Posts by Stephie Althouse
Core Values: Integrity With Others And Yourself
At the moment I am taking a leadership class, Leadership Lewisville. We are learning about the inner workings of the city, and (re)examining our leadership. It is a bit like the tables are turned because I have taught leadership classes myself. This is great! I’m enjoying it. The conversation came to core values. One of…
Read MoreLess Is More
Less is more. How many times have you sat in front of a form to apply for an opportunity? And there it is: Give us your biography in 250 words. 250 words?! Are you kidding?! Or, you speak at Toastmasters. Give us your best talk in 5-7 minutes. Oh, man. Recently, I gave a talk…
Read MoreAsk More Questions and Ask the Right Ones
The ability to ask more questions at the right time is a great skill to have, regardless of who you are. If you are leading a team, then it is a must-have. And, of course, both consultants and coaches ask questions to help their clients advance their success. What is the difference then between a…
Read MoreWhat Do Columbus and Bees Have In Common?
When I hear the name “Columbus” I think of the discovery of America by Europeans. It got me to ponder about how discoveries happen and what about Columbus and Bees? Do they have common attributes? In some ways, finding America was a “failure” because Columbus had set out to find India. Oops. But there are…
Read MoreBrilliance Nuggets and the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. It ranges from Maine to Georgia and is 2,193 miles in length. Hikers pass through 14 states on their A.T. journey. The trail follows the ups and downs of the terrain including serious alpine regions. The approximate gain and loss in elevation are…
Read MoreHow the Biggest Trap in Storytelling Hurts the Success of Your Mission
When it comes to storytelling, having a Ph.D. might be more of a liability than an asset. It is likely that the trouble lies less with the Ph.D. degree itself and more with the discipline in which I got it. In chemistry and other “hard sciences,” data is very important. You wouldn’t drop any unless…
Read MoreHow a Marketing Company Found Its Ideal Client and Increased Revenues Seven-fold
The question “Who is your IDEAL client?” seems to be one of the toughest ones for most business owners. I am very familiar with the challenge surrounding this question. The questions I see come up in others – and myself – sound like this: These questions are all great questions. To keep this blog short,…
Read MoreSometimes It Feels Like It’s Not Going Fast Enough?!
This story is not about bragging. It is about pushing hard and feeling of not going fast enough on accomplishing your mission, yet being a kind “boss” to yourself – at least once in a while. I had been pushing hard. Establishing a new brand for my company was a major effort. What was the…
Read MoreIt’s Puzzling
Imagine this scenario: Someone hands you a box full of puzzle pieces. Maybe there are 1000 of them. Puzzling games is the same as in life. Then you make a startling discovery: There is no top. Where is the picture? What picture are these puzzle pieces supposed to form? Since there is no picture on…
Read MoreA Powerful Exercise to Support Necessary Shifts in Your Company
Undertaking major shifts like a powerful exercise in your company rarely is easy. For example, you might be working on shifting from being a custom services company to becoming a product company. I am sure you realize: That is a big shift. There are other shifts that pose their own set of challenges: rapid growth,…
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