Hey Reader,

Can I give you a little wake up call, if I do it with love?

You have a very important choice to make right now.

See, you probably came back that first Monday in January with a vision for what you wanted to get done at work:

• Launching that critical project
• Building an important relationship
• Finally getting your team operating at the level you know they can

You were riding high on the promise of it all.

Then reality hit.

You've had your first frustrating meetings of the year.

The conversation you wanted to have with your boss hasn't happened yet or didn't go the way you hoped.

You're getting bogged down in the minutiae and same old fires.

The hope and careful planning is already fading because you're back in your imperfect workplace with imperfect people.

So back to that choice you need to make...

Option A:

You can let the current keep carrying you away. Blink and it's July. Then October.

You can keep reacting to whatever lands in your inbox.

You'll drift further from getting your ideas heard. Further from the version of yourself you were so clear about a few weeks ago.

Or Option B:

You recognize this moment for what it is — the point where most people quietly give up on what they said they wanted — and you decide to do something different.

You stop waiting for the "right time" to advocate for yourself.

You get proactive about the relationships and conversations that you need to have.

You take back control before the year takes it from you.

If Option B sounds like you, here's where to start:

NEW EPISODE: The New Rules of Workplace Influence

There are four invisible shifts in how people behave at work and how organizations operate that have fundamentally altered how you gain trust, credibility, and respect.
​
What You’ll Discover:

▪️ What researchers call the "charisma zone" and how to embody it

▪️ The secret to job security when layoffs are high and priorities change daily

▪️ How AI has completely changed what decision-makers use to assess your true capability

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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More ‘Ridiculously Useful’ Resources

Power is NOT a dirty word

And in this piece for CNBC, I share 5 specific behaviors you can do today to be taken more seriously, get your ideas approved, and become someone leadership seeks out — even if you’re introverted, still working your way up the ladder, or new to your industry.

​→ Read the article​

Coach your leaders to manage up more

I joined the Future of HR podcast to share how to coach your people through scenarios you probably see constantly: the chronic people-pleaser headed for burnout, the manager who needs to give superiors tough feedback but doesn't know how, the rising star who is afraid to ask for a skip-level and more.

​→ Listen now​

Random but very handy

My iPhone camera roll was a disaster. Someone would ask for a photo of my home or my cats and I'd spend five minutes scrolling through screenshots and random receipts trying to find it. I stumbled across an app called Slidebox and I LOVE it. You swipe through photos like a dating app — keep, delete, or sort into albums. No affiliation, just really enjoy it!

​​→ Check it out​

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FREE EVENT NEXT WEEK: Managing Up & Down in the Age of AI

Relationships matter more than ever.

How you build trust and influence with your team and direct reports, but also up the chain of command with your superiors, determines your success and your level of satisfaction at work.

That's why on Tuesday February 3rd at 3pm ET I'm hosting a free event with Erica Keswin, author of Bring Your Human to Work, The Retention Revolution, and Rituals Roadmap.

It's called: Managing Up & Down in the Age of AI​

We'll be in conversation about the nuanced skills and strategies today’s best leaders are using to stand out in our AI-enabled world…

Where everything happens at lightning speed and people are more disconnected and stressed than ever.

A replay will be sent to those who register.

​--> RSVP here​

Talk soon,