It's 2024, maybe I should update this thing?

It’s been… two plus years? Huh…

Welp - here’s the two year update then: while my Brand & Culture Agency MTO is scaling our EQ @Work program including a landmark culture research project, I’ve been also fulfilling my lifelong dream of living on a serene horse ranch. Kenshō Stables is nestled in the Texas Hill Country in the adorable, quaint town of Wimberley. This year we were featured as one of the Top 5 Animal Activities to do in Texas this summer by Austin Monthly Magazine for our well-being centered horse experiences.

Most amazingly, after an eight year journey to have a baby, my tiny dinosaur was born nine months ago now. Motherhood has been an absolute delight and I have embodied the process of trying to learn from my baby as much as I teach him. It’s been profound so far.

Profound ideas and conversations have always sparked my sense of joy. After almost thirty years of personal, professional, spiritual, healing and wisdom work, I find myself at this very cool intersection marrying my career with my purpose and pleasure. I’m writing a book about it … slowly… I have a defunct podcast about the topic; who has time to create so much content?

Mostly I spend my writing time sharing the five very easy-to-learn emotional intelligence skills (known as social-emotional learning to parents) that radically improve people and organizational cultures. Helping people develop the skills to thrive and helping organizations be sources of thriving cultures are my current obsessions. We spend so much time at work, why can’t it be emotionally-healthy for us? It can be.

But I find myself, yet again in my career, swimming against the tide… Just last week a CEO told me his company of 600 people does not have any culture issues (even though all employees everywhere are living in a very stressful external environment and 77% of people don’t really love their job) and then he added “if anything, they just need to work harder”. Gasp! In the last week, I also heard about a Board of Directors saying “we don’t care how toxic the CEO is, she’s profitable”. Gasp! Gasp!

Of course, the idea is not new — I’ve been steeped and simmered in countless toxic cultures over the years as a silicon valley tech and hollywood entertainment executive. I’m just still really lost about how after so much research proving the effectiveness of preventative, supportive evidence-base programs (Carroll, 2007; Fixsen, Blasé, Horner, Sims, & Sugai, 2013; Goleman & Senge, 2014; Kahane, 2010; Kegan & Lahey, 2009; Schein, 2011; Senge, 1990; Senge, Scharmer, Jaworksi, & Flowers, 2004; Wagner et al., 2006; Wheatley, 2005) are not yet deeply entrenched in the requirements of businesses in America.

Thriving people are better for business. Period. Alas, I can provide all the statistics in the world and still, “leaders” who want to run people into the ground for short term profit will not change their mind. It reminds me of the political dogma fight between our two-party system in this big election season.

On that front, I will always vote against any party who wants to take away my rights to my own body. I would have died if the hospital would have not provided emergency surgery during my ectopic pregnancy (trigger warning: loss of pregnancy) if it would have had to go to this Texas hospital today.

After twenty-two years on the West Coast and now living in Texas again, I find myself having conversations with Republicans who I like and love. People who are kind and generous and want to be ‘good people’ like I do. Sometimes it makes me wonder — how on earth did we get to this vitriolic state? And then, this movie explained it. It’s weird to look back on George Bush fondly but here we are…

I decided awhile back, I can not live in the news and media cycle craziness, giving my energy to those who make money off of polarizing us. When I became a new mom, I needed to protect my own sense of well-being. Or else, I’m really no good to anyone… I can’t control a lot of things but what I can do — is focus on always making sure I’m finding and aiming to deliver my highest value.

Operating with a high emotional capacity is my superpower. I can produce a lot, I can manage a lot. And I do. After all the countless hours I have invested into gaining self-awareness, empathy, deep listening, communication and coaching skills, my highest contribution is providing the much needed emotional support most of us are missing — at scale.

To reach the most people, today, I decided to offer individual bite-size workshops from our bigger program, starting with a Capacity Management Workshop in two weeks. It’s a very good way for people who are curious about the work to get a sample experience at an affordable rate. Join me?

That’s where you can find me, unless you can travel along dirt roads, walk through the trails underneath the Oaks where I will be swinging.

I think that’s my 2024 update... Oh, and I got a big puppy, and a new horse Miss Sally :) Let’s catch up again soon. Or sooner, anyway…

Posted on August 13, 2024 .

Power to Thrive, All-Inclusive Leadership Retreat

April 24 - 28, 2022 | Blisswood Ranch, Texas

4 nights & 3 full days to recharge, reignite your passion and purpose, and become the conscious leader your organization needs. 

Just 10 spots available!

Learn More

Retreat highlights include:

  • Scenic 4-star bed & breakfast with 5-star reviews

  • Private hot tubs and pool

  • 2 conscious leadership sessions per day 

  • Optional: Equine-experiential learning exercises

  • On-site private chef making three healthy meals a day and snacks included

And so much more..

Prioritize the health of your organization by prioritizing YOU, with a retreat built around practices that create accelerated, long-lasting transformation.

Reserve My Spot!

Posted on March 14, 2022 and filed under Conscious Leadership.

Deep Well-Being at Work is Here

Introducing the Conscious Leadership Collective

After hitting a wall from total and complete burnout this past spring, I reached out to trauma-informed educational psychologist Emily Santiago to learn more about her program for first responders and educators that ‘drastically reduces burnout’ by 83% for participants within the first five months. I had to know – what was this magical program and would it work for me and my peers?

I told her how after fifteen years leading transformational change to create more conscious organizations WHILE trying to manage twenty-five people at different stages of burnout from the global pandemic *with empathy* – I was struggling to keep going.

Anyone that runs a company and manages teams knows the incredible stress of being responsible for other people’s livelihoods and how intrinsically thankless the job is. Add the fact that I was also dealing with the pandemic, I felt like I was going to implode.

Emily responded, “It’s no wonder you feel the way you do, work culture isn’t set-up to support emotional well-being,” how people need collective well-being, a dedicated, judgement-free space for sharing the stress and emotional toll we endure working, working while parenting, working while taking care of aging parents, working during a pandemic, and on and on…

And how reflective Peer Conversations are the solution – private, confidential small groups (5-6 people) facilitated by a trained Reflective Supervisor to model emotional regulation and deep active listening. It’s amazing what happens when people like you, hear what you are going through, listen empathetically and simply says – I HEAR YOU, I GET IT and share their own stories, too.

Emily and I worked together to shape the program for business leaders (executive, entrepreneurs and people managing teams) and we just launched an invite-only private beta Peer Conversation with 18 of some of the most amazing transformative leaders I know.

On the intro call, leaders were already sharing how ‘lovely it is to feel like I am not alone’. No, you are not alone – the Conscious Leadership Collective is here for you!

For those of you who would like to be considered for the program, you can learn more and request an invite here (you may also immediately access the new Deep Well-being Studio, an interactive course for conscious leaders designed for busy schedules. The first 30 days are free to try!)

Join us – Deep Well-being at work is possible and it’s here for you now ❤

Posted on September 1, 2021 and filed under Conscious Leadership.