Hey Reader - Tech executive Dametra Johnson-Marletti built her reputation on being a no-nonsense leader of high-performing teams. But along the way, she began to rethink the all-gas, no-brakes approach. On a podcast Dametra reflected, "You gotta be yourself. That being said, I have learned over the years to be more effective in who I am. People will say, 'This is who I am, and you can take it or leave it.' Well you know what? A lot of companies are gonna leave it today because there's 10,000...
24 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader - Recently my friend Billie was taking a walk down memory lane, reliving war stories from her jump into retail ownership. She laughed, "'I don't know what I don't know' was an understatement!" Have you had a similar year? Billie had built quite a reputation in her friends' circle for flower designs. So, owning a flower shop seemed like a natural match. There were two bonuses: She could leverage the store brand's goodwill, and she negotiated a hand-off period, where the owner would...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader - I know a guy who has a love/hate relationship with feedback. He always hates getting it, but after talking with his wife, he usually admits there's something there. Or as he laughed and confessed, "Ok—I do do that thing!" Leveling up is no simple feat. But here's why it matters: When you learn from this year's mistakes, you're creating a foundation that will not only transform where you are today, but it may just set you up for the next 5-10 years. In the November series, Pass...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader - I ran into one of the busiest, most productive people I know last week. I was on my way back from a meeting, but she was taking a walk. She grinned, "I saw the sunshine during my last call and knew I had to get out for 10 minutes." The run-in made me remember the days when bossing up meant pushing yourself to burnout. Working with intensity is inescapable, but my colleague understood an equally important principle: Sometimes even top performers need a break. In the October...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader - Several years ago, my manager tasked me with building a contract intake tool. I thought, This is a snap—I know exactly why we need it. Sure enough, I met with a developer and rattled through the long, painful background that brought us there. Jumping into building made me feel like a boss. But after listening to my 15-minute monologue, he rolled his eyes and said, "Don't automate a broken process." Ouch! In the October series, Survive Grind Mode with People Skills, we're...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader - A new word is in the lexicon: Workslop. If you haven't heard the term, Social Psychologist Kate Niederhoffer describes it as, "AI generated content that masquerades as good work, but lacks the substance to meaningfully move a task forward." Have you seen it in action? Workslop is a Cred Killer Kate Niederhoffer's idea has hit the zeitgeist, so she was flattered to see a speaking invitation in her in-box. But trouble started when she found herself reading and re-reading. She said,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader - If you haven't heard, the lock in for grind mode is on. Long days are no surprise in Silicon Valley, but the kicker is that tech bros and gals are curbing after-hours habits so they can have peak productivity. Fort co-founder Miranda Nover summed it up as, "We're doing this six days a week in-office, we're working until 9 PM, we're not drinking, we're not partying, we don't do any of that." I suppose the "work hard/play harder" approach isn't what it used to be! You may not be...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader - This month we’ve discussed how to pivot with purpose. Now that you’re on board with the concept of living on purpose, are you stumped about how to make it personal, fun, and juicy? Don’t rely on wishing and hoping. Harness AI to kickstart a blueprint filled with marketable skills. For instance: If you’re new to people skills: I’m just getting started with people skills. Give me a sample list of skills + examples so I can discover my superpower. If you’re in the middle of a job...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader - Curator Mary Savage had a simple idea: Showcase blue ribbon winners from American state fairs at the famous Smithsonian Institution. "State Fairs: Growing American Craft," which runs through September 7, 2026, features a diverse range of art, including woodworking, canning, and quilting. My personal favorite? The life-size butter cow. No kidding. You might look at some of the entries and think, Why in the world would someone devote time to that?! But here's what's interesting:...
3 months ago • 2 min read