Welcome to Misti's Insights
How To Handle Your Stress Better, Listen To Your Tension
Rolling over onto my left side in the early morning on May 20, 2021, I felt awkwardness around my left ear. Turns out, it was numb. But why? I knew I was dealing with some tension, but who isn’t? I called an acupuncturist and my doctor in search of solutions. Bracing...
Enjoy What You’re Failing At, And You Can’t Fail: My TEDx Talk
It was 9am on August 18, 2021, when Lisa, the curator of TEDx LehighRiver, suggested that I might fill in for a speaker who had to back out last minute. The TEDx event was scheduled for September 13th, with rehearsals on the 12th. Aside from the fact that three weeks...
A Key Practice For Decreasing Stress Brought On By Transitions at Work
Recent research indicates a 42% decrease in mental health, globally. The stress level is impacting teams, employees, and companies in nearly every industry and country. Many of us are a struggling to figure out how to adapt to this new normal… again… at work and at...
The Truth About Strengthening Belonging At Work
Your Life Is Your Lab Yesterday, I co-facilitated a conversation on belonging. The idea was born out of hearing myself reply to a friends message on June 1, 2021—“Happy Pride month!” Here’s what I said… “I spend most of my life trying to forget that I’m gay… that I’m...
The Most Important Word in Your Leadership
There's one word that distinguishes good leadership from excellent leadership, especially as many teams begin the journey to re-uniting in person... Here -- see if you can detect the one word that's different in these two statements, recently made by two different...
Three Fears That Stop You From Achieving What Matters Most
Back in 2016, I stayed at The Plaza Hotel in New York City the night before delivering a presentation. Have you heard of it? It’s the fanciest hotel I have ever stayed in. The room came equipped with a beautiful chandelier above the bed, an iPad with temperature...
My Coming Out Story
June is National LGBTQ Pride Month. In recognition, I'd like to share a little bit about my own journey. “Mark your calendar,” my psychology 101 professor said on the first day of class in January 1997, “There will be a gay panel here on April 15th. Your attendance...
What 17-Year Cicadas Have to Teach Us About Challenge
This pandemic has been tough for most of us. Re-emerging together is likely to add its own level of complication and challenges. While it's remarkably easy to get sucked into the difficulty of the journey, the zillions of destinations are worth the challenge... take...
Three Helpful Actions You Can Take When Dealing With Mental Health in the Workplace
I was clenching my jaw, and I wasn’t sleeping well. So, I signed up for a psilocybin study. Psilocybin is a mushroom that has been used for hundreds of years to help people with numerous mind and body challenges. It’s worth a try, I convinced myself, as I walked to...
How Getting Covid19 Served as a Catalyst for Growth
"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict." -- William Ellery Channing I’m not the type to get fevers. Ever. As I looked at the thermometer reading, 101.4ºF, I knew it was Covid19. It was a Saturday afternoon in...
5 Simple Steps Handing off Responsibility, and Why We (Sometimes) Don’t
Here I was in my bathroom minding my own business when Bells (my niece) pops in and hit me with: “I want to thank you for allowing me to do the dishes and the laundry.” Wait, what? I thought, She’s thanking me for allowing her to do the dishes? The look on my face...
Coaching Your Team Through Fear And Uncertainty
Complacency is costly. It gives the brain too much time to think about how the world (or their job) might be imploding. Keeping team members focused and progressing, seeing and experiencing momentum, is the key to keeping them engaged and productive. Use the...
Don’t Make This Mistake When Giving Feedback
Ever find yourself witnessing a glaring mistake by one of your team members, and thinking this could be costly? Perhaps you’ve heard about the importance of giving feedback in a timely manner. You know this behavior needs to be corrected, and quickly. But how? Just...
The Gift Of Getting Covid, Turning Conflict Into Courage
Slouched down on my couch, with my feet propped up (roughly 3 weeks ago), I asked my love to grab the thermometer. When I saw 101.4 temperature, I knew it was Covid. I got scared, and so did Yvette. “What are you going to do to protect me?” She demanded to know. Fever...
Key Tactics For Transforming Conflict Into A Catalyst For Growth
In my last blog we talked about how conflict serves as a strong catalyst for growth in teams and relationships of all sorts. Today we’re diving into the top 8 tactics for ensuring each conflict strengthens your relationships. Here they are… 1. Actively listen to...
Getting Good at Using Conflict as a Catalyst for Growth
Using conflict as a catalyst for growth “Your silence is violence. If you’re not for me, you’re against me. If you don’t speak up, I won’t work with you anymore,” she said. It was six thirty in the morning when I read this. I received an email from a marketing expert...
Fostering Team Momentum In The Midst Of Uncertainty And Fear
Keeping employees focused and productive in the midst of mass uncertainty is tough, but it can be done. It requires a shift in thinking about how having difficult conversations can help to improve bottom line results. Many leaders think that better results come...
“I Wish the CEO Would Try and Open This Darn Package”, Guest Post by Chip R. Bell
It is a line we use at my house when a product or service is unusually challenging. It could be that bottle or package that requires a hack saw and a blow torch to open, or it might be the service that has way too many steps to finally reach your desired outcome. Our...