The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation, and Culture asked me to write an article about how hobbies relate to overall life and work fit. Here's an excerpt and link to read the article on their website.

I recently joined an industry trade group and was asked what my hobbies were. I struggled to answer. I couldn’t think of a hobby, let alone multiple ones! Do working people actually have hobbies? With all the things that I have to do and a career to conquer, I cannot imagine having a...

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A sales manager asked me to provide training to his team around a certain assessment. Although I could have signed up his team for the assessment he asked for, I wanted to understand why he wanted it. As we talked, I learned that it was the only one he had heard about, which is why he asked for it. But I knew there was a better assessment to meet his goals and current work situation. So together, we chose a different one.

As a coach and consultant, I...

Republished by permission of The Highlands Company

If you’re reading this, you may be wondering what to do next in your work life. You may be willing to invest in yourself and your future; and you are seeking a “different” type of information to help.

The Highlands Ability Battery (HAB) is the Gold Standard Among Human Assessment Tools rooted in the scientific research of human abilities and used exclusively by well-trained professionals. The HAB is not used by...

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I recently introduced my son to the Choose Your Own Adventure books, which I loved as a kid. It was thrilling as a reader to decide where the story went. Choose wrong, and you may fall off a cliff. Choose right, and you may save the day.

We recently wrapped up the 5-Day Ideal Life + Work Challenge. About 110 people had joined us. Afterward, we conducted a survey to gather feedback and understand what participants wanted to do next.

As you may guess, with a...

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I was scheduled to lead an Enneagram workshop for a team, but as the time approached, I was feeling anxious and uneasy about it. But why? This would be the third time training this particular team, and I felt comfortable with them. I had already been teaching the Enneagram for several years, so it wasn’t new material. Why was I feeling stressed?

Then it hit me. The last time I was with this team, we had a wonderful workshop. But as I walked to my car to leave,...

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I recently led a Strengths workshop for the leadership team of RIVANNA Medical, a medical device manufacturer and distributor based in Charlottesville, VA. The company was started in 2010 by graduate students at the University of Virginia when they recognized a need in the marketplace. Now the company holds 45 global patents and is on its way to disrupting—and improving—the way ultrasounds are performed.

This workshop was memorable for a couple...

_{Simmons Family Ranch}

Life offers a series of invitations. Some you welcome with open arms. Some are hidden, and it takes a bit to recognize the invitation. And some you resist. But the reason you go from one place to the next in life is that you say yes to the invitations. A person who awakened me to the invitations in my life is my friend Terri Joy.

For example:

• When I resigned from my job of 20 years to work for myself full-time, it became an invitation to live anywhere, prompting a move...

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What are the primary concerns on employees’ minds when it comes to work? A recent study by Mercer US asked 4,000 US-based workers about their topmost needs in the workplace. In addition, the report compares the results of the 2022 list to those on the 2021 list.

The needs vary from year to year, for example:

• covering monthly expenses was #9 in 2021 but topped the list at #1 in 2022
• personal relationships appeared in 2021 but didn’t make the...

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A few weeks ago, a coach asked me critical questions during our session together, and it transformed the way I was thinking. Before I reveal the gilded inquiries, let me explain the backstory. Our family had recently moved to Charlottesville, VA, under the premise that I would work for myself. But after a few months, I became interested in returning to the workforce. I

missed being part of a team, serving a common mission, and...

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Here's a video where you can learn about our Six-Factor Employee Engagement model. It’s the result of five years of field research, learning from experts, and presenting findings to practitioners. We field-tested it, created practices, modified them, and measured results. Now I’m happy to share these ideas with others.

When employees are engaged, they’re so committed to their work and workplace that they’re willing to give...