October 31st, 2017 by Kelly Kienzle
So often we think we must do both. We believe we must slow down and appreciate what we have. Yet we also want to believe in and pursue our dreams. But does pursuing a dream mean that we are unhappy or dissatisfied with the present? On…
August 29th, 2016 by Kelly Kienzle
Sometimes after we’ve been in a role for a while, we are no longer happy. We go through our work almost blindly and do not need to exert much intellectual energy to fulfill our responsibilities satisfactorily. Sometimes we can even be performing above average, but doing…
December 14th, 2015 by Kelly Kienzle
Earning someone’s respect is different from making them feel good. I realized recently I have been equating these two intentions. I have been assuming that if I make someone feel good, then they will respect me. My approach has some merit to it: If people associate…
October 31st, 2015 by Kelly Kienzle
Buddhists believe that false refuge is where we go when we feel terrible and hope to feel better. We think we will find refuge there, but then we don’t actually feel better afterwards. In fact, we may even feel worse. Blowing up an afternoon by eating…
March 26th, 2015 by Kelly Kienzle
“I can read people.” I have recently (very recently) begun to think that is one of the more dangerous sentences we can say about ourselves. I had always thought proudly of this skill of mine. Yet when I began coaching and learned how to suspend assumptions…
January 16th, 2015 by Kelly Kienzle
Every January for the last 3 years, I have set aside one weekday to hold an all-day retreat for Open Circle Coaching. It’s a smallish affair. And one that I likely value more than any other event of the year. I do it because I want…
April 3rd, 2014 by Kelly Kienzle
A Deliberately Developmental Organization (DDO) is, on the surface, some people’s worst nightmare. This strategy states that colleagues should be fully transparent about their greatest weaknesses, explicitly state what their developmental goals are, and constantly be working towards achieving them. Ouch. Yet underneath this strategy can…
November 8th, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle
Don’t you wish that you could feel just a little calmer? What is that elusive “thing” that would help you feel more engaged and at peace? How do you put just a little more joy in your work life? Try “Thank You Fridays.” “Thank you Fridays”…
July 3rd, 2013 by Kelly Kienzle
“If everything depends on context, how can you still have principles?” This is a question asked of Sonia Sotomayor, as described in her autobiography, “My Beloved World”. This question is asked of her in high school, when she is accused of arguing from multiple viewpoints, always…
October 5th, 2012 by Kelly Kienzle
What if you were to forgive yourself once every day? What if you allowed yourself to make at least one mistake for which you would not beat yourself up? What if you held yourself to the same reasonable standard that you hold others? Here’s the scenario: …