Welcome to Misti's Insights

While traveling all over the United States, speaking to hundreds of thousands of sailors in the Navy, I met an incredible woman, Captain KC. Just before meeting Captain KC, she received honors for being the first Latina woman to make her rank within the Navy. Excited...

Washington Post Question: Is the culture of celebrity and reality TV eroding our understanding of what constitutes success? What should we tell our children about people such as Tareq and Michaele Salahi who apparently crashed a White House state dinner in pursuit of...

Sure, we’ve all lamented that our bosses don’t understand all the intricacies and hard work involved in our complex jobs. But it’s definitely a problem when your manager doesn’t even know what you do. Jill, an executive with a large gaming...

Q: Why has Oprah Winfrey been so successful as a TV talk-show host? Does it make sense for her to end her syndicated talk show in 2011 when she`s still dominating the daytime ratings? Can you imagine anyone replicating the following she`s been able to build? I will...

A question posed by the Washington Post: Q: How much does achieving success rely on luck vs. skill? This week a Western Maryland lumberjack named Darvin Moon won $5 million in the World Series of Poker. He insists he is no more skilled at cards than any recreational...

Speak your truth – then modify your expression over time. Too many people worry about what/how they say something and often never say anything because they are afraid of how they may come across. We’ve all heard it – “There is no such thing as...

Answer to Washington Posts question: Q: Do financially successful people have an obligation to help those in need? Are Bill and Melinda Gates, who have given away hundreds of millions of dollars through their foundation, encouraging others to step up to the plate? How...

Too often people of all generations wait around for someone to notice them, help them articulate their gifts, tell everyone how amazing they are and provide opportunities for them to shine. Well, they might just end up waiting around forever. And that’s a shame,...

By Misti Burmeister© November 9, 2009It‘s Fall, and as I watch the trees in D.C. evolve from deep green, to a beautiful shade of yellow, to a vibrant red (some moving more quickly through this process than others) leaving a sea of reds, yellows, greens and...

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” Buddhist proverb “Misti, I’m a high school senior and will likely get an advanced education and not enter the workforce for another 10 years,” said my intern just a few weeks into the role...

What is the recipe for success when four generations enter the workforce with different values, expectations, and approaches? How do you navigate through the differences and reach common ground? Join Misti Burmeister from 3:30 - 5:30 PM to learn the "Five Shifts to...

Carolyn quickly realized when her company was getting in over its head. As controller of a box-manufacturing company, she sees P&Ls as well as new orders coming in. And though the business wasn’t profitable, the sales team was on fire, and new...

A response to: “Social Media is for Narcissists” https://mashable.com/2009/08/25/gen-y-social-media-study/ Let’s first define “Narcissism.” According to Dictionary.com it is, “An inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive...

Sure, I know no one is perfect or knows everything about anything – and that the people most willing to admit that are usually the most successful. Yet part of me has held on for a long time to the fundamental desire to hide my imperfections from everyone, to...

A response to the following article: https://blogs.watoday.com.au/executive-style/managementline/2009/07/31/genxleaders.html The most important focus of this article is our need for excellence through leadership. While the article focuses on how Boomers are existing...

Hindsight is 20/20, my friend. And as I’m watching many friends and clients searching for jobs right now, I see a clear trend emerging – one that reminds me of the last time I was job hunting. They attend as many networking functions as possible, post résumés to...

While the vast majority of companies are slashing their training budget, the wisest companies are doing just the opposite–investing in their talent. No one has said it better than Henry Mintzberg has in his Harvard Business Review article,...

It was a motivational morning. I’d just finished moderating a powerful panel of four talented professionals – each superbly representing his or her generation. They shared their own unique struggles to find their places in the workforce and discussed strategies...