Hot Mess Hotline
Podcast conversations and straight-forward advice for
ambitious mid-level leaders who think like entrepreneurs
Get your hot-mess-fixing advice straight to your inbox.
When NOT To Have A Meeting
Today I’m talking about knowing when NOT to call a meeting. Let’s talk about why gathering the whole group together may NOT be the best idea, especially when it leads to passive-aggressive behaviors...
Let’s Go Back to School!
It’s Back To School Time! Remember going back to school as a kid? If you’re anything like me, shopping for school supplies kicked off that feeling of EXCITEMENT about preparing for the year ahead!...
Ending Workplace Violence
How to prevent workplace violence with nonviolent communication.
How to Deal with Difficult People
We call them difficult people for a reason, and it’s because their attitudes and lack of engagement in the workplace make our work more difficult. When you’ve got an employee or coworker who makes...
Celebrate Workplace Goals
Celebrate your big and small goals to keep employees motivated to change
Do What You Say You’ll Do
Friends, every day we have the chance to build a better workplace with a single, easy strategy. Do what you say you’ll do. Just that. If you want to be a Pro Troublemaker, it’s time to build trust...
Be An Innovator Today
These days, everyone talks about being an innovator. Be innovative! Bring innovation into the workplace! It’s a great business buzzword…but do you know what it really means to be an innovator? Pro...
Unify Your People
When’s the last time one of your coworkers just couldn’t stop praising another co-worker? Or went out of their way to bring others into a conversation, meeting or decision? Or thanked someone for...
Pro Troublemakers Communicate with Influence
Don’t just communicate, influence and motivate your team for success as a Pro Troublemaker #changemaker
Ask Questions. Be Flexible. Create Change.
A truly effective strategy will plan for the unexpected. You can’t stay nimble if you insist on having a firm punch list. A 90-day sprint strategy can help.
Plans Change, Here’s How to Adapt Your Strategy
We throw around the word STRATEGY a lot. (With the best intentions.) But what does it really mean for your big vision and plan? There are so many ways to accomplish your goals. So you better hone in...
What To Do When Your Vision Seems Impossible, Changemaker
Pro Troublemaker Step 3 When you want to drive change, you can’t just go with the flow. You’ve got to have a vision. And you’ve got to be bold. If your dream isn’t getting you pumped up just...
How Your Tribe Can Drive Change
Did you know that anyone can be a Pro Troublemaker? We love these geniuses! But being one yourself is even better. This week, we’re looking at Step 2 of 10 for becoming a Pro Troublemaker. (Use...
Step One for Becoming a Pro Troublemaker
You know my kind of people have the #protroublemaker mindset, right? But what does that REALLY mean? It’s about teamwork, curiosity, and growth. And it starts with taking a goo-oo-oo-d look at...
Why a Pro Troublemaker is the Best Person for Change
No one likes Negative Nelly. She’s an energy-suck in meetings, and her point of view isn’t cheering anybody on. But playing devil’s advocate doesn’t have to be a drag. There’s a better role...
How to Make Workplace Communications More Thoughtful
There’s a lot of talk about expressing gratitude nowadays. To your colleagues, this might mean saying thanks for a connection they made. Or that you appreciate how they split that awesome dessert...
The First Step to Mastering Work Life Balance
Clients keep asking me about work life balance. How do we create that flow? That sway? What’s that kind of lifestyle really look like? We all want in on that action. But it’s a personal question,...
New Year, New Commitments- Let’s Rock 2020!
Make a commitment in 2020 and follow through on what you say you’ll do!
Before You Quit, Get Yourself a Game Plan
Thinking of making a career change? You’ve got to get a game plan. After the past five years of getting to live out my dream, I’m ready to share my top advice of what I’ve learned while building my...
The World Deserves Your High-Quality Work
No more answering emails at 11pm! Our 24/7 contact culture is putting a real drain on our mental and emotional wellbeing. To give the world your best, you’ve got to give a little to yourself first....
Kickstart Creativity for Your Zoned-Out Team
Everyone is creative! It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, we’re hardwired for creative thinking. (That’s what problem solving is all about.) But sometimes, we start to lose touch with this...
When Things Feel “Off,” This is What’s Missing
All too often we find ourselves feeling tension at work. When things start feeling “off,” we need to get clear information. Analyzing problems down to their core can help teams avoid these problems....
What You Missed at Centric’s Day of Innovation
Innovation is a broad theme, but when you look closely, you can break it down to four main components. Understanding how these features impact your workplace dynamics creates fantastic results....
Your Boss is Human, Too!
Sure, you might not be best buddies with your boss, but you’ve got to remember that they’re a human being—same as you! That’s why every workplace should recognize National Boss’s Day. I’ve come up...
Do You Have a “Hell Yes!” Job?
Today we’re talking about leaving your job. That’s right—whether you’re thrilled with your work or you’ve been miserable for months, you’ve got to consider every scenario. So, how do you know when...
You Can’t Have Influence Until You Gain Insight
Good leaders know how to motivate, but great leaders understand the value of influence to rally their team. In order to do meaningful work together, you’ve got to have insight. Influential leaders...
No One Listening? Advocate for Yourself!
It’s easy to feel defeated when your ideas are getting overlooked at work. And it’s even worse if your contributions get passed off as someone else’s! When you feel like you’re hitting a wall during...
Patience in Participation—Why Some Employees Refuse to Change
Frustrations at work get communicated in a variety of ways. Ideally, it should be through a compassionate conversation, but this isn’t always the case! When employees are showing up to team meetings...
Challenging the Common Myths of Productivity
There are a couple myths surrounding productivity. First, there’s the idea that if we had more time, money, or team members, then we could get everything done. (Sorry, not true.) The second myth is...
Innovation isn’t the result you’re seeking
I just left this Centric Indiana workshop that got me all fired up about innovation. The primary speaker, Rick Roetken, is a business executive, mostly in home products (furnaces, faucets, cabinets,...
SHIFT: a new way to think about goal setting
Chances are you've heard of the very common goal-setting tool: SMAR(R)T. Strategic Measurable Actionable Relevant (and/or realistic) Timed I don't know about you, but I think setting SMART goals is...
Why Accountability Makes Us Uncomfortable
Nothing strikes terror in most people's eyes than the word, "accountability." My hunch is that we when we hear it, we think that all of our work habits, schedule, thoughts, assumptions, etc. are...
How the Enneagram Can Help You Solve More Problems
The Enneagram is a powerful personality profile that reflects the complex nature of being human. A few years ago I took the assessment and learned that I was an Achiever with a Helper wing (I'll...
What to do with your great idea
Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Lewis Carroll via the Queen of Hearts I love this quote from Alice in Wonderland because I'm an idea woman. There are...
You are awesome just the way you are.
You are awesome. Just the way you are. Today. I recently watched Trolls the movie and, sweet Jesus, did I love it. There's glitter, rainbows, singing, dancing, hugs, glitter. Did you know Trolls hug...
Manage the outcome, not just the task
People are remarkably bad at remembering long lists of goals. I learned this at a professional level when trying to get my high-performance coaching clients to stay on track; the longer their lists...
Stop wasting time and money: How to get more out of your next workshop
I love to conduct workshops. To facilitate someone else's learning by sharing my experiences, story, and quirkiness is truly one of the most fulfilling things I do. Before I ever step into a...
Feeling Guilty Stops You From Taking Responsibility
Recently I messed up. A client and I were meeting via webconference last month. I was capturing her powerful breakthroughs and a really cool action plan on a digital whiteboard. It was a 2-hour...
Why I Stopped Working with Toxic People
At one point in my personal development I found myself reading a lot about how to fix/work with/not poke in the eye toxic people. We all have those co-workers we just can't stand and have a variety...
Innovation is easier than you think.
Michelangelo said it best: Criticize by creating. I'm always fascinated by the amount of complaining that goes on in our world. No, really, I find it so intriguing! People can and will find anything...
What It Means to be a Next-Level Problem Solver
"Life, just like a design problem, is full of constraints -- time, money, age, location, and circumstances. You can't have everything, so you have to be creative to make what you want and what you...
It’s time to work harder.
On this blog I've been trying to say, "Work smarter," for the past 2 years. I've been saying, "Don't give your employer your whole life. Stop saying Yes so often. Find focus. Be productive." I heard...
How to Get More “Best Days Ever”
Have you ever thought about how your life could be different if you could live the best day ever almost every single day? It's possible, but it takes work on your part to make it happen. I wanted to...
Division vs. Integrity
This election season has been truly heartbreaking to witness. Today I saw a Facebook post where a man was wearing a t-shirt that said, "Journalist. Tree. Rope. Some assembly required." When did it...
Your Life’s Work is to Feel Alive
Our clients, colleagues, and organizations are best served by competent, passionate people who are self aware and doing impactful work. If you’re like so many, your career has taken many unexpected...
10 Minutes Every Hour Could Transform Your Day
Sounds counter intuitive, doesn't it? Take a break to get more done? But you don't understand, Stefanie, I have soooooooo much to do. I barely have time to run to the restroom. Choosing work over...
How to Finally Feel Like You’re Doing Enough
One of the great equalizers among humans (besides the fact that we're all human!) is that we all have 168 hours each week: from the CEO to the receptionist to the computer programmer to the case...
Do You Celebrate Others’ Superpowers?
One of my most treasured pieces of feedback was when a colleague said, "Wow, Stefanie, you're a really good problem solver." We were working at her desk troubleshooting a weird technology problem...
Do you struggle to be yourself?
I have a happy dance. It was invented in an IU dorm room with my friend, Sally, when I was 19. I use it to celebrate occasions of all kinds: great news, good news, not-so-bad news, when my client...
3 Steps to Make Sure Your Team is Solving the Same Problem
Raise your hand if this has happened to you. You and your co-workers have a meeting to discuss a new project that's part of your strategic plan. The meeting runs over 15 minutes and you each leave...
Another F-Word to Use Instead of Feedback
Receiving feedback usually gets me a little nervous. I find myself uneasy, embarrassed, and sometimes even feeling ashamed of my work. I'm not alone. I've heard from many others that feedback often...
How to Unplug and Find Focus
Have you ever thought about your process for intentionally disconnecting from work? I remember when I used to commute thirty minutes each way. My thoughts on the drive to work were about work. And...
“Doing more with less” often means burnout
Helping until it hurts isn't helping. It's martyrdom. Nonprofit employees are a mission-driven bunch and sometimes help until it hurts, often doing this work at the expense of our families, health...
What to do when everything is going wrong
Let me recap my past month for you: I had bronchitis. In July. I fell off my bike and broke my arm. I walked around for a week with a broken arm before going to the doctor. (I have a couple...
Don’t let your professional development go to waste this year.
We do-gooders are great at doing good, which usually also means being constantly active. What we're not so great at is renewing our spirit and taking breaks to avoid compassion fatigue -- that...
What No One Tells You about Working from Home
Telecommuting and schedule flexibility are all the rage these days. Gone are the days that we all must be tethered to our desk to get our work done. Yay internet! Instead more and more workplaces...
What Commitment Looks Like
A few years ago a recovering addict told me that she felt she had lost integrity with herself. She considered herself a liar because she wasn't following through on the promises she made: the...
You know you’re supposed to work out. So why don’t you?
I don't like gyms. I don't like running. I don't like paying for yoga. Crossfit looks intimidating. I equate the treadmill with being stuck in a dead-end job. Pure torture. My list of what I don't...
Managing your finances is a symptom of health.
So...I got money issues. It wasn't until I met my husband — well really until we started sharing finances — that I learned (from him!) how to manage money well. I spent what I had, didn't really...
Every Hour with a Friend Makes You Well
Psychological studies show that loneliness and isolation are more detrimental to our health than almost any physical deprivation. Babies who aren't held and talked to enough simply fail to live. For...
How a Great Career Can Lead to Wellness
So much of our identity — and our health — is wrapped up in our careers. It's one of the first things we ask others about when we meet them and it is often how we describe ourselves to others. When...
5 Areas of Health and Wealth
Up until just a few weeks ago, whenever I thought of wellness programs, I immediately thought of walking challenges, fitness goals, and less donuts in my life. I recently saw a speaker who really...
Use the new overtime rules to your advantage
While this post is very outdated, we thought the message at the end is always relevant. By assuming leadership for your time, you can be brave enough (and articulate enough) to tell your boss that...
Get Past Your Frustrations
My husband and I are becoming foster parents soon. It's been an interesting adventure in bureaucracy and self awareness. We're both super excited, but in my not-so-strong moments the self doubt...
The importance of professional development budgets
We do-gooders are great at doing good...meaning being in constant action. We're not so great at renewing our spirit, taking a break, and avoiding burnout. At the same time, our organizations aren't...
Everyone Has These 6 Needs
I love to use assessments for my own personal development and that of my clients. Especially when you're busy (helping others, building a creative business that pursues profit and purpose, etc.)...
3 Ways Celebration Can Boost Your Effectiveness for the Mission
If left unchecked, charitable work can become downright depressing. It's heartbreaking to watch someone struggle with addiction AND work to get her kids back from the child welfare system. It's...
How to Make a Difference with a Corporate Job
There seems to be a myth that the work of the nonprofit sector is reserved for "doing good" and "making a difference." Many of my nonprofiteer colleagues and myself have experienced a version of...
How to Make a Difference
It's really hard to see the needs of the world and not want to fix it all. The statistics are staggering: Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million...
How to make life less difficult
Start your day with some simple changes. We've all had those days (weeks, months) where nothing seems to go right. There are days when I feel like an awkward teenager. I can't communicate clearly....
How to Dream Big as a Do-Gooder (Part 2)
The Secret is to Become a Great Problem Solver. There are two parts to any dream worth pursuing. The first is a vision of what you really want. Or some people may describe it as a destination on a...
How to Dream Big as a Do-Gooder (Part 1)
And Make Your Dreams Come True Admittedly, this title is pretty lofty and makes a really big promise: that your dreams can come true! What I'm really describing here are those Big Hairy Audacious...
3 Steps for Dealing with Frustration in Your Charity
How to have the courage to get what you want out of life A few years ago I was leading a project at a national nonprofit where I worked and my soul threatened to leave my body. This technology...
Fundraising Effectiveness Comes Down to Clarity
Find the purple unicorn through real strategy. The fourth in a series of conversations between Jeremy Hatch, artfulfundraiser, and myself. I'm responding to his recent post, In Search of...
In Search of Philanthropic Culture. And Purple Unicorns.
The Gap of Expectations The third in a series of conversations between Jeremy Hatch, artfulfundraiser, and myself. Here he goes. . . . In her inspired call for increased organizational resources and...