The Gift of Balance

The Gift of Balance

There’s a bluebird house on an oak tree six feet from our bedroom window. The same pair of bluebirds comes each spring to build, populate, and empty a nest in it. This past spring, their parenting process caused me to reflect on how instructive bluebird flying lessons...
The Gift of Feedback

The Gift of Feedback

Franklin Jones wisely said, “Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger.” How do you give feedback intended to fuel growth? Start by recognizing that while giving advice can surface resistance, giving...
The Gift of Advice

The Gift of Advice

Someone once asked famed college football coach turned ESPN commentator Lou Holtz what he considered to be the toughest part of his job as a coach. With his typical “aw shucks” charm, he finessed the question but ultimately communicated that one of the hardest parts...
Lessons in Protégé Power: Accepting Gifts Without Guilt

Lessons in Protégé Power: Accepting Gifts Without Guilt

Welcome to the third post in the Protégé Power series. If you missed the first two, you’ll want to catch up by reading this and this. If you’re caught up, let’s continue! When we left off from our last post, Sage was saying to you, the  protégé. . . SAGE: “Let Dale...