Welcome to Misti's Insights
Don’t Miss Out On The Leadership Opportunity The Coronavirus Is Offering
The opportunity is before us… Leadership is needed NOW more than ever. A senior vice president of HR shared about a meeting she had with her executive team yesterday… "Misti, everybody was sitting around the table looking at each other, unsure what to do. Finally, I...
5 Questions To Break Down Team Silos And Increase Collaboration
With the golf club in my hands, I bent down ever-so-slightly to align myself with the ball. Five feet across his office floor, Tom laid down a trash basket, which I was aiming for. As I took shot after shot (missing nearly all of them… Hey, it’s just not my sport!),...
Creating Psychological Safety in Uncertain Times, Here’s How, Guest Post by Danielle Oakley, PhD
The moment is still etched in my mind. The sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The lump in my throat. My opinion didn’t matter. My degree wasn’t good enough. My experience was irrelevant. Remember to breathe, I told myself. Let me set the scene... It was the...
Are You Heeding The Warning Signs?
Wanting to Do What I Wanted To Do It was 1pm when I finally arrived at the beach in Lewes, Delaware. I had driven three hours, checked into my AirB&B, and was ready for a swim in the rejuvenating salt of the ocean. As I popped my trunk to get my swim bag, I heard...
How to Have Conversations You Don’t Want to Have (But Need To)
“I have pulled up every leader and influencer that I follow… or work with. To be honest, as of this morning, you are one of the only ones who hasn't spoken up... and it might not be your thing… but our civil rights are at stake. Period. I’m done working with you....
4 Nights in The Backcountry: What The Appalachian Trail Taught Me
I recently spent 4 nights on the Appalachian Trail. For those who don’t know, this is a journey along the east coast that goes from Georgia to Maine. Some people take 4-6 months to walk the entire trail in one shot, while others do pieces and portions of it over...
Handling Negative Emotions In A Way That’s Good For You And Your Team
It’s not a matter of if you will get to a breaking point with frustrating people and situations. It’s a matter of when. Everyone winds up with their back against the wall, frustrated and overwhelmed, at various points in their life and work. We all need a strategy...
How To Reunite Your Team After a Pandemic
I was driving to my first appointment with a new therapist. Even under normal circumstances, that’s not a comfortable experience. And today certainly wasn’t normal. It was March 19, and the governor of Maryland had just closed non-essential businesses. Thankfully,...
Speak Up, Even If Your Voice Shakes
Until today, I have not yet spoken up about the police brutality and violence citizens are facing across the country. Mostly I haven't spoken up because I don't know what to say. I'm so filled with disbelief, sadness, anger, and rage. It's hard to speak coherently...
How To Hold A Space For Others To Vent Their Emotions
Many of us are all struggling in various ways with this pandemic. Now, maybe more than ever, many of us need a space to safely ventilate emotions. Emotions are literally energy in motion. When we have a safe space to vent our emotions, we can release them. Releasing...
Combating Anxiety and Depression During A Pandemic
The challenge of anxiety and depression during this time of grave uncertainty is real. Unfortunately, it’s entirely too easy to get swept up in the chaos of fear, doubt, and worry accessible all around us. So, how do we combat anxiety and depression during such a...
How To Talk To Your Team When The Future Is Uncertain – Transparency Is Key
Leading from a place of transparency is already challenging enough without a pandemic. How are you supposed to do this during what is easily one of the most challenging times in history? Why is it even important to leave the transparency? What are the results of...
Working In A Virtual Work Environment, Manage Your Energy Or Lose Opportunity
Your success in working in a virtual environment hinges on your ability to come across favorably in a virtual environment. In the video, I describe two service providers who ultimately lost my business because of how they came across in video yesterday. Their...
How To Let Disruption Help You And Your Team Grow
Disruption is critical for growth, in all areas of life. We need tornadoes, hurricanes, wildFires, and viruses… They help us to grow, but only if we let them. Here are three critical steps you can take every day to ensure that you and your team grow through this...
Overcoming Decision Fatigue During Global Pandemic
Two weeks ago I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to focus and get stuff done. Covid19 created a massive change in my schedule, and left me too exhausted to make the simplest of decisions. Like, when to workout. Can you relate? At the time, I didn’t...
What I Learned From the Surgeon Who Performed a Biopsy on Me During a Pandemic
On Thursday morning I woke up with pain in my left breast. I had been ignoring it for a few weeks… just too much caffeine, I thought. But rolling over in bed that morning hurt too much to ignore, so I did an examination. The lump was undeniable. My mind started...
The Most Important Decision You Will Make In 2020
Before I do, let me share with you a quick story. Just yesterday, I screamed at my wife in the middle of the street. This is not normal for us. As I turned and walked away from her, she realized that I had the key for the house and asked me for it. I kept walking....
Five Keys To Successfully Working From Home
The coronavirus has many of us working from home. There are many challenges that can arise from that alone. Here are five keys to successfully working from home: Good humor. If you find something funny, especially something you do, share it. Good boundaries/Honest and...