Are You Being Led or Being Played?

Ever pause and wonder if your decisions are truly yours? Sometimes it feels like someone else is steering your choices—whether it's subtle manipulation, transparent persuasion, or the gentle pull of genuine influence.

• Manipulation: When you're tricked into decisions you never really wanted.

• Persuasion: When clear, honest reasons make you rethink your options.

• Influence: When you follow a leader whose example inspires you naturally.

The key is to recognize which one is at work. Ask yourself: Am I choosing this freely, or am I just going along with someone else's agenda?

Embrace your inner critical thinker and reclaim your power to decide!

We’ve only been logical for about… 5 minutes. (Okay, not literally, but close.)

For most of human history, we’ve made decisions based on instinct, emotion, and gut reactions. Our rational brain—the one that actually thinks things through—showed up embarrassingly late to the party.

In my latest blog, I break down:
🐘 Why our emotional brain (the elephant) still runs the show
🧑‍🎓 How logic only recently started flexing its muscles
📜 A timeline of when (and why) we actually started thinking critically

And most importantly… how to stop letting your emotional elephant drag you into bad decisions.

If you’ve ever wondered why people—including you—make irrational choices, this is a must-read.

The recent federal workforce reductions have many feeling uncertain and demotivated—a state known as "languishing." In Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down, Corey Keyes explores this phenomenon and offers insights on reclaiming well-being. Prioritizing mental health and fostering open communication are key steps to combat these feelings. Let's work together to build resilience in these challenging times.

The Hidden Price of Workplace Tension

Workplace conflict isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a massive drain on productivity, morale, and even revenue. The real problem? It’s not the disagreements themselves, but how they’re handled.

I once worked with a company where two senior leaders were locked in silent warfare. Their unresolved tension didn’t just affect them—it trickled down to their teams, creating division, miscommunication, and stalled progress. But when they engaged in a structured, science-backed conversation designed to foster trust and connection, everything shifted.

The truth is, workplace relationships don’t improve with more emails or another status meeting. They improve when people feel seen, heard, and valued.

If tension is holding your team back, it’s time to address it head-on. Let’s talk.

Pro Speaker Tip: How to Be Trusted & Unforgettable

Most presentations fail because they’re forgettable. If your audience isn’t engaged, they won’t act. And if they don’t act, your message was wasted.

The key to a great presentation? Neuroscience.

Two powerful chemicals drive audience engagement and action:

·      Dopamine – the "motivation molecule" that sparks curiosity and excitement.

·      Oxytocin – the "trust chemical" that creates connection and emotional buy-in.

If you can trigger both, your audience will be engaged, emotionally invested, and ready to take action.