four streets in my "hood" and they all end in a cul-de-sac. It's...

Jul 12, 2022

Stretch

This morning when the alarm went off and my feet hit the floor my body reminded me; you haven't been doing your stretches. Ouch! Stiff, sore, and inflexible. Not a great way to start a day. However, I went straight to my...

Jul 5, 2022

Window On The World

For me, travel is like attending a class. It's not just the process of getting from point A to point B. It's also a living laboratory that constantly provides new insights through a window on the world. I am so glad to b...

Jun 28, 2022

It's All Good

I was meeting with a person last week to review their detailed iMap Leadership report. It's a pretty comprehensive deep dive into data that breaks down all of the symbols on the iMap report into eleven different elements...

Jun 21, 2022

What Matters Most

It was a first. I had a meeting scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and at 8:50 I got a message saying that it needed to be moved. That was not the "first". I've had lots of meetings move at the last minute. The person who I was to...

Jun 14, 2022

The River Flows

"Our class may be likened to a river. It has formed as a river forms, and I am sure that it will flow on forever similar to a river's course. .....And what a power the river is! How many industries are carried on by its po...

Jun 7, 2022

Sound of Silence

If you happened to read last week's Tuesday Tip, it was all about sensory overload and the value it can bring in terms of stimulating creative solutions. That tip was inspired by a weekend in NYC and the legendary Times ...

May 31, 2022

Sensory Overload

Over coffee on Saturday morning my husband and I agreed, we need to do something fun. After all, it was a long weekend and our calendars were pretty empty for the next two days. We were both craving something different a...

May 24, 2022

It's in the Shoes

Last week I had one of the first business meetings of the year where I had to actually look professional. I mean top to bottom, front to back, business attire. Not just what would get exposed in the little square on the ...

May 17, 2022

Love on the Rocks

I've been trying to figure out how to address this topic. The idea came to me several weeks ago and I thought "Valentine's Day" would be a great time to introduce it. But this one comes with a warning. It's not an easy t...

May 10, 2022

Sounds of Silence

Ever have a nagging problem and you couldn't find a solution? I was in that boat last week. Maybe you were there with me.

May 3, 2022

Happy Meter

I am an early bird and at this time of year am usually out for my morning walk while it's still dark. Last week was the Wolf Full Moon from the thought that wolves howled more during the January lunar display than at any...

Apr 26, 2022

'Tis The Season Again

Five minutes from my house is a state park that is our weekend go-to place to get some exercise. We probably go there once a month, if not more. It's a long hiking trail that follows a creek and every time we go, it look...

Apr 19, 2022

In The Minority

I just got back from a two week vacation in Italy. Yes, I braved the elements of the Pandemic and stayed successfully safe and virus free. It was the first time for International travel in two years and oh, how I had mis...

Apr 12, 2022

Person of the Year

It's the end of the year which brings a ton of awards that recognize the "best of" in every imaginable category. There's the Game of the Year, Book of the Year, Best Interior Design of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, T...

Apr 5, 2022

Home Stretch Inventory

I was on a call yesterday with a colleague and we both agreed, it can't be December already. It feels like this year has blown by at an unprecedented pace. Of course, everything has been "unprecedented". I'm rather tired...

Mar 29, 2022

The Vacuum

Here's a "hypothetical" situation for you. If you are expecting a friend/colleague/family member to meet you at an agreed upon time and place and they don't show do you think

Mar 22, 2022

This is a Test

Here we go again. More bad news:

Mar 15, 2022

My Protest

It was the day after Halloween and I went out for my early morning walk in the neighborhood. And what to my surprise did appear, Santa and his reindeer. Yes, there was a larger than life blow up montage of Santa at his ...

Mar 8, 2022

Tell Me, Please

I was flying home right smack in the middle of the dinner hour so my husband, who was graciously picking me up at the airport, decided we'd relax after a long week at a favorite Italian restaurant. No push back from me! ...

Mar 1, 2022

The Calm In The Storm

I'm sure everyone has heard about the travel disasters over the last few weeks. Shortages of staff and crew as well as some pretty bad weather caused major disruptions and cancellations of flights leaving many people str...

Feb 22, 2022

The Winds Of Change

When the wind blows...

Feb 15, 2022

Unmasked

Feb 8, 2022

For Mark

"Are you going to write about us again in the Tuesday Tip?" said a person seated on the barstool to my left as I joined a team Happy Hour. "Say what?" I said, somewhat puzzled by the question. But then it occurred to me...

Feb 1, 2022

On Purpose

...

Jan 25, 2022

How Are You... Really

Have you ever had someone ask you, "how was your week/weekend?" or "how are you doing?" and your response is "Great! Fine! Couldn't be better!"? And yet it was anything but. Ever done that? That was me last week. I foun...

Jan 18, 2022

I Have Nothing To Say

Many years ago I learned a valuable lesson. It was in the months after 9/11 and my business was still reeling in the aftermath. I had two offices that needed to be shut down and lots of tough decisions to sort out. I rem...

Jan 11, 2022

Finish

I did something this weekend that I haven't done in almost forever. I started reading a book and finished it with only a few bio breaks mixed in. And it was 447 pages absorbed just for the fun of it. No new business mode...

Jan 4, 2022

Hand in Glove

Have you ever met someone and instantly connected? Someone who you felt knew you really well even though you just met? I had that happen once at a conference I was attending. We met at one of the networking sessions and ...

Dec 28, 2021

The Wall

I had a great long weekend! It was filled with a wedding celebration, a birthday party, dancing to a fantastic brass band, lots of good food and drinks and time with family I hadn't seen in a while. All of it just a ton ...

Dec 21, 2021

A Labor Day Toast

Salud, Amor y Dinero. My favorite toast that I once learned from a waiter in Chile who had just opened a fine bottle of Malbec for our table. Health, Love and Money. What more could you ask for? Physical fitness, strong...

Dec 14, 2021

Growth

I was recently in Maine with my sister on an "Auntie's Tour". We have several nieces, nephews and grands that live all over the state and this was our opportunity to check in and see how life was unfolding for them. It w...

Dec 7, 2021

The Care And Feeding Of People

I just got off a call with some folks who are leaders in a company that is trying to be really sensitive to the impact of COVID on its employees. This sub team was tasked with trying to identify the levels of stress peo...

Nov 30, 2021

Group Think

One of the fun things about being back on the road is the people watching. It's not only very entertaining but also thought provoking. I had just landed in San Francisco and hopped on the train to go pick up my rental c...

Nov 23, 2021

In Your Zone

If you have been watching the Olympics over the last several days, you know what I'm talking about when I refer to being in the "zone". We've had the opportunity to get a close-up view of athletes at their all-time best...

Nov 16, 2021

Dealing With Difficult People

I spent some time on a beach in Maine this week with my niece who lives in the Big Apple and works as a waitress while she pursues her career as an actor. She bravely stayed put through the pandemic despite the theater a...

Nov 9, 2021

Stress-Less

Stress Soars Around World. That was the headline that grabbed my attention from my news feed this morning. What a way to start your day! Apparently, Gallup, the company who measures almost everything, determined that the...

Nov 2, 2021

Merry Christmas!

"What?," you may ask. Did I miss something? Are we doing reruns? Well, if you're flying on American Airlines this month, they are celebrating Christmas in July with a whole series of the rather sappy Hallmark Christmas m...

Oct 26, 2021

How To Recover When Things Go Wrong

No one likes to fail. Especially when you've put all your effort into succeeding and you just fall short. Losing a big sale to your competitor. Not meeting an important deadline. Saying the wrong thing in a meeting. Havi...

Oct 19, 2021

Free To Be Me

Independence Day is a Federal holiday that for most Americans signals the start of summer. Over 150 million hot dogs are expected to be consumed along with accompanying adult beverages, fireworks and an occasional town p...

Oct 12, 2021

Right For Me

I was scrolling through my Axios news feed this morning and the headline that jumped out at me was Data of the day: Career-jumpers. The stats are really interesting, especially for me since I do a lot of advising about c...

Oct 5, 2021

People Who Need People

I am SO excited!!!! I am actually on a flight right now on my way to my first in person team session in a year and a half. Even though the topic tomorrow is on how to be more competitive, the real take away will come fro...

Sep 28, 2021

Betrayal!

Did the title catch your eye? It's not a word that's verbalized very often in business circles. However, it is a term that could, many times describe a feeling that's going on inside. It might be triggered by any number...

Sep 21, 2021

High Potential Trees

Last week I had the privilege of spending some time with friends on the coast of Oregon. What an amazing place! We went on a hike one day that went through an old growth forest that had these enormous trees that made us...

Sep 14, 2021

Remember When?

A while back I reconnected with a person I had previously worked with but had not seen in more the ten years. We literally had no contact over many, many, days, weeks, months... so when we did finally get together, there w...

Sep 7, 2021

Virtual, Still

I was so proud of myself. I was on a virtual call and my audio wasn't working. I could hear everyone else but they couldn't hear me. It was a platform that I wasn't used to using so my computer was not set up to auto jo...

Aug 31, 2021

The Word That Says It All

I have a new favorite word. It's languishing. The New York Times recently published an article about languishing and I've used the word more times in the last two weeks than in the last fifteen years put together. It's ...

Aug 24, 2021

I Disagree!

Have you ever gotten into a somewhat heated discussion with someone and end up realizing that you both really agree? I had that happen to me recently and, even though we were saying essentially the same thing, it sure d...

Aug 17, 2021

Surprise, Surprise

I was grounded for exactly 398 days. Finally, after being fully vaccinated, I had my first flight scheduled and I was off to see family which had expanded by two babies in the past year. Needless to say, I was very exci...

Aug 10, 2021

Are You Setting Behavioral Expectations?

Setting expectations is fundamental to management. Revenue goals, stock price, earnings per share, expense to revenue ratios, improving customer service response time by X%, and so on. All of the above are appropriate ...

Aug 3, 2021

How To Really Grow

Let me go on the record to say, I am one of the worst gardeners in my neighborhood. As hard as I try, I always do something wrong and end hurting myself or the plants I'm trying to nurture. Besides, there are so many o...

Jul 27, 2021

Spring Cleaning

Does anyone do spring cleaning anymore? It used to be a seasonal ritual for our family. An "all hands on deck" Saturday where windows were washed, cobwebs removed, floors scrubbed, and furniture moved so carpets could be...

Jul 20, 2021

Just Three Words

I was recently reminded of a trip I took to London when I stayed at one of my favorite hotels located right on the Thames river. It was one of those stately looking buildings that used to be the town hall. I know you kn...

Jul 13, 2021

Happy? Anniversary

Last week was my one-year lock-down anniversary. I used to be on the road 200+ days a year. Never in my wildest estimation would I have thought I would have my wings clipped for an entire year. And we're not even done y...

Jul 6, 2021

Encouraging Words

There is seldom a time when I do not have some sort of music running through my brain. I don't know why, but there is always a song in motion. And it's a mystery to me as to which melody surfaces at any given time. It's ...

Jun 29, 2021

Who Are Your Hidden Figures?

To honor women in the spirit of International Women's Day (March 8th) and to express the importance of inclusion, I am reissuing a Tuesday Tip from January 2017. Inspired by the movie Hidden Figures and despite being fou...

Jun 22, 2021

The Judge Is Out Today

We all want to succeed. At least most normal, healthy people do. So, what is it that is holding us back from achieving what we want? Often the barrier resides within. We become our own worst enemy and can unconsciously l...

Jun 15, 2021

Time For A Change

know we all know that change is the only thing you can count on. However, I'm now getting in touch with how much I resist change, even in its good form. For example, ever since the pandemic started, I have been using a...

Jun 8, 2021

The Joy Of Simple

Over the years, a lot of the teams I've worked with have been comprised of very, very smart people. I'm talking rocket-scientist-smart, literally. They were so smart that I wasn't even intimidated because I knew they wer...

Jun 1, 2021

Are You In Your Zone?

If you happened to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, or even just the replay of the action, you witnessed someone who was in his personal "zone"; when peak performance seems effortless. Tom Brady has now been named the ...

May 25, 2021

Damage Control

Most of us, I think you would agree, have made it to our stress zones on more than one occasion over the last few weeks and months. While it may be expected, it doesn't mean that it won't cause damage. Sometimes permanen...

May 18, 2021

I Can't Get No Satisfaction

The classic hit by the Rolling Stones conveys the reason why our topic today is so important. Much of life is the pursuit of happiness and many identify with this song that is a lament about the elusiveness of finding sa...

May 11, 2021

Out Of The Box Leadership

...

May 4, 2021

Passion

...

Apr 27, 2021

Happy Year

I've decided that I'm not wishing people a Happy New Year this year because there's really nothing new about it. I do wish you a happy year but I don't think much is going to be new. In fact, it still feels like 2020. No...

Apr 20, 2021

What Went Right

One of the services that I frequently implement for clients is what I call an Organizational 360. Much like a personal 360 assessment that provides feedback from managers, peers, direct reports and sometimes customers, ...

Apr 13, 2021

30

There are two historic events occurring this week at iMap Strategic Solutions. To begin with, the company took its first baby steps 30 years ago this week. How time flies! The second event I could never have imagined hap...

Apr 6, 2021

Performance Reviewed

Can you believe it's December 1? And, it's that time of year. Whether you're doing it

Mar 30, 2021

At Home

This Thanksgiving holiday is certainly different from all the ones in the past. I'm sure you're experiencing the same thing. My life up until March 13th, 2020 was spent mostly away from home. When I did make it back to t...

Mar 23, 2021

Rules To Live By

When things start to get chaotic in times of transition it's easy to feel lost and disoriented. I don't know about you, but I was feeling that way this week. Sometimes it's hard to know which way is up. To re-ground myse...

Mar 16, 2021

High Stakes Anxiety

Nervous. Depressed. Can't Sleep. Grouchy. Worried. Stress Eating. Overwhelmed. Emotionally Exhausted. Frustrated. Irritable. Lonely. Down. Discouraged. Demoralized. Any of these words describe something you're struggling...

Mar 9, 2021

Hide And Seek

When I was a kid one of the favorite games to play with my neighborhood friends was "hide and seek." We never got tired of it and became pretty creative about places to hide out. There was one day in particular when my b...

Mar 2, 2021

Get Personal

I was talking with a friend over the weekend who just started a position six weeks ago at a new company. It's a major corporation with a large campus that, in normal times, would be humming with activity. While joining a...

Feb 23, 2021

VIP Presentation Anxiety

New Report!

Feb 16, 2021

Ya Wanna Fight??

My conflict management education growing up can be summarized with three old adages:

Feb 9, 2021

Include Me

It wasn't too long ago that I was doing a Leadership workshop for 40 people in Southern California. Now granted, I knew it was a group of engineers, but I was still quite surprised to literally be the only female in the ...

Feb 2, 2021

Working Together - New Report for you and your Manager

I was talking a while ago with a woman I have worked with off and on for many years. She reached out to me because her company had been recently sold and she and the new CEO were not seeing eye to eye. I listened to her...

Jan 26, 2021

Don't Let The Turkeys Get You

Two things are converging right now. I'm in north western Virginia enjoying a long weekend of R&R on a 4,200 acre working ranch complete with cows, horses and a stately Manor house. And, I'm going to get a second long we...

Jan 19, 2021

It's All In The Details

Let me be clear. I am not a detail person. I am a big picture thinker who starts moving and then figures out the details in process. My type of planning is at a very high level and what I'm really good at is thinking on ...

Jan 12, 2021

Shed The Weight

We're now in the sixth month of lockdown and for some, the jeans are just a little bit tighter. In fact, sweat pants and gym short have become the new business casual. Although gaining a few extra pounds could be an issu...

Jan 5, 2021

Leading From A Distance

5 - The Line In The Sand

Dec 29, 2020

Leading From A Distance:

4 - Lead A Winning Team

Dec 22, 2020

Leading From A Distance

3 - Meeting Magic - How To Manage A Virtual Meeting

Dec 15, 2020

Leading From A Distance

2 - Productivity and The Ability To Deliver Results

Dec 8, 2020

Leading From A Distance

1 - Relationships

Dec 1, 2020

Multi Generational Workforces

A lesson from history for the 4th of July

Nov 24, 2020

How To Coach Anyone: Reading The Player

If you're coaching a sports team, check out my new blog on SportsEd TV. https://sportsedtv.com/blog/how-to-coach-anyone-reading-the-player-by-connie-charles

Nov 17, 2020

Four Ways To Build Trust

There isn't a lot of trust going around these days. Parents, friends, politicians, spouses, partners, colleagues, management can lose our trust. Sometimes we can't even trust ourselves. The media is good at providing us ...

Nov 10, 2020

Virtually Virtual

I'm sure you've been getting inundated with advice on how to work in a virtual environment. Things we never would have thought possible six months ago have now become common place. Going to work in your slippers. Busines...

Nov 3, 2020

Sound of Silence

I was out for a walk this past Sunday morning and I was reminded of one of the benefits of the quarantine: silence. The road outside our neighborhood was devoid of any of its usual traffic. Inside the neighborhood no car...

Oct 27, 2020

In Protest

We've gone from fear of the pandemic to the outrage of injustice. The common denominator; we feel out of control. And, we're protesting.

Oct 20, 2020

Rainbows

Lots of things were different about this last Memorial Day weekend, including the weather. In the Mid-Atlantic area Saturday and Sunday sort of matched the mood: cool, cloudy, damp and sort of gloomy. The weather app on ...

Oct 13, 2020

Dancing On My Own

A few years ago, my husband and I traveled to Argentina, land of the Tango. We were wandering around a large park in the center of Buenos Aires on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when we were drawn into a crowd of people wa...

Oct 6, 2020

Good Grief

1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance *

Sep 29, 2020

Too Close For Comfort

For many, this social distancing lock-down is getting old. The stress of being in confined space is coming out in public protests as well as private ones being played out in the home. You're starting to see articles come...

Sep 22, 2020

Trust Me On This One

There was a study done several years ago about what makes a great team. They evaluated all types of teams from people in manufacturing to a surgical team, business teams and even the cockpit team that flies an airplane. ...

Sep 15, 2020

Freakin' Out!!

By now you're somewhere into week 4-6 of the quarantine and perhaps, like others around you, you're starting to freak out. Working from home doesn't feel very productive, the kids are bored, you're getting tired of havin...

Sep 8, 2020

Better Collaboration Across Oceans

Paul and Evelyn are leading teams of scientists in clinical trials for the development of a new pharmaceutical. Paul's team is in the US while Evelyn's team is in the UK. Despite the fact that there are no language barr...

Sep 1, 2020

More Than Words

Here we are again, another Thanksgiving celebration almost upon us. It's actually my favorite holiday. Just a day to be grateful. If your gatherings were anything like what I've experienced, at some point, someone hits a...

Aug 25, 2020

What Are You Afraid Of?

What I'm afraid of is being embarrassed.

Aug 18, 2020

Lost

If you're a regular recipient and reader of our weekly Tuesday Tips, you probably have guessed by now, I travel a lot.

Aug 11, 2020

Nice or Necessary?

I had a horrible trip to a meeting the other day. The traffic was awful. I kept getting all red lights. There was road construction which required a detour, and of course ahead of me most of the way, was a total slow pok...

Aug 4, 2020

Who Do You Want to Be?

This week is Halloween and, for once, I'm going to be home. Our neighborhood goes all out in the decorating and prepping for the trick or treaters and I'm always bummed when I'm on the road for this event. Our next-door ...

Jul 28, 2020

Find Out What It Means To Me

Respect

Jul 21, 2020

On Course with Peter Fox

How It All Began

Jul 14, 2020

Getting Things 'Just Right'

The businesses that get ahead are the ones that who get things done.

Jul 7, 2020

Standing In? Then Stand Out!

The businesses that get ahead are the ones that who get things done.

Jun 30, 2020

The Mystery of Motivation

What no one has been able to tell about why your team is stagnating

Jun 23, 2020

A Golf State of Mind

Essential for Good Golf AND Good Business

Jun 16, 2020

Proper Pressure Improves Your Ride

Saturday morning I pulled out my Trek, determined to take a long bike ride. I haven't been riding anywhere near as much as I want and checking my tire pressure was among the many pre-ride details I needed to attend to.

Jun 9, 2020

On Course with Romaine Seguin

Why I play golf:

Jun 2, 2020

Leadership Challenge: A Candid Conversation

Today was a rough one. I just finished interviewing key leaders of a business to get their candid views of how well the team was functioning. They are investing a lot of money in a business strategy so the stakes are rea...

May 26, 2020

Track and Align Your Stars

Astronomy is a visual activity, so it is no surprise there are a large number of apps related to astronomy that take full advantage of an iPad's large screen. I've been looking at the stars since my first telescope - a l...

May 19, 2020

The Teamwork Zone

If you are a sports enthusiast of any kind, you know what I'm talking about when I refer to being in the "zone". It's when the golf ball rolls into the cup on a 25 ft. putt; a series of three pointers in a basketball gam...

May 12, 2020

Only One Priority for Leadership Development

If Leadership Development focused simply on helping people learn to adapt, all of the other sought after attributes would naturally emerge. Adaptability enables leaders to adjust their approaches to match the changing r...

May 5, 2020