Sometimes I get asked what happens in a Strengths coaching session (also known as a Strengths debrief). The short answer is it depends on what the client wants to get out of it. I don’t approach a session with my own agenda; as a coach, I want to follow the client’s agenda.

But if a client has never been to a coaching session, they may not know the possibilities. That’s when I like to offer options so the client can choose what will be most valuable. The subject is...

You find two kinds of people in life and work—those who pursue self-awareness and those who do not. Those who do not can become those who do, but it usually takes an act of disruption—even violence—to upset the status quo of self. I think we’re better off knowing ourselves than not.

Here are five reasons why:

You’re stuck with yourself, do it for you.

Face it, you’re stuck with yourself for life, so why not make the most of it? You can either go through...

A study looked at the early lives of 300 exemplary people who left indelible marks on the world. These were 300 world changers like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Gandhi, and Clara Barton. They contributed in various ways across various times and in various industries but held some things in common. What did the study find?

Among these 300 exemplary people:

• 75% were troubled by poverty, broken home or difficult parents
• 74 of 85 fiction writers and 16 of 20 poets saw...

If you hang around motivational speakers, influential teachers, and inspirational coaches long enough, you’re bound to hear something along the lines of, “Just follow your passion.” As if following your passion is all you need for everything to work out. But what if you do follow your passion and then go bust?

Like I did. Several times.

Passion can be a powerful indicator and companion in life calling, but it can also get you off track. It turns out passion is...

One of my top strengths is being committed to growth and progress in my life and others' lives. (In CliftonStrengths®, this is called Developer®). If you looked at me, you would find various ways this strength plays out, including reading books. But not just any kind of book.

I don't read e-books because e-books don't feel real to me. Reading a book is a sensory experience, like making coffee or gardening may be to others. I need to feel the book in my hands, hear the sound of...

After studying the Enneagram for two years, I’ve realized I’ve mistyped myself. This revelation didn’t happen overnight, it has been a progressive unfolding. But progressive as it has been, I’m still coming to grips with it.

And it's a bit embarrassing because to some, I'm an Enneagram teacher. Shouldn't I know my stuff? I will say more about this in the future, but I won’t say much at this point, it’s still too new.

I will say that for two years, I thought...

In our last post, we answered, “What is Psychological Safety?” and we followed it up with a webinar on the topic. During the webinar, we asked attendees to rate their current level of psychological safety at their workplace from 1-5 with 5 being the highest.

What would you say about yours?

For our webinar attendees, the average response was 3. If this was a test, the score would be 60%, a grade of D.

One of the definitions we highlighted comes from Dr. Timothy R. Clark, who says ...

How open do you feel to take a risk at work? Are you afraid that if you make a mistake you’ll be embarrassed or rejected? How much do you trust the members of your team?

According to experts, questions like these help to measure a critical aspect of a healthy workplace—psychological safety. But what is psychological safety? Let’s look at what two experts say.

In 2012, Google was curious about what made a successful team, so they created “Project Aristotle” to...

This summer I read a lot of great books on coaching, professional development, strengths, Enneagram, and spiritual growth. There was a lot that moved me. Here are 10 impactful quotes from my reading list. I resisted commenting and instead let them speak for themselves:

“Friends are people you make part of your life just because you feel like it.”

Frederick Buechner, Listening to Your Life

“Sustained success comes only when you take what’s unique about you and figure...

We had an inspiring and provocative webinar around the topic of racial equality, where we spoke with Wellness Coach Darlene Taylor about her experience as a Black woman, and how Enneagram and Strengths can help with racial equality. If you missed the webinar, here’s a link to the recording.

I’ve been reflecting on our conversation, and from my perspective, here are five provocative quotes and my takeaways from our time together:

“My daughter is mixed race, and because...