Welcome to Leadology's
Courage-Sparking Corner 

A roundup of content and interviews dedicated to helping you awaken the leader within. 

Don't Be a Feedback Scrooge this Holiday Season and Give the Gift of Feedback
Team Management Carrie Skowronski Team Management Carrie Skowronski

Don't Be a Feedback Scrooge this Holiday Season and Give the Gift of Feedback

The holiday season is a time for spreading joy and cheer. And what a better way to do that than by showing appreciation to your hard working team. Careful that the “busy-ness” of the season makes you forget about the importance of positive feedback. As a leader, it's crucial to remember that recognition is not just a once a year thing, but a year-round practice that fosters motivation and productivity. When you acknowledge the wins, improvements and resourcefulness of your employees, you create a culture of recognition.

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How to Create Better Boundaries Around the Holidays
Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski

How to Create Better Boundaries Around the Holidays

According to a 2021 study by telehealth provider Sesame, 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays, with 60% reporting an increase in anxiety and 52% feeling an increase in depression compared to the holiday season before.

As staggering as these statistics are, it’s always helpful to remember that things don’t have to shake out this way every single December, especially once we’re equipped with the proper tools that allow us to establish, communicate, and enforce clear boundaries in our personal and professional lives.

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Tips for Managing an Employee Who Always Makes Excuses
Team Management Carrie Skowronski Team Management Carrie Skowronski

Tips for Managing an Employee Who Always Makes Excuses

If you’ve engaged with our socials over the past few weeks, you know that we’ve been simmering on the topic of manager effectiveness–– namely, how it’s changed over the years and what it now looks like for workplace leaders in 2023. We even had the opportunity to hear from a greater portion of our community through a recent Instagram poll, where managers from all over shared their insight and experiences on the subject, particularly when faced with managing employees who are prone to making excuses about their work.

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You’re Doing Workplace Boundaries Wrong - Here’s What to Do Instead
Workplace Strategies Carrie Skowronski Workplace Strategies Carrie Skowronski

You’re Doing Workplace Boundaries Wrong - Here’s What to Do Instead

When it comes to workplace boundaries, there are a few main things that will make setting them the most effective. It’s little surprise that communication skills are at the forefront of any boundary-setting need. Setting workplace boundaries might feel intimidating but it’s important for all of us to feel confident to look after ourselves. If you’ve been unsuccessful in your attempts to set boundaries in the workplace, Leadology has some tips for you!

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Managing Employees with Anxiety: Using Radical Candor to Overcome Difficult Conversations in the Workplace
Team Management Carrie Skowronski Team Management Carrie Skowronski

Managing Employees with Anxiety: Using Radical Candor to Overcome Difficult Conversations in the Workplace

If you or someone you know has anxiety, you probably already know that pursuing a straightforward answer to the question of best to manage employees who are open about their own anxiety is tricky. As workplace leaders, it’s vital that we remember that while we’re not mental health experts, we do have the ability to navigate these kinds of difficult conversations with compassion, unique insight, and– radical candor.

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How to Keep a Growth Mindset about Negative Feedback in the Workplace
Workplace Strategies Carrie Skowronski Workplace Strategies Carrie Skowronski

How to Keep a Growth Mindset about Negative Feedback in the Workplace

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that workplace leaders are human too, and not immune to giving teams badly communicated– or altogether negative– feedback. If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where you’re receiving poor feedback or feedback that you disagree with, it’s important to keep a growth mindset and ask yourself: what can I still learn from this?

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Why You Don’t Need to be a Natural-Born Leader to Succeed as One
Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski

Why You Don’t Need to be a Natural-Born Leader to Succeed as One

Did you know that only 10% of people intrinsically have what it takes to be a manager? This Gallup statistic speaks volumes on how important it is for consistent reflection, and the dedicated investment in professional development necessary for most on a managerial track. In fact, the simplest and most impactful start to becoming the best manager you can be is cultivating a …

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How Investing My Energy Into My Own Strengths Replenishes Me
Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski

How Investing My Energy Into My Own Strengths Replenishes Me

At the beginning of January my energy was low and I knew the fastest, most certain way to tap into new inspiration in my business and life was by digging deeper into my Strengths.

So, rather than jumping into the new year, I slowly walked.

It’s exactly what inspired me to relaunch our 21-Day Strengths-Challenge, which so many of you have participated in with me! I loved hearing your takeaways and how this Strengths sprint has been helping you not only in the short-term, but has really allowed you to envision what longer-term career success might look like for you.

I’m officially reinspired– and it’s all thanks to you and sharing your gifts with me!

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Setting Boundaries at Work Doesn’t Have to be Risky
Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski

Setting Boundaries at Work Doesn’t Have to be Risky

Setting boundaries at work can seem like a risky thing to do. Since there are a lot of misconceptions around setting boundaries at work, you may think people will view you negatively.

A healthy work environment won’t occur if you’re wondering how you can better meet your own needs without putting your paycheck at risk. Maybe you’ve worried about how to tell your boss “no?” Felt anxious about in-person work? Or found yourself stuck in your career but didn’t know how to speak up for yourself?

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10 Brené Brown Quotes to Inspire a Growth Mindset
Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski

10 Brené Brown Quotes to Inspire a Growth Mindset

Brené Brown has some of the most thought-provoking advice on leadership out there, advocating that “We desperately need more leaders who are committed to courageous, wholehearted leadership and who are self-aware enough to lead from their hearts, rather than unevolved leaders who lead from hurt and fear.”

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Combat burnout at work by completing the stress cycle
Dare to Lead, Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski Dare to Lead, Leadership Skills Carrie Skowronski

Combat burnout at work by completing the stress cycle

Ok, let’s roll up our sleeves and talk about burnout. To an outside observer, burnout might seem unavoidable. We’re living in a fast-paced culture, especially right now when many companies are under-resourced and forced to do more with less. But what most people don’t know is that conversations, projects, virtual events...none of these are inherently stressful. In fact, by definition, stress is a perception.

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Let's Rumble
Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski Dare to Lead Carrie Skowronski

Let's Rumble

According to Brown, “The word rumble is more than just a weird West Side Story reference, it’s a way to say, “Let’s have a real conversation, even if it’s tough.”

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