Ever feel so done, depleted, and empty that you wonder if you can show up, never mind lead? Well, join the damn club. And as a member of this exclusive club, know that great leadership is…

During this time of sanitizing wipes, hands made raw from washing, and lighting many a candle, let’s take a page out of the playbook of a global team our firm has worked with for many a moon. Their success is built on a myriad of strengths which include the ability to navigate chaos with courage and wisdom, using it as a catalyst for transformation.

Yes, goodbyes are hard. The time leading up to them is often even harder as we wrestle with what is working and what is not, and the temptation to get out of dodge as quickly as possible weighs on us.

Self-care is ultimately about living well which includes not negating responsibilities and being mindful of our impact on others.

Many executives fall into the trap of continuing to do what they have always done. Starting anew means we have the chance to create new neural pathways by thinking, behaving, and speaking differently.

Telling the so-called truth is further exacerbated by the fact that talented, hard-charging, highly valued, ambitious professionals know stuff. And they want to share their experience and hard-won wisdom with others.

Last month, my team and I gathered together with an executive team whose members came from all parts of the globe for an offsite meeting. As the facilitator, I knew the time together had to be powerful, high-energy, and valuable in order to warrant three days away from the office for this group of hard-working, high-performing leaders.

Apologies are hard. And often times, quite frankly, the ones we get suck. There are blaming apologies. Excuse-laden apologies. Clueless apologies. There are few, all-in, I-get-what-an-ass-I-was apologies.

How we look at the cross is how we deal with suffering – ours and that of others. How we sit with our suffering and the suffering of those we love deepens our connection.

I’m sharing some lessons learned from the front lines of high school; wisdom that reminds us of the importance of being accountable and stepping away from self-deception that can be so comfortable:

In an era of important causes like “Me Too,” it seems there has become a war on boys, and the mixed messages we send them are damaging.

Listening Deeply creates miracles. And, first it requires a daily, if not a constant commitment to turn toward ourselves with acceptance and compassion so we can evolve.

Curiosity is a leadership super power. It is also a journey of inquiry into ourselves. It helps us to discover our essence, explore what we have been taught, strengthen what is working, and address what we can change. It is a call to wake up and evolve.

Life is messy. It has the tendency to kick the livin’ snot out of us. And sometimes, as Connected Leaders, we run out of gas. It is during these times that we need the supportive people in our lives to step in.

ing employees feel cared for is the single most powerful contributing factor to their well-being, loyalty, and performance at work. It also fosters trust, the cornerstone of effective and healthy organizations.

This time of year, many young people graduate, saying goodbye to the familiar to start a new and uncertain chapter. Graduation offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on what we have learned about ourselves.

In a world that won’t stop talking, how many of us are truly connecting? Considering our plugged-in frenzy, are we sacrificing connection for self-promotion, swipe left’s, and likes?