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Letters from the editor

Looking Back, Looking Forward: Your Year-End Reflection Guide

At the end of each year, I always invite you to join me in reflecting on the past 12 months and setting intentions for the coming year. This is a valuable exercise, and I find it especially meaningful because we do it as a community.

I invite you to carve out a few quiet moments (even 10 minutes will do) to reflect on 2024. Grab a pen and paper – while digital notes work, too, there's something powerful about putting pen to paper that helps embed these insights more deeply. Don't aim for perfection; just capture your honest thoughts as they arise.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

1. What Did You Learn About Yourself as a Leader in 2024?

In a year marked by continued uncertainty and change, what did you observe about your leadership style and approach? What patterns emerged in how you navigated challenges and opportunities? This year, I have really emphasized clarity and efficiency. As a team, we have created more space for higher-impact work and have streamlined, standardized, and automated a lot.

2. What Leadership Lessons Did Others Model for You?

Our growth often comes through watching and learning from those around us. What leadership qualities inspired you this year? What approaches made you think differently about your own style? I’ve had a lot of “real” conversations this year and see the power of showing vulnerability. When people can admit that they are stuck, it gives others the opportunity to step in, give support, and build stronger relationships with them.

3. What Will You Carry Forward into 2025?

Which accomplishments are you most proud of, and what enabled those successes? What strategies, mindsets or practices served you well? How can you put them into play more deliberately in 2025? I am so proud of what our team has accomplished this year. We had four implementations of New Lens with huge/Fortune 100 companies, we were on Bloomberg, and New Lens and Newberry Solutions got some big awards. That takes teamwork, passion, and commitment.

4. What Are You Ready to Leave Behind?

What limiting beliefs, concerns or approaches no longer serve you? What lessons from setbacks or challenges will help inform better choices ahead? We did a lot of experimentation in 2024 to help inform our go-forward approach. It was tiring and I’m ready to leave that fatigue behind. We’ve distilled some good lessons. Now, it’s time to focus on amplifying what worked and bring more ease and fun into 2025.

What insights came up for you as you answered these questions? Did anything surprise you? On my LinkedIn page, you can join the conversation about this year-end reflection.

How Can We Support You in 2025?

This marks our final article of 2024, but we'll return in January with fresh insights on leadership development. If you're planning for 2025, remember that Newberry Solutions is here to help. Our work with organizations across industries gives us unique insight into the trends and challenges leaders are facing. Whether through our New Lens® platform or other services, we'd love to explore how we can support your goals.

I'm deeply grateful for this community and the privilege of being part of your leadership journey this year. From all of us at Newberry Solutions, we wish you a peaceful holiday season and an inspiring start to 2025.

Finding Joy, Connection, and Purpose: A Thanksgiving Reflection

As Thanksgiving approaches, I can’t help but think about the twists and turns of the journey and what I am grateful for.  Three things truly stand out from 2024:

1. Reconnecting to Joy

In January, I chose "joy" as my theme word for the year. I’ll be honest. This one got lost for a few months. As I’ve been getting to the other side of some family loss and a few other bumps in the road, joy has finally reentered the picture.  Paris, Montreal, Colorado, and my son starting college were some highlights from the first eight months. But my favorite image of joy was this picture from a hike in Sedona last month. If that doesn’t ooze joy, I don’t know what does.

In the final weeks of 2024, please think about your original intentions for the year and identify one small step to get or stay in sync with it.

2. My Circle of Support

As I and others have gone through tough times this year, I have reflected about my inner circle of friends and family. Their support has truly been a blessing and I am grateful that I’ve had the chance to give them support too. I doubt that life will slow down, so please live yours with intention and carve out time to connect with the people who matter most.

3. Impact Through Meaningful Work

What an unbelievable privilege it is to contribute to others' success. Each of us at Newberry Solutions are incredibly passionate about the impact we want to have, through our focus on leadership development and nonprofit board service.  I am truly thankful that three global multi-billion dollar companies and a university system implemented our New Lens® learning platform this year, allowing us to put leadership development strategies and tools in the hands of more people who need it. The results have been incredible and we can’t wait to do even more in 2025.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Thank you for your unwavering trust in Newberry Solutions over the past 16 years.  We are always here to support you with insights, advice, and thought leadership. As you plan for 2025, please reach out to us.  

Reflecting on a Busy 2024

As you read this, I’m in Las Vegas for the Ascend Convention. I’m so excited to speak to this group that supports and develops leaders from the AAPI community. I’m also feeling gratitude for all of the milestones and memorable moments so far in 2024.  

If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I always advocate taking a moment to slow down, reflect and celebrate your successes. So that’s what I want to do today. I hope you’ll also consider sharing your big moments of 2024 in our LinkedIn community. Let’s share some virtual high fives!

Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay

New Lens® Updates

Our New Lens learning platform continues to evolve. We just released some new features in response to client suggestions and we’ve totally updated the content for the Build Leadership Courage and Resilience core strategy. We’re getting consistently positive feedback from our client companies about how New Lens is making an impact for them — and nothing makes us happier! If your organization needs a scalable and affordable leadership development solution, you can set up a demo to learn more about New Lens.

Our Contributions to Forbes and Fast Company

A big part of our mission is expanding access to the leadership development strategies that have helped 75% of our clients get promoted. One way we do that is through regular contributions to Forbes and Fast Company. If you’ve missed any of our 2024 articles, here’s a quick roundup:

If you missed my interview for the “Negotiate Anything” podcast with Kwame Christian, check it out. Listen for some advice on authentic self-advocacy as a strategy for getting promoted, or read highlights of our conversation in Kwame’s article for Forbes.

Thought Leadership

  • We’ve been busy here creating resources to better serve your needs. Our white paper "3 Key Challenges for Managers" was inspired by a clear trend we’ve seen emerge: Managers are more important than ever to organizations. But they’re also at high risk of burnout and disengagement.

Honors and Recognition

  • We are still basking in the glow of burnt orange! Newberry Solutions was honored with the #67 spot on The Longhorn 100, which recognizes the top 100 fastest-growing The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn-led companies in the world.

 Speaking Engagements

  • As an advocate for women, I loved speaking again at the D CEO Women's Leadership Symposium. There was such incredible energy in the room as we talked about topics like ambition, networking and career transitions. I spoke during the opening panel discussion, “Empowering Women: Overcoming Obstacles and Adapting to a New Era of Opportunity.” 

  • I was also part of a panel discussion presented by ICF North Texas Charter Chapter. The topic was “Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Insights from Master Certified Coaches.”

  •  For International Women’s Day, I delivered a keynote for the India Association of North Texas. Top takeaway: Notice the value of your own experiences and own and amplify what makes you unique.

Interested in having me speak? You can learn more on my website.

Other Notable Updates

  • I’m excited to be admitted as a new member of The Dallas Assembly, which has a powerful mission and impressive members (business, civic, nonprofit) that align with it. 

  • Parlez-vous français? My French improved after an incredible trip to Paris with 40 fellow members of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Tocqueville Society — philanthropists, leaders and changemakers. We were hosted by descendants of the Tocqueville family, and the trip included carefully curated experiences to foster relationships, learn from each other, share ideas on how to amplify philanthropy, and discuss challenges to democracy.

  • I’m also proud to be on the board of Texas Women’s Foundation, which hosted a Leadership Forum & Award Celebration featuring journalist Deborah Roberts as keynote.

  • I’m also joining the board of Big Thought, which is making a huge difference for youth in our community.

  • As always, serving as a mentor for the Dallas Business Journal's Mentoring Monday was a blast. It’s amazing how much advice you can pack into seven-minute sessions. And it’s always fun to see women in the community that I admire who are taking time out of their busy schedules to mentor others. 

  • I was excited to be back at Deloitte for the Ascend North Texas ERG Forum and a discussion on the Power of Allyship. Thanks to all the speakers for investing your time for and to Deloitte for hosting the event.

What’s Coming Up

Our schedule is just as exciting for the second half of 2024:

  • I’m moving my son to college in a couple of weeks, and am so proud of him!

  • Keep an eye out for our next webinar on September 13, 2024 and white paper.

  • I have an upcoming major media appearance I can’t wait to tell you more about!

Amid all the busyness, I’m keeping in mind my theme word for 2024: Joy. I feel joy when I look back on these milestones, think about our incredible team, and dedicated people coming together to make a difference for others. 

Here’s to more joy and success in the rest of 2024!

3 Key Challenges Managers At Top Organizations Are Facing: White Paper

At Newberry Solutions, we collaborate with some of the world's most successful companies. Our work gives us a firsthand perspective on the challenges that organizations are currently grappling with and how effectively they are tackling these challenges.

Across diverse industries, a clear trend has come to the forefront. The role of managers has become more pivotal than ever in guiding organizations through issues like workplace disruptions, the transition to hybrid work, and the cumulative impact of years of change and stress.

If you think that sounds like a lot of pressure on managers, you are absolutely right. Amid all of these new expectations, managers are more susceptible to burnout compared with both higher-level leaders and individual contributors. The stark truth is that the very people your company relies on right now are at a heightened risk of disengagement or even departure.

These trends prompted the creation of our special report, "3 Key Challenges for Managers." Our goals are to provide insight into the demands placed on managers, along with advice on giving managers the support they need to navigate these challenges. Here’s just a sampling of what this white paper covers:

  • How the 305,000+ layoffs that happened in 2023 have affected teams and managers.

  • The emerging gap between organizations and employees in their support for DEI initiatives.

  • How hybrid work is changing managers’ jobs.

  • The burnout crisis among managers.

  • Proven strategies to help your managers thrive.

We are eager to hear your thoughts and questions, so feel free to tag me in your LinkedIn posts about this report or reach out via email at info@newlensleadership.com. At the core of everything we do lies the passionate belief that leaders can change the world when their full potential is nurtured. This white paper is designed to empower you to do just that.

Get access to  "3 Key Challenges for Managers."

Finding Your Theme Word for 2024: Join the Challenge

As we embark on the fresh canvas of 2024, I invite you to join me in a thought-provoking and potentially transformative challenge: choosing your theme word for the year. This isn't just any word, but a guiding star that encapsulates your hopes, ambitions and what you want to cultivate more of in your life. I find this activity much more impactful than setting resolutions for the year.

My chosen word for 2024 is "Joy." This simple yet profound word holds a special meaning and a promise to myself. It's a commitment to making time for things that truly bring me happiness, an oath to steer clear of activities that drain my joy, and a dedication to spreading joy to others.

Why Choose a Theme Word?

A theme word acts as a compass throughout the year, guiding your decisions, influencing your reactions and shaping your experiences. It's more than a resolution; it's a mindset that permeates every aspect of life. The beauty of this concept lies in its simplicity and adaptability.

 Why ‘Joy’?

1. Making Time for Joy: In the hustle of daily life, it's easy to neglect what makes us truly happy. This year, I'm committed to carving out time for activities that light up my soul. Whether it's enjoying time being active in nature, listening to live music, or spending time with friends and family, I'm making joy a priority.

2. Doing Less of What Takes Away Joy: Equally important is the conscious effort to reduce activities that sap my happiness. This might mean setting boundaries, saying no to overcommitments or stepping away from draining people or experiences.

3. Sharing Joy with Others: Joy is contagious. By embodying joy, I aim to be a source of positive energy and inspiration for people around me. Whether through acts of kindness, being a supportive friend or simply smiling at a stranger, spreading joy can make a world of difference.

How to Choose Your Word

1. Reflect: Think about what you want more of in your life. Is it peace, adventure, growth, balance or something else?

2. Visualize: Imagine how your life would look if it were shaped by this word. How does it make you feel?

3. Test: Say it out loud; write it down. Does it resonate with you?

4. Commit: Once you've chosen your word, embrace it fully. Let it guide your choices and actions throughout the year.

Join the Challenge

I encourage you to share your theme word with friends, family and on social media. Let's inspire each other and create a community of individuals striving towards our chosen themes. What will your word be? Adventure? Resilience? Love? Creativity?

Remember, there's no right or wrong choice. It's about what speaks to your heart and aligns with your aspirations for 2024. 

Let's make 2024 a year of intentional living, guided by our theme words. May your word lead you to unexplored paths and a year filled with exactly what you wish for.

Tap into the Power of Gratitude

As Thanksgiving draws near, it's a wonderful time to pause and reflect on this year's journey. 

Sometimes in the rush toward our next objectives, we might overlook the importance of celebrating our successes. This season, I encourage us all to take a step back and appreciate important milestones and positive experiences.

Image by Deborah Hudson from Pixabay

Acknowledging and being thankful for what is going well in our lives isn't just a feel-good exercise; it's a powerful catalyst for continuous growth and success. In this spirit, at Newberry Solutions, we've taken a moment to pause and reflect. Here are some things we are particularly thankful for:

Our clients. Their passion for and dedication to leadership development inspires us daily. We deeply value their trust and partnership — and their feedback, which led to us being recognized as an Inc. Power Partner this year.

Our support network. The people who have consistently supported us over the years have been the key to this company’s 15 years of success. We’re so fortunate to have them in our corner as a constant source of inspiration.

Our community. We're grateful that this year has brought us many opportunities to join with others through nonprofit organizations and other initiatives to make a real difference in the community in which we live and work.

Our platform. We have made great strides in our commitment to democratizing access to leadership development:

Time and space. Personally, I am so thankful for the moments that have allowed me to recharge and reconnect with what truly matters. That has included hiking in Sedona and Whistler, adventures in Turks & Caicos, and celebrating several college admissions with my son.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I invite you to join me in reflecting. 

  • What are you grateful for right now, personally and professionally?  

  • What experiences have enriched your year, even if they were challenging ones? 

  • Who do you want to express gratitude to as Thanksgiving approaches?

At Newberry Solutions, we're committed to your success through New Lens and other resources, and always in your corner cheering you on. Let's embrace this season of thanksgiving with a heart full of appreciation and commitment to make a positive impact.

Meet Our Micro Summit Speakers

I am thrilled to have four incredible business and HR leaders speak at our Micro Summit: 4 Core Leadership Strategies for Success, which is just one month away.

It is not easy to get on their calendars, let alone have all four speaking at one event! They have so much collective leadership insight to share, and we’re going to tap into it through conversations about core strategies that drive high performance. 

The design of the summit is all micro, modeled after our New Lens app, so that you can fit it into your schedule and get the most value from the event. 

In just a couple of hours, this virtual event will give you valuable, actionable strategies for success.

Let me introduce you to our incredible lineup of powerful, hand-picked senior leaders from top companies:

  • Tina Bigalke is Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at PepsiCo. Her work focuses on increasing diverse representation, empowering courageous conversations and investing strategically in communities. Tina leads the development of programs and partnerships that drive diversity, inclusion and engagement as part of the business strategy, as well as internally and externally. This includes PepsiCo’s commitment to racial equality and gender parity. Tina is a 20-year PepsiCo veteran. Prior to her current role, Tina was Senior Vice President, Commercial Human Resources for PepsiCo Foods North America division, where she shaped strategy for customer sales, marketing and transformation. 

  • Mark Benton is Vice President of HR Corporate Functions at McKesson Corp. In this role, he partners with executive leaders to identify simple, yet effective ways to implement talent strategies that accelerate employee development and drive engagement and culture within the organization. With over 28 years in the HR/Talent space, Mark has a reputation for balancing straight talk with humor and empathy. He has used this approach to partner with hundreds of leaders at all levels to link business strategy to people-focused solutions.  

  • Michol Ecklund is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Callon Petroleum Company. She oversees the legal, sustainability and human resources activities of the company. Since joining Callon in 2017, Michol has supported the company’s growth through a series of corporate- and asset-acquisitions, resulting in 500% production growth and doubling of the employee base. Before joining Callon, Michol was Deputy General Counsel for Operations & Commercial Law at Marathon Oil Company. During her 15 years at Marathon Oil, she served in progressive positions within and outside the law organization including compliance, litigation, human resources, investor relations, corporate communications and tax. She began her legal career at Baker Botts LLP.

  • Hilda Galvan is Partner-in-Charge at Jones Day Dallas. A nationally recognized trial lawyer, Hilda has been recognized as one of DFW's Top Defense Attorneys. She was also named 2019 Lawyer of the Year: Litigation-Patent by “The Best Lawyers in America.” Hilda has served as lead counsel in the enforcement of patent portfolios as well as defense of infringement allegations. Her cases have involved various technologies, including electronics, software wireless communication and semiconductor processes.

I’m looking forward to the insights each speaker will share. Want to join us for this event? The Micro Summit happens Wednesday, October 25, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT. Reserve your spot now. Know others at your company who might be interested? Please share the registration link with them.

Turning Our POWER into Action

How can you claim your personal power and put it into action? That was the question at the heart of Orchid Giving Circle’s annual POWER Leadership Forum earlier this month.

I was very honored to emcee and work with the planning committee to design this event for an organization I’m passionate about. Hosted and supported by Texas Women’s Foundation, OGC raises funds to support nonprofits serving the North Texas Asian community. The POWER Forum’s purpose is twofold. It advances OGC’s philanthropy. At the same time, the event develops and connects leaders within this community. POWER Forum 2023 succeeded in both of these missions. I came away inspired and energized, so I wanted to share with you some of my key takeaways.

Learning and Connection

The POWER Leadership Forum featured a high-caliber lineup of speakers. These AAPI women executives delivered insights on topics like confidence, purpose, imposter syndrome and being a “first” or an “only.” For those of us in the audience, hearing executives talk about issues that we have faced as well created a greater sense of connection and openness.

The speakers’ words left me thinking about questions like these:

  • How can we better recognize the power that we have?

  • When things don’t go our way, what roles do we take on (victim, aggressor, etc.)?

  • As leaders, how can we better educate others about identifying their power and using it as a resource?

I also appreciated the chance to talk in small groups about the advice and stories we heard in the presentations and how to apply it to our own lives. To keep the momentum and learning going after the event, POWER Forum attendees received a subscription to Newberry Solutions' award-winning New Lens® app. New Lens® makes learning digestible through bite-sized lessons and small action steps to enhance your impact as a leader.

Coming Together for Change

In addition to providing inspirational content, this OGC event also drove home the power of people identifying a need and then coming together to address that need. In this case, the need was for more philanthropic dollars earmarked for the AAPI community. (Currently, only 0.4 percent of all U.S. philanthropic dollars go to Asian Americans.)

All of us members of Orchid Giving Circle are so grateful to the sponsors who joined with us to make this year’s POWER Forum a success. I’m proud to say that Newberry Solutions was a presenting sponsor and that several of our client organizations also backed this event. It was amazing to collaborate with them, especially Frito-Lay who generously hosted us at their beautiful campus.

This week, I encourage you to think about the power that you have, how you might use it and how you can amplify your power by joining with others. The New Lens app can be a valuable resource as you consider these questions. Schedule your demo now. I also invite you to learn more about Orchid Giving Circle and how to support our work.

Are You Tired of Being Strong?

Over the years, people have consistently told me how strong I am. It’s always left me wondering, “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

Well, let’s just say it’s a mixed bag. Being strong and capable has served me well but, at times, has been a huge point of frustration. Today I want to share a little of my personal journey because I know some of you strong, reliable, “never-let-a-ball-drop” women may be going through something similar. 

Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash

On the positive side, being strong and capable has helped me work through tough situations, take risks, go for what matters to me and show that I bring something valuable to the table. On the negative side, I regularly feel the weight of life and the fatigue that comes with always being strong and being the person that everyone can count on.  

Wouldn’t it be nice if life were a bit easier?  

Well, I’ve decided that it has to be easier. So I’ve been working to better understand my own role in creating this situation. 

My biggest epiphany was realizing how much I have been tolerating for years, without anyone really knowing that I have been – including me. It’s amazing the insight you gain when you truly start opening yourself up to the possibility that there’s something you really need to see, learn or do differently to move forward.  

As I began to seek new information, I noticed my recurring fatigue and pain. This led me to ask, “What am I missing? What do I need to learn?” From these questions, I began to see the physical and emotional signs that I had been ignoring for years. Maybe you have some, too? 

Whether you realize it or not, these signs hold invaluable insight. What chronic or recurring aches and pains do you have in your body, whether it’s back pain, headaches or something from an injury? How often do you find yourself surprised by the magnitude of your reaction to certain types of situations? The signs are all around us, but are you noticing or ignoring yours? And what are they telling you?

As I started on this journey, I enrolled in a somatic coaching class. This type of coaching is all about giving you access to your full intelligence — intellectual, emotional and physical. In Western society, we often over-emphasize intellect and ignore the rest. So I want to encourage you to get in tune with your body. It holds more wisdom than you realize. Somatic coaching has been very powerful for me personally and as I help others move past roadblocks with this approach.

For those of you running around out there in back-to-back meetings or activities in the flurry of life, start by just taking five minutes a day to simply pause and notice. How are you feeling emotionally? How does your body feel? Where does it hurt? What does all of this tell you? What do you need right now?

For me, guided meditations have become a good way to reflect. As a very physically active person, taking the traditional approach to meditation by sitting still was really hard. So I had to start by doing it my way – listening while I’m running outside. That approach has worked well, but I have also come to realize the power of just being and breathing. I don’t meditate that way very often but when I do, it’s powerful. Today was one of those days. 

Here are the words that came up for me in the silence. I think they may resonate with you:

Lighten the load.

Let go of the burden.

You are loved and cared for anyway.

Bring playfulness back into your life.

Just play.

Enjoy life.

So, today, I want to challenge all of you women running around out there over-delivering and wondering how you can keep this up, or if you even want to. Yes, I’m talking to those of you who are taking care of everyone else before you take care of yourself or tolerating less than you deserve. Lighten your load. Do something for yourself today. You deserve it. Nothing is going to fall apart. You’ve already made sure of that.

And I’m right here in your corner, cheering you on.

Your Theme Words for 2023

Earlier this month, I shared with you my theme word for 2023: fun! And I’m having a lot of fun hearing about your 2023 theme words. I love the variety and the inspiration I’m finding in all of your thoughtful intentions.

Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay

If you’ve chosen your theme word, keep the momentum going by choosing the one or two next actions you will take to bring your theme to life. Remember, you don’t have to figure out the whole year at once. Trying to do so just ends up being overwhelming. Once you complete those first couple of steps, then you can identify a couple more.

If you haven’t chosen a theme word for 2023 yet, it’s not too late to set the tone for the rest of the year. Maybe the responses here will spark an idea for you. (You can also still share your 2023 theme word with me and other members of the Newberry Executive Solutions community.)

My theme word of this year is grace. I’m going to work at going out of my way to give compassion, kindness and love throughout 2023.

  • Susan Asimakis

Joyful! I want to have a joyful life and do things that bring me joy. When I do things that bring me joy, I attract joy. Joyful!

  • Nicole DiRocco

Emerge.

– Yvonne Evers

My theme word for the year is opportunity. I want to open myself to all the possibilities in life and work. I want to do things differently than I have before and see every risk as a reward.

  • Jeannie Gardner

I so love this exercise. I've chosen a word for the last several years. And this year, it's actually an acronym: #THINK2023. I want to think more so that my responses are:

Thoughtful
Helpful
Inspiring
Nice
Kind

— Renee Hansen

Mine is growth. Keeping a growth mindset in terms of new opportunities, personal development, building new relationships, turning lemons into lemonade. Here's to growth for all in 2023!

  • Sally Siegel

Mine is gratitude.

  • Beth Spinda

My word is investment: putting in the work now and seeing benefits later.

— Amina Thomas

Together, we can turn our intentions for 2023 into reality. As always, we’re here to support you with Newberry Executive Solutions’ services and self-paced tools. Our newest solution, the award-winning New Lens app, integrates the essential elements of a successful leadership development program for today’s workplace. New Lens draws on decades of in-the-field learning working with business leaders, a track record of success helping over 75% of our clients get promoted, and an approach that is affordable, scalable and customizable. We would love to see if it can help you. Schedule a demo now.

New Lens Video Series: My Theme Word for 2023 Is…

Every January, I come up with a theme word for the year ahead. I find that a theme word is easier than a resolution and tends to have a lot more staying power.

 

It didn’t take long to select my theme word for 2023. Watch this video to find out what my word is and why I chose it. After you watch, I’d love to hear what your theme word is for the new year. Just join the conversation on my LinkedIn page. We can all motivate each other to set powerful intentions and live by them in 2023.

 

Need some inspiration for choosing your theme word? Check out last year’s discussion in our LinkedIn community. This was one of my favorite online conversations with you in 2022, and I’m looking forward to hearing what you have planned for 2023.

4 Questions to Close the Year

This blog has a holiday season tradition. At the end of each year, I share a few questions that will help you reflect on the past 12 months and look forward to the next 12. I do this exercise myself every year because it yields big insights from a very small investment of time. I’ve heard from both my coaching clients and readers of this blog that they also build a lot of forward momentum through these end-of-year questions.

Photo by Tim Hüfner on Unsplash

If you’ve done this exercise before, you probably remember the drill. If not, all you will need are a few distraction-free minutes (as little as 10 should do the job) and a pen and paper. (Yes, you can use your computer if you want, but you'll get the most out of this exercise if you write your answers out by hand.) Don’t overthink. Just write down the first things that come to mind for you. There’s a lot of value that comes from just slowing down and listening to your thoughts.

Ready to get started?

1. What Did You Learn About Your Leadership in 2022?

This year put many of us to the test as we coped with the Great Resignation and the impact of a challenging economy. What did you observe about yourself as a leader in 2022? What themes or patterns do you see?

2. What Did You Learn from Other Leaders?

You can learn a lot about the kind of leader you want to be, and the kind you don't want to be, from the other leaders around you. What did you learn from the leaders around you from the way that they prioritized, brought out the best in others and took care of their own well-being?

3. What Do You Want to Take Forward Into 2023?

Do you want to know a common mistake that even successful leaders make? They don't pause often enough to notice what they're achieving and how they're achieving it. When you understand how you accomplish what you do, you can put your personal best practices into play more deliberately—and help others leverage them too. What were your wins in 2022? How did you make them happen? By identifying what you did well, you can be deliberate about tapping into the power of those strategies in 2023.

4. What Do You Want to Leave Behind?

The end of the year is a good time to think about any setbacks, mistakes, conflicts or big changes that you find yourself dwelling on. Sometimes we can stay stuck in frustration even as we push ourselves to move forward and be more resilient. But resilience doesn’t mean simply powering through. Instead, it requires delving into our thoughts and feelings and taking a look at successes and failures – so we can learn from them and make different choices. Taking some time to reflect on these things can help us identify what got in our way, as well as what we can do differently in the future – and avoid taking baggage into next year.

Planning for Next Year?

I hope that this article helps you close out the year at work on an inspired note. I’m so grateful to you for reading these articles and engaging with Newberry Solutions this year. This is our last article of 2022, but we’ll be back in the first week of 2023 with more resources to help you accomplish what’s important to you.

As you look toward the new year, arm yourself and your team with easy-to-use, high impact tools. If you haven’t already, check out the award-winning New Lens app, our program to develop effective leaders at all levels in a way that is affordable and scalable. We would love to help you determine if it’s a fit. Schedule a demo now.

Gratitude at Work Is More Important Than Ever

As we head into Thanksgiving, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of gratitude at work, especially when things are challenging. 

Research just keeps showing us all the ways that gratitude benefits both us and others:

Feeling grateful, and expressing that gratitude, doesn’t mean that you are glossing over very real challenges at work. But I also believe that there are many reasons to be grateful even when your job is at its most stressful.

To help you identify your own reasons to be grateful, I want to share one of my favorite gratitude exercises. It involves tapping into your feelings of gratitude for three kinds of people:

  1. Your supporters, energizers and cheerleaders. Whether this year has been difficult, awesome or some combination of the two for you, there are always people who make a real difference in your life. Who has gotten you through the tough times? And who has helped you create the great moments of 2022? Pausing to feel gratitude for these people will lift your spirits. But actually expressing this gratitude will give you an even bigger boost and be deeply meaningful to the people you are thanking. What can you do to let them know that they’ve made your life better? One idea: Positive psychology pioneer Martin Seligman recommends "Gratitude Visits" as a way not only to honor that special person but also to improve your own well-being.

  2. Your high performers. When things are busy and stressful, your high performers can get lost in the shuffle. It’s all too easy to take them for granted as you focus on underperformers who need more help to get the job done. We all also tend to leap from one project to the next without taking time to celebrate successes. But don’t forget that everyone needs to hear words of praise and gratitude. When your high performers feel appreciated, it can affect their engagement, morale and productivity. And with retention on everyone’s minds these days, that’s a really big deal.

  3. The people who have tested you. At first, you may not see any reason to be grateful for your abrasive boss or difficult colleague who puts everyone on edge. But, whether you realize it or not, these individuals have taught you a lot about your values and who you are as a leader. I suggest writing thank-you notes (not to be sent!) to the people who drive you crazy. This practice can be liberating and help you identify the positives in a difficult situation.

What are you most grateful for at work this Thanksgiving? All of us at Newberry Solutions want to express our own gratitude for this vibrant community. Thank you for sharing your support and your insights with us, and for always keeping us motivated and inspired to create new resources for you. Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. Looking for our series of articles on choosing a leadership training solution? We took a break this week for a holiday message. But we’ll be back next week with Part 2.

Newberry Solutions in Forbes

If you follow me on LinkedIn, you know that I’ve become a regular contributor to Forbes through the Forbes Coaches Council. I love being part of this because it allows Newberry Solutions to have a bigger impact by sharing our proven strategies on a broader platform. 

Today I want to share the recent advice and insights that I and other coaches have shared. If any of these articles leave you wanting to learn more, you’ll also find links to additional resources from this blog.

Shift to a Positive Mindset

In the article “15 Hacks For Pessimists To Switch To A More Positive Point Of View,” I talked about how to notice your thoughts and feelings to recognize and combat your negative self-talk.

Learn more: “How to Stop the Loop of Negative Self-Talk.”

Cope with Change

We’ve all had to become more adaptable over the past few years. In the article “14 Coaches Explore What It Looks Like To Become An ‘Agile’ Leader, “ I stressed the importance of staying centered amid change.

Learn more: “5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Centered Fast.”

Practice Empathy

Success is about relationships, and that includes relationships with customers or clients. So the topic “16 Ways To Treat Customers Like Humans Instead Of Numbers” is an important one.

Learn more: “Are You Being Strategic About Relationships?”

Network Effectively

What’s the best way to introduce yourself at your next networking event? I explain in the article  “14 Steps To Take A Networking Pitch To The Next Level.”

Learn More: “Networking for Results.”

Avoid DEI Mistakes

“11 Potentially Brand-Damaging Mistakes Corporations Make With DEI Initiatives” is a timely topic as more organizations put a stronger emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion. As I point out in this article, commitments and allocation of resources must be aligned.

Learn more: “5 Eye-Opening Findings on Women at Work.”

Support Mental Health for All

Along with DEI, companies are also increasing attention on employee well-being. As the article  “How C-Level Leaders Can Address The Mental Health Needs Of Underserved Demographics” points out, this requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Different cultures in the workplace have different attitudes about seeking help with mental health.

Learn more: “What is Silencing? (And Why Your Company Must Care About It).”

Speak Up

Introverts have so much value to add to the workplace. The tips from me and other coaches in the article “How More Reserved Employees Can Make Their Voices Heard” will help you bring that value in a way that works for you.

Learn more: “Are You Keeping Your Gold Mine of Ideas to Yourself?”

Talk Face to Face

There’s a lot to navigate in this new world of hybrid work, including the best forms of communication in different situations. The article “14 Examples Where In-Person Communication Is Better Than Virtual At Work” is a guide that all leaders can use.

Learn more: “How to Deliver Tough Messages.”

Protect Your Capacity

Saying “yes” to everything has a cost. If you tend to keep your plate too full, check out the article “16 Ways Professionals Can Avoid Overcommitting Themselves At Work.”

Learn more: “4 Ways to Keep Your Busy Life from Taking Over.”

Keep this roundup as a valuable resource for you, and share it with others. If these Forbes Coaches Council articles have you curious about what coaching can do for you or your organization, I invite you to explore our products and services, including the New Lens app. New Lens can help you bring the power of coaching to more employees, even when budgets and schedules are tight. Set up a demo now.

Newberry Solutions Turns 14

If you had asked me in early 2008 whether I would have my own business later that year, I would have called you crazy. Fourteen years later, I have to say that entrepreneurship has been challenging and rewarding. This month marks a major milestone because Newberry Solutions has been in business for the same amount of time that I worked at Deloitte!

A lot has changed during this timeframe, but our focus on passion and purpose remains constant. And I’m confident those two things will carry us forward as we build the next generation of high-impact, high-performing leaders — especially women. 

Coming from an Indian family full of high expectations and overachievers, it’s been a lifelong journey to take time to notice and celebrate accomplishments. If you struggle with celebrating your own successes, it might be a good exercise for you to make a list of them and notice what you’ve learned along the way. 

Here are a few bits of advice from my personal experience.

Tap Into the Power of Your Passion

When I founded this company, I knew I loved to develop high performers and that I needed a change. The intensity of the travel and work made it hard for me to show up in my life in the way that I wanted to, especially with my 2-year-old son. So, I decided to pursue my passion in a different way.

Starting Newberry Solutions was a mixed bag of excitement and unexpected twists and turns, such as the Great Recession and Hurricane Ike (I was Houston-based at the time). Reminding myself of the purpose and passion behind my business fueled me then and continues to do so today. In fact, it helped me work through two major challenges in 2020: the pandemic and a breast cancer diagnosis. 

Find Ways to Increase Your Impact

In my first few years in business, I underestimated the power of my strengths – which is ironic since I constantly coach leaders on how to tap into theirs. Once you notice what you do well and how you consistently do it, you can leverage your strengths to create a bigger ripple effect. 

We’ve figured out what helps us develop strong leaders, and more than 75% of our clients get promoted. Now if that isn’t motivation to have a broader reach, I don’t know what is! 

That type of impact has led us down a path I never expected – developing software. In this challenging business environment, we want to provide creative solutions. Coaching is a powerful solution but not easy to scale affordably. But through technology you can scale what makes coaching work. That’s the secret sauce behind New Lens®, our online platform designed to bring the benefits of coaching to more leaders and make leadership development more affordable and accessible to all levels.  

We’re on the path to success with several Fortune 500 clients, so please reach out if you want to see if New Lens can help your company.

Be Intentional

At Newberry Solutions, we focus on what gives us positive energy and have used that to guide our evolution. What brings you joy? If you’ve lost sight of it, it may be time to recharge and reflect. 

One thing that brings me joy is to make a difference by thinking and playing big. This is reflected in the Fortune 500 and global brands we serve and the platforms like the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and Fast Company that we use to share leadership strategies and tools. 

But our success at Newberry Solutions isn’t all about us. We are all about using our skills and experience to elevate others and give back. As a member of the board and the Orchid Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation, I’m so proud of the POWER Leadership Forum we hosted to develop the next generation of AAPI women and support nonprofits (engaging over 800 women and raising almost $600,000 in grants since 2021). My passion also extends to United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership at Texas Woman’s University, and the George W. Bush Presidential Center Women’s Initiative Fellowship Program.

Smell the Roses

While I’ve learned from the challenges over the past 14 years, the high points —including the invitation to join the Forbes Coaches Council and multiple awards (from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and Dallas Business Journal, among others) — continue to motivate me to reach higher because they signal that something is working.

Today, it seems even harder to predict what lies ahead. But I do know this: If we continue to move toward our vision one step at a time, we will see big results. I believe that for my business. And I believe that for you, too. 

Newberry Solutions in the News

In case you missed it, I’ve recently been featured in several top media outlets about pressing workplace issues, and we have published a new white paper. Read on for a roundup of our recent publications.

Fast Company: Starting a New Job

Are you one of the many people who have changed jobs during the Great Resignation? I wrote the article “6 simple but crucial things you must do in your first 3 months on the job” for Fast Company to help you hit the ground running in your new role. The article covers topics including building your brand as a leader, defining success and building relationships.

Forbes: Burnout, Conflict and Micromanaging

In addition to my collaboration with Fast Company, I’m excited to be a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. As part of the council, I’ve been featured with other inspiring coaches to provide strategies to address challenges that leaders are facing:

Wall Street Journal: Asking for a Raise

What are the most important things to remember when you are asking for a raise? In the Wall Street Journal’s Women In newsletter, I shared the tactics that work for my coaching clients when they seek a pay increase. 

White Paper: Leadership Development for a Changing World

Over the past couple of years, Newberry Solutions has helped organizations develop their leaders in a business environment that’s full of upheaval and uncertainty. Through it all, we’ve seen how leadership development must evolve to keep up with these challenges. We distilled everything we learned into the white paper “Leadership Development for a Changing World.” In this free download, we explore today’s rapid changes, how they affect your organization’s leaders, and how to provide the training that your leaders need now.

I hope that these resources will support your own work as a leader. I’d love to hear your feedback and questions, and I invite you to join the conversation on LinkedIn.

Leadership Development for a Changing World

It’s been only a couple of years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. But it feels like we’ve all gone through at least a couple of decades’ worth of change since then.

Through our work with some of the world’s top companies, we at Newberry Solutions have seen firsthand the effect of this upheaval and uncertainty on organizations and the leaders who drive their success.

What we are all experiencing is nothing less than a transformation in how we work and what organizations are asking of their leaders. As our work environment dramatically changes, so, too, must leadership development.

That’s why we’re excited to share with you our response to these new challenges. “Leadership Development for a Changing World” is a white paper that explains why and how your leadership development efforts must evolve.

We’re eager to hear your feedback and questions after you read the report. Please feel free to tag me in your LinkedIn posts about this report or contact us directly at info@newlensleadership.com. At the heart of all we do is our passionate belief that leaders can change the world when we cultivate their full potential. And that’s what we hope this white paper empowers you to do. Start reading now at https://www.newberrysolutions.com/white-paper.

Celebrating International Women’s Day — and You

Today is International Women’s Day. This event is a “global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.”

International Women’s Day reminds us that we can do so much more to make our workplaces equitable for women. According to McKinsey & Company:

  • For every 100 men who receive a promotion to manager, only 86 women do.

  • More than 40% of women surveyed say they often or almost always feel burned out. 

  • Women are more likely to experience microaggressions than men are.

But, as we work for parity, let’s also remember to honor and appreciate what women are accomplishing every day. We’ve taken on so much over the past couple of years. We’ve worked hard for our teams, our families and for causes we care about. Sometimes that work feels invisible and thankless.

Today, let’s change that. How can you express gratitude to the creative, resilient and caring women in your world? Don’t forget to include yourself! Honor all you have accomplished, even in the face of great odds, and all that you do.

Get the Support You Need

But don’t stop there. What’s one thing you can do to support the women you know as these uncertain times continue? Again, this includes supporting yourself, too. 

Sometimes the best support is just connecting with someone else. We’re all working so hard that it’s easy to put relationships on the back burner. And that means a lot of us are feeling lonely right now. So, it’s a good time to reach out and make some plans with the women in your network. Even better, make some recurring plans. Taking a walk with a friend this weekend might lift your spirits. But then if you immediately fall back out of touch again, you’re right back where you started. Making your weekend walk a regular date ensures that you can give each other ongoing support.

It’s also important to allow others to help you. This can make you feel vulnerable, but it’s so worth it. As I’ve talked about before, you can even get very specific about how others can best help you in times of stress. For example, tell a friend, “If you see that I am doing X, it would really help me if you say Y.”

Before you dive back into your day, take a moment to check in with yourself: Are you getting the support you need? What kind of support could you really use in your life right now? And what is one thing you could do to start moving things in that direction?

When you think about your sources of support, please remember that I am always in your corner. You can follow me on social media for more content about Women’s History Month, consider executive coaching with me or explore my self-paced tools, including the award-winning New Lens app.

Bring Your 2022 Theme to Life

At the beginning of this year, I wrote in a LinkedIn post that I had chosen “ease” as my theme word for 2022. That sparked a great discussion about your theme words for the coming year. I loved the thoughtfulness behind what you chose, so I wanted to share some of the themes here along with resources to support each one.

Peace

As I wrote recently, the leaders who stand out now are the ones who can show up in a calm and centered way. To do this, cultivate your own sense of inner peace. If your inner monologue of negative self-talk has you agitated, try these strategies for stopping the loop.

Pause

If you’re a regular reader, you already know that I am a big believer in the power of “the pause.” In today’s work environment, giving yourself some breathing room matters more than ever. Having trouble allowing yourself to slow down? Even a small break to notice what’s going on for you physically and mentally can help you course-correct and be more productive.

Simplify

The beauty of “simplify” as a theme word is that it can apply to so many situations. For example, reducing your physical and mental clutter can give you an energy boost while simplifying the way you communicate can build your executive presence.

Fairness 

This is a word we should all take to heart in 2022. The most recent Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Company and Lean In pointed out areas of inequity for women, especially women of color. Think about some ways you could make a difference for women at work. For example, help raise the visibility of qualified women who should be considered for opportunities.

Purposeful

As a coach who helps leaders get results through purpose, presence and power, “purposeful” gets me excited. To be more purposeful, take a moment to clarify what really matters most. Then redirect your time to making the highest and best use of your talents and skills in those critical areas.

If you have a theme word for 2022, I invite you to share it on my LinkedIn page. Looking for additional support to grow as a leader this year? Consider executive coaching with me or explore my self-paced tools, including the award-winning New Lens app.

How to Focus on Your Well-Being in 2022

Before your schedule fills back up again after the holidays, it’s a good time to check in on your well-being. If you’re a regular reader, you know that I’ve always taught that the quality of your leadership (i.e., how you “show up”) depends on your physical and mental well-being.  In demanding times like these, that’s even more true. 

In the current environment, self-care is a critical strategy rather than something to get to when you have a spare moment. You and I both know that those spare moments may never come. So how can you start the year with a focus on you and your well-being?

Stacked rocks looking over ocean

3 Questions to Ask Yourself

First, let’s get a sense of how you’re doing right now. Life often gets so busy that we lose sight of this. This is why it helps to reflect before you take action.

  1. How would you rate your energy level on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 is high)?

  2. What one or two derailing behaviors do you want to eliminate from your daily routine? 

  3. What are one or two simple changes you can make right now to support your well-being in 2022? Keep in mind the strategies that energize you and have already proven effective.

How I’m Making Shifts

To help you think about these questions, I want to share what answering them brought up for me.

I know from experience that I’m happier and more productive when I go to bed on time and exercise or meditate first thing in the morning. Leading up to the holidays, I had let this personal best practice fall by the wayside. I had gotten into the habit of working too late and then staying up even later doing something to decompress, like watching TV. Instead of jumping out of bed well-rested, I started hitting the snooze button each morning. This put a damper on my energy level. On top of that, I got drawn into reading the depressing news notifications on my phone when I finally woke up.

As I start off this year, I’m being much more intentional about my sleeping and waking habits. I have set more realistic expectations for myself, especially when I know I’ll be really busy, and have let go of all-or-nothing thinking. If I can’t do a full workout in the morning, a 10-minute walk or run still has benefits. I’ve adjusted the notifications on my phone and read the news when it’s less likely to affect my mindset. 

Another way I support my well-being is by proactively managing my calendar. This is a work-in-progress. I’ve been experimenting with blocking out time on my calendar for different kinds of work and then evaluating whether I used those blocks as planned. Over the past six months, I’ve tweaked my system three times to align with when I have the most energy, my clients’ needs, and the work I actually need to get done. 

What Steps Can You Commit to?

As you think about how to better support your own well-being, remember that it’s not about perfection or having everything all figured out before you take action. It is a process of continuous improvement. Commit to just one or two small changes right now and then see how they affect your energy and well-being. Use what you learn to help you continue to refine your approach. And remember that small steps lead to big results.

If you’re looking for even more actionable strategies to start your year on the right foot, check out my award-winning New Lens app. It features bite-size lessons like the ones in this article that you can quickly absorb and apply.