Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC I just read Peter Bregman’s new book You Can Change Other People. It’s a great resource for managers, parents, coaches and anyone who likes helping others grow and develop. I’m only able to provide a very simplified overview in this newsletter, so I highly recommend reading the book for […]
Many of you know that I have been working with the military, mainly the U.S. Army, as a contractor since 2002. I have family members and many friends and colleagues who have served in the military and have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. In light of the recent events in Afghanistan, I thought I […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC High-stress situations, irritating people, and inflammatory remarks can trigger fear, frustration, or anger in us because they are perceived as threats. The fight or flight response kicks in as a survival mechanism. The logical part of our brain shuts down, emotions take over, and cortisol and adrenaline course throughout […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC Most of us are really good at problem solving. We identify a problem, look for the cause, identify possible solutions, implement the best option, and then determine if the problem disappears. If not, we start over. This approach is focused on fixing what’s wrong, but not on optimizing what’s […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC It’s been over a year since the pandemic began, and I think we are all ready for life to return to some sense of normalcy. If you are experiencing burnout from the stress of everything that has been happening for this extended time period, you are not alone. According […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC I have been watching what’s going on in our country, and the amount of division, discord and hostility has now intensified to a level I have never before seen in my lifetime. This makes me very sad, and greatly concerns me because it is not serving our humanity. I […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC There are many ways to influence people. Some are sincere and well-intentioned, and others are more sinister in nature. Can you tell the difference? Do you know when you are being influenced vs. manipulated? I would argue that in many cases, you do not, because it is frequently done […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC As a coach, I regularly help leaders with breaking old habits and developing new ones that will serve them better. The first step in changing any behavior is to determine why you want to change it. Change is hard because it requires energy and effort. Therefore, you need a […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC There has been a common thread in my dozens of coaching sessions with leaders this past month: people are ready to get back to the office. Although most people don’t miss the commute into work, many are working longer hours, while being far-less productive. This is due to the […]
Written by Melissa Kessler, MA, PCC Like many people, I took an extended vacation at home over the holidays. Besides responding to a couple of emails, I did nothing work-related. Instead, I binge-watched several Netflix series, ate too much, and slept way more than usual. Even the 9-10 hours I was getting didn’t seem like […]
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