Resilience and Human Nature

  by Beth Masterman and Fernando Morais What if you knew you would emerge from a difficult challenge stronger, wiser, and even more resilient than before? How would you feel knowing the instant you become aware of possible disaster that the decisions you make will be the right ones? If you are a leader who […]

Executive Coaching with ‘What if?’ – Regrets, Paralysis, and the Learning Edge

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Executive Coaching with ‘What if?’ Regrets, Paralysis, and the Learning Edge by Beth Masterman, President – Masterman Executive Coaching, Inc. Alex walked into the room and sat down with a bright smile that soon faded to a look of concern. “How would you like to use our time together today?” I asked. Alex responded, “I […]

Belonging Inspires at Work and Play – Musing from My College Reunion

Setting out to I attend my 40th college reunion, the dominant feeling was anxiety-laced anticipation. Looking forward to seeing friends and familiar places I still felt unsettled.  Would people be happy to see me? Would I feel authentic joy upon seeing others? Who would I hang out with between events? While walking to registration on […]

Permission Over Presumption

A good communicator can have real and lasting impact in the workplace. This is true for leaders, team members, and between individuals when something important or difficult is to be discussed. We know through personal experience that when we speak with others, our intentions and message can be received and interpreted in as many ways […]

If You Want to be Trusted, Be A Bull

CoAuthored by:   Beth Masterman, MastermanCoaching.com and Chris Murphy, ScalliMurphy.com Knowing how to create and keep great client relationships is key to a successful business. Trust is the strongest link in the relationship value-chain and it is easier to break than to forge. Some people trust more readily than others, but we all scan for […]

Are You Job Hopping Or Seeking Professional Development?

If your resume or personal story leads potential employers to label you a “job hopper,” it’s not a good thing. In 2014, a report was released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that between 1998-2011, individuals between the ages of 18-26 held an average of six jobs for men and 6.3 jobs for women. […]

Enlightenment

When was the last time you were enlightened? Have you noticed how the intensity can vary from insight to rapture to genius? When greater understanding or resolution of a lingering question presents itself, do you liven up and pause to grasp it? A fresh idea, or simply re-understanding what we thought we knew, can bring transformative feelings of […]

Note to Self: “You Are Not In Prison”

It is a beautiful Friday summer afternoon and you have had a long, challenging, deadline driven workweek. There is one more assignment to go before your weekend will begin with a date at 7:30 pm. Your boss has twice reviewed the document due next week, edited it, and asked for additions and deletions. One more […]

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes: Why We Hang On To What We Know

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes [1] David Bowie’s song “Changes” has a celebrated stutter, Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes while he wonders “I still don’t know what I was waiting for…”   The song strikes a personal chord for many listeners because in the period of time it takes to utter those halting four syllables (ch-ch-ch-ch), individuals and organizations will react with shock then paralysis or cautious […]

Deflategate: The Need for Certainty and Trust in Delegation

Certainty is comforting. It feels good to know what is right and what is wrong. Certainty builds confidence because with it, consequences are predictable, expectations and boundaries are clear, and certainty brings peace of mind by providing order to our experience of the world. Certainty can also be overused and morph into inflexibility and an […]