It was such a privilege to speak with Anja Foerster on her podcast earlier this month.

I know Anja for over 7 years when we’ve met on an international conference in Prague, Czech Republic. We stayed in loose contact ever since.

Anja has made it her mission to empower women to reach their full potential, whatever it might be: as the CEO of a large corporation, an entrepreneur, or an employee thriving for more than just the nine to five job. 

Her podcast, She Unplugged, features women who share success stories about transformation, following their dreams, and stepping into their courage.

Anja has a gentle but direct way of questioning and I enjoyed digging deeper with her on topics such as leaving the corporate world to serve it maybe even better from outside in, what drives and motivates me and what I’ve learned from 11 high performing global leaders about dealing with fear.

You can listen to our conversation here:

https://www.anja-foerster.com/she-unplugged/ 

Or watch us on She Unplugged.

 

My client, a leader in a worldwide corporation, is grappling with authenticity.

At issue: resistance to a specific change. But it’s not the first; he’s felt the need to adjust himself many times over the years due to feedback from colleagues and peers.

“Will I still be me if I act as others tell me?” he asks. “How far can I go and still be an authentic me?”

Maybe you’re crunching through how to stay true to yourself while adapting to the avalanche of change our world is in.

Perhaps you’ve received surprising feedback as you’ve shifted to online work, which puts a different pressure on your way of communicating, negotiating, and connecting with your business partners.

Maybe, like my client, you’re feeling that same resistance to change. You fear you might be losing yourself in the required, constant adjustments.

Continue reading → Who do you want to become tomorrow? How to not lose yourself on the quest for growth and authenticity

If you live in the Czech Republic – congratulations! You and I have now managed to survive the fifth week of the hardest lockdown we’ve ever known. Maybe you live in a different part of the world and have been dealing with this situation even longer. Perhaps you’re  dealing with childcare issues, closed schools and services, or restrictions in movement and social contact to the essential minimum.

What helps you to keep going?

Continue reading → Whom will you call “kiddo”? A surprising source of inspiration and commitment during tough times

You’ve set goals for your organization, your business, your team, and, of course, yourself. Maybe you chose an aspiring revenue goal this year. Or perhaps you took on an extra program or set out to earn an MBA. You’re determined to succeed, and can’t afford the thought of failure. Think Big is your motto.

Could there be a problem with such thinking?

Continue reading → The Magic of the Number 3: Stating something three times may be a sign that you have to dig deeper

Welcome to January 2021. By now, you may be done laughing at silly New Year’s celebration videos. You may have wished your friends and colleagues “Happy New Year” and told them how you spent the season. The holiday spirit is now fizzling out, and reality is kicking in: 2021 is here. Are you ready to take on the New Year in your business with confidence?

If so, how do you proceed with a clear, realistic vision? How do you mindfully create the best possible outcomes for you and others when the world’s stage has changed so much?

Continue reading → Leap into 2021 with Confidence: 6 rituals business leaders can borrow from professional dancers

Continue reading → The Power of a Frictionless Mind. Why We Need A New Skill as We Re-Emerge from Home Offices

There is one question I frequently hear in conversations these days: How long will this pandemic last?

While no one can see the future, we seem to enjoy playing with different scenarios. It’s the human mind and its restlessness, coupled with our ability to interpret anything in a million ways, that provides for variety in our online conversations.

Have you heard any of these?

·      Nothing will be the same again.
 
·      It will be here to stay with us for a long time; we have to get used to living with the risk.
 
·      Let’s hold off until next year when the vaccine is here. Then we can go back to our lives.

As I found myself oscillating among these and other options, I wondered where the scenarios we create come from?

Continue reading → About arrows: How to be happy even during the worst hit of the pandemic

Have you ever left a meeting without getting the chance to say a word?

Maybe you were about to speak up, and just when you took a breath, a domineering colleague jumped in first. And maybe this happens to you repeatedly, shaking your confidence a little more each time.

It’s as if someone, somewhere, has pressed the mute button on you.

Continue reading → 4 types of situation when it’s right to interrupt and how to do so effectively

During my twenties, people called me ambitious, and in the post-communist environment in my little country Slovakia, where I grew up in, it felt like a swearword. The word ambition felt loaded with the expectations that I will drop my ethical and moral values, dedicate 24/7 to climbing the hierarchical ladder like a power-hungry vampire, and die alone in a big, cold villa with only my dog noticing that I am missing.

Continue reading → Don’t Cloud My Now! How to be ambitious without compromising on life.

As I write these lines, it is precisely 100 days ago that I officially worked my first day without the backing of a multinational corporation. My choice to start a business, especially during an emerging global crisis when I could have chosen a stable corporate role, has raised eyebrows.

Before you ask, let me share that I am doing well professionally, intellectually, and from the perspective of balance. Yes, every day brings a new challenge. Yet at the same time, every meeting opens the door for new opportunities and potential clients. It is an exciting time!

Despite fears around world events and a change of employment, becoming an independent consultant and coach was the right move for me.

Maybe it could be your path, too?

Although fear is a natural part of any major change, there are things you can do to make the transition feel more natural, and your fear … less fearsome!

Continue reading → 10 actions to smooth your transition from employee to entrepreneur: Things I learned while leaving corporate and launching my own consulting business