The Sage Sayers

Around 1.9 million high school players play highschool football in the U.S. Along with thousands of other Wisconsinites, I’m a proud supporter of the Muskego Warriors varsity football team, Wisconsin’s former state champion for three consecutive years. With only one loss so far this season, we’ve a reasonable chance to reclaim that throne. 

This week’s Sage Sayers podcast shares a personal story on how football—of all things—has brought me and my family gifts, opportunities, while also teaching and reminding me of the power of a community rallied together. You can check out my TikTok videos I’ve created on my adventures at the Muskego Warriors games here.


Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website. Look for my individual and group packaging offerings via the hashtag #bravecommunicators

When England laid their dear queen to rest, they laid to rest a monarch who provided a staple, consistent leadership in my life as a citizen of New Zealand, one of the 54 countries within the coalition of the British commonwealth. This week’s episode shares my memories of my queen—from my young girlhood in rural South Canterbury through to my teens and early 20s before leaving overseas. Also, leadership lessons we can all learn from Queen Elizabeth II in presence, remote leadership, and in communications.

You can find the article: Musings on the Passing of a Monarch, which I published on Medium, by clicking here.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website.  We’re also live this October with the Write Your Resume Like a Reporter narrative and writing coaching workshop. Find that workshop on LinkedIn under hashtag #bravecommunicators, or enroll by clicking here. Bring a friend!

With the Gallup’s annual State of the Workplace report recording record numbers of disengaged, worried, miserable--even angry employees, no wonder many seek new jobs. But the job interview process can derail the best and the brightest, especially those vague, leading, and often loaded interview questions. In this week's episode, we unpack some of the top interview questions, apply some journalistic and mental fitness tools, and create some strategy so you sail through and land the job of your dreams.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website.  I'm launching new communications and mental fitness workshops and programs this fall. So, do stay tuned for those releases with the hashtag #bravecommunicators.

My guest this week is Caroline Lindsey who, after years working in advertising and media work, took her passion of cooking, blogging, and food to a whole new level by creating a successful blog, ultimately earning enough to leave her day job.  In our interview, Caroline, who’s based in South Carolina, shares what inspired Pinch Me, I’m Eating, how she generated enough readers and traffic to make close to her full-time job’s income, and the life she’s created for herself and her family along the way.

Please visit Caroline’s site, Pinch Me I’m Eating, which will soon include (along with recipes of delicious restaurant food) her journey at culinary school where she’ll formerly train as a chef, something she’s dreamt of doing since a girl.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website.  I'm launching new communications and mental fitness workshops and programs this fall. So, do stay tuned for those releases with the hashtag #bravecommunicators.

My guest this week is Ambra who (around six months ago, in her early 30s) entered a courageous quest to confirm what she'd long suspected: She has ADHD. In this touching interview, Ambra, an operation manager and journalist based in Germany, shares her story with navigating a complex system, receiving her diagnosis, and dealing with all of the negative and positive emotions coming up along the way.

Ambra also shares the Sage perspective by seeing and finding gifts, opportunities, and knowledge from her challenges. Already, she's becoming an advocate for women and girls with ADHD who often stay undiagnosed for longer periods of time.

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website.  I'm launching new communications and mental fitness workshops and programs this fall. So, do stay tuned for those releases with the hashtag #bravecommunicators.

Over the past five years I've asked at least 3,000 business professionals what worries them the most about their careers. At least half report feeling that ineffective business writing's one of the biggest struggles they face. Now, the importance of the written word's resurging as hybrid and remote work demands super clear reporting and documenting of things to reduce ambiguity and error.

But how do we become a better writer? I offer some tactical tips in this week's Medium post on tools to stay compelling and brief. You can also find a few articles here. But in the meantime, here's a whimsical sharing from my study here in Wisconsin on what has helped me become a reasonable writer, something I've done professionally for 35+ years. 

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges via my LinkedIn profile and website.  I'm currently seeking group coaching clients for new launches of new communications and mental fitness workshops and programs. Stay tuned for those releases with the hashtag #bravecommunicators. 

Using Positive Intelligence mental fitness techniques to ground, this gentle meditation uses one sense at a time to build peace, calm, and confidence. 

Fielding Q&As from prospective clients, CEOS, or investors induces fear and stomach pain in the most confident presenters. For those working to build their courage, the fear of the unknown in these moments can paralyze. But in this week's podcast, we're offering phrases, come backs, and even tweaks to your mindset to help sail through that moment with ease.

We also tackle  this week on Medium, three of the more popular myths on Q&As which can induce panic  after we pitch or present our ideas. So, take a read and for anyone needing this vital help, please pass it on!

Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  I'm currently seeking group coaching clients for new launches of new communications and mental fitness workshops and programs. Stay tuned for those releases with the hashtag #bravecommunicators. 

My guest this week is Canadian technologist and adult musician, Sam Chow, who taught himself jazz piano, at aged 33, for the joy—and to show himself: It’s never too late to learn.

In our interview, we hear how COVID-19 inspired Chow along with the empowering metaphors that come from learning something as nuanced and tricky as jazz piano. Chow’s found he’s more nimble and less self critical. He knows: Any mistakes we sense our audience rarely notices—something powerful we can all learn from as communicators.

Follow Sam Chow’s You Tube channel, Midlife Funk, by clicking here. Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  Know someone feeling immobilized to make brave and lasting life change? Please share this interview to spark something bold and new. 

My inner circle knows that my dominant Saboteur — my leader of my inner critics, after the Judge — is the Stickler, who takes order, organization, and perfectionism way too far. While I view the strength of this saboteur as quality, until recently, holding out for flawless action has sabotaged any true career growth. (You can learn about your own saboteurs here.)

In this week's highly-flawed podcast (due partly to audio issues I self-created by recording at Lake Michigan) I'm offering five techniques I use to override fear and self-doubt.

I'm drawing upon skills I gathered as a business reporter, writing and reporting for global media like the Economist and the Guardian, and from three major career transitions I've navigated across two continents and three industries.  I've learned a lot about letting go of perfection along the way.

You can read my article on this same topic on Medium, by clicking here. Connect with me, Coach Debbi McCullough, about your group's communication challenges by clicking here. Or, do visit my LinkedIn profile and website.  Know someone dying for life change  but unable to act? Please pass on this resource to spark something bold and new.