Have you noticed that there are bad words in business? I mean words that are innocuous in daily life, but when you dare utter them in a work context they’re practically scandalous? I’ve written before about the f-word, and today we’re going to talk about the b-word: Boundaries. The notion of saying no, drawing a line or setting a limit strikes fear in the hearts of many leaders I know. But I believe boundaries are scary because we misunderstand them. We think of them as barriers, brick walls...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
till our April Mini-Retreat: Beyond Balance Want to know if this Mini-Retreat is for you? Check out my latest post on why work/life balance isn't working: click to watch on LinkedIn Ready for more purposeful work and a more aligned life? This Friday's 90-minute Zoom Mini-Retreat will offer you deep practices—not for work/life balance, but for work/life integration. You’ll learn how to live your many roles with purpose, how to set and maintain boundaries, and why it's important to manage not...
2 months ago • 1 min read
We watch a lot of TV in House Lisanti, and it probably won’t surprise you that my favorite shows are about work, with people doing what they love (or what they tolerate), navigating complex office cultures and negotiating the role their work plays in their lives. I relish the chaos of The Bear and the competence of The Pitt. I cackle at the audacity of Succession, the hilarity of Parks & Rec, and the insanity of Severance, which gives new meaning to work/life balance. In Severance, seemingly...
3 months ago • 6 min read
Ok, I know that subject line seems a bit grandiose. But I'm not exaggerating. The other morning, I woke up with that now-familiar heaviness—you know the one—after a night of dreams filled with news headlines, social media arguments, and the desperate sense that we're coming apart at the seams. As I sat with my morning tea, trying to ground myself for my day, I reflected on the spectrum of perspectives and beliefs across my family, my community, my clients… and it dawned on me: We have so much...
4 months ago • 6 min read
If you've ever worked with a coach, you know we start by getting aligned on goals and motivation: Why do you want to develop as a leader, and why now? What do you need to achieve? How do you want to grow? What does your team need most from you? Almost invariably these days, the answer I hear in response to these questions boils down to one word: Confidence. The leaders I know want to feel more confident in their own roles (and for many, in their own skin). They want to be able to show up...
4 months ago • 3 min read
In these quiet days of late December, as the world begins to buzz with resolutions and predictions for the new year, I want to share something that has profoundly shaped my work and my life... and offer it to you. I've always been goal-oriented. Highly ambitious. Driven to succeed. Forget new year resolutions—I made entire spreadsheets of goals and tracked them meticulously over the course of a year. And then, I stopped. I'd realized two things: First, my goals were mostly making me feel...
6 months ago • 4 min read
till our December Mini-Retreat: Rest + Release You are worthy of rest… and rest isn't just self-care—it's a strategic necessity. Without intentional pause, we remain trapped in reactivity, unable to see clearly or make conscious choices. (Do you know that feeling?) Join me this Friday for a 90-minute mini-retreat designed to restore your perspective and purpose. Together, we'll practice: —Simple rest strategies you can weave into daily life —Techniques for releasing what no longer serves you...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Were you ever afraid of the dark? I was. I was convinced there were monsters hiding in the shadowy, creaky corners of my childhood home. As I grew older, I associated light spaces with safety and darkness with danger. (Though I did, at times, run toward the danger.) And I’ve seen how racism and colorism apply this light/dark binary to human beings, with devastating consequences. I’m holding all of these associations in mind as we face more forms of darkness this month: Our nights (at least up...
7 months ago • 5 min read
As we approach the end of another year, it's so easy to get caught up in the everything we haven’t done. I know I do it. Check in with yourself now: do you find yourself striving relentlessly to get it all finished, check every box, and wrap it all up… perfectly? What if, instead of rushing headlong into the end of the year, you took just 90 minutes to reflect on your progress? To honor how far you've come, rather than only focusing on how much further you still have to go? That’s the...
7 months ago • 1 min read