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Your Future Self
Shifting Perspectives is one of my most popular articles. In that post, I walk through a favorite exercise, enabling you to view a situation from several different perspectives leveraging your physical space to support the shift. Over the past month, I’ve engaged in a daily practice similar to this one, where I seek the perspective of…
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From Subject to Object
A fundamental goal of ontological coaching is to help the coachee generate an ontological shift. Through work with a coach, the coachee gains a new perspective on how they view the world, and holding that perspective, they can examine and shift it as needed to serve themselves better. We sometimes refer to this as “The Big Eye.”…
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My Second Year
Two years ago, I split off from the software executive trail I had trod for thirty years to explore a new path as a leadership and life coach. Today, I celebrate that milestone with some reflections on my second year. You can read about my first year here. Meta-Metaphor I have written several times about my program on…
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Never Grow Up
Last week, my daughter Meera celebrated her 21st birthday. Today, I celebrate this milestone and explore some reflections that arise from our shared song, “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube). I’m aware that a mere two weeks ago, I had a post entitled We Are Always Growing, and this may feel in conflict to…
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Missing Conversations
One of the three foundational areas of ontological coaching is our use of language. You may think of language as a communication tool to describe the world. It is that and so much more. Language can be generative. For example, a new country was created through the Declaration of Independence. As I began to understand this, I realized…
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We Are Always Growing
One of the many exciting discoveries in my studies since launching my coaching practice is adult development theory. These models have opened a new level of awareness for me on my learning journey. Today, we’ll explore one of the most popular models, from Robert Kegan, and see how this model can help us accelerate personal…
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The Golden Mean
“Remember your Aristotle – Everything in moderation.” – James Harris, Haserot Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, College of William & Mary Professor Harris wrote that when he signed my copy of Single-Malt Whiskies of Scotland: For the Discriminating Imbiber. Initially, this served as a simple reminder not to drink to excess, and over the years, that reminder has…
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What Should I Do?
The myth of productivity is that we will somehow find a way to get everything done. Over time, we realize (and hopefully accept) that there will always be more on our to-do list than available hours. Often, I talk with leaders who get an amazing amount done each day, yet at the end of the…
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Journal of Awareness
It usually takes three nudges from the universe for me to get the message. Last week’s blog post on The Hero’s Journey was the third time I mentioned journaling more formally. As I wrote that post, I knew it was time to lean into this topic. When I pick up on a sign from the universe, it…
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The Hero’s Journey
Reconnecting with a friend from high school, I shared my all-time favorite quote by Joseph Campbell (you can read it here). As we spoke, she noted Joseph Campbell’s writing about the Hero’s* Journey. One aspect of that journey is that the hero encounters obstacles. Facing and overcoming those obstacles are essential steps in the journey…
