What experiences have prompted a sense of wonder and hope in your life? And where did those moments take you? It was 10:56 p.m. EDT on July 20, 1969. I was eight years old, dressed in my pink pajamas, sitting in the living room with my older brother and parents, watching our big black-and-white television. […]
When #Gina Leow shared her story about a costume mishap during a childhood dance recital at a recent “Stories That Shaped Us” live storytelling event, it touched my heart and inspired me. During her story, she described how her teacher admonished her at the end of her performance and crushed her spirit (for a bit). […]
A story is about how and why life changes. My colleague, Jerome Deroy—CEO of Narativ—and I have hosted two live story-sharing events this winter as part of our “Stories That Shaped Us” Narativ series. Each time, we invited three guests to share a personal story that shaped who they are—and how they’ve applied those experiences […]
Those raised front steps weren’t just concrete and brick — they were a gathering place, a living room open to the street, where neighbors came together when the weather said yes. Side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. Nobody performing, nobody winning. Just people showing up. I’ve been talking about “front stoop moments” in my coaching […]
Feedback is an important skill but know how and when to deliver it is an important. I learned this lesson in my grade school in Queens during the annual valentire day card exchange. When I was in grade school, we exchanged little paper Valentines and placed them on our classmates’ desks. A boy named Doug […]
As I was preparing for the week, I found myself thinking about Punxsutawney Phil.And it struck me: he’s never been recognized as an excellent communicator or a strong leader.We’ve been far too focused on one thing— Early spring or six more weeks of winter.So let’s cut Phil some slack and take a moment to appreciate […]
In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome and I reflect on what we learned from our very first Leadership Story Talks LIVE—a live storytelling event that delivered exactly what it promised, though not in the way anyone expected. What begins as a conversation about a technical glitch quickly becomes a deeper exploration of […]
Parking, traffic, food, and Queens often serve as sources of inspiration for my articles and talks about communication, listening, and human connection. So it should come as no surprise that my Happy New Year’s social media post includes one of these elements. This year, I settled on a picture of the New York Pavilion from […]
A lesson about public behavior. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I went to a movie at the Jacob Burns Film Center. Our film was showing in one of the smaller theaters, and by the time we arrived, seating options were limited. As I walked toward the front of the theater, several of […]
I often talk about the importance of appreciating and using your authentic voice—in the talks I give, the podcast I co-host with Jerome Deroy, and in coaching sessions. We tend to think of “authenticity” as something gentle and natural, like simply aligning with our true selves. But here’s the truth: using your authentic voice requires […]
