It Takes a Village

It Takes a Village

You are probably familiar with the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Although I’m no longer a child, I still rely on that village philosophy for achieving success in life. I can’t point to any success in my life and say that I accomplished it entirely...
Strategies for Influencing Up

Strategies for Influencing Up

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about strategies for “influencing up.” People have been seeking my insights on communicating with senior leaders confidently and influentially. So here are some tips to help. Do Your Research Learn what you can about the...
Silence Your Inner Critic

Silence Your Inner Critic

Do you have an inner critic? That negative voice inside your head that judges, criticizes, or demeans you? My inner critic says things to me like:” You might think, “Wow, that’s some pretty mean stuff there, Amy. Why would you say that to yourself?” Yet, I know I’m...
Convey Confidence Through Body Language

Convey Confidence Through Body Language

Early in my career, I worked in a male-dominated field. I wanted to lead, influence, and have a positive impact. I tried to convey confidence and authority. I wanted to have a voice and be respected for my opinions. And I discovered that my body language was working...
Are You Too Busy?

Are You Too Busy?

How many times have you told someone or thought to yourself, “I’m too busy, or I don’t have time?” I have so much work to do that I don’t have time to focus on my professional development. I’m too busy to attend that training program. I don’t have time to delegate;...
How Do You Grow Your Network?

How Do You Grow Your Network?

I recently facilitated a program for a group of young professional women that wanted to develop their networking skills using LinkedIn. How could they grow their network without coming across as a “sleazy salesperson” or a “pest” bombarding people with meeting...