So much buzz about innovative, critical, creative thinking. But what is thinking?  And how do you do it?

In this episode Michel invites you to think about your thinking. 

She shares a story of a mother whose three year old daughter Samantha asked a simply question, “why” that mommy couldn’t answer. Mommy had to call grandma for the answer because she was not actually thinking about what she was doing. 

The goal of this episode is to help you think more intentionally as a leader.

Michel poses some challenging questions for reflecting on your thinking.

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This episode is the 3rd in a five-part series examining leadership lessons and the parallels from the 2022 Boston Marathon.

This year, like many, many years previous, the winners of the Boston Marathon were from Kenya. 

As a matter of fact, the winner of the elite women's category (Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya) became the first athlete in history to win the NYC, Boston and Olympic Marathon titles.

In this episode, Michel explores the incredibly important role our environment plays in how we lead and create a culture moving forward in our new world.

In Kenya, the environment is "perfect" for running and training to run long distance. Runners from around the world train in this environment.

Yet why, year after year, it's the Kenyans that continue to win?

Looking closer, as Michel does in this episode, shows that running is not just a "thing" people train for, but it's a way of life. From childhood, through teens and as adults, people run.

They simply run everywhere.

Running is their environment. It is their way of life.

As leaders, how are you creating an environment, where the culture breeds success?

How are you creating the intangibles and the environment (that can't be measured) to create cultures in this new world?

At UpSkill Community, we support you in creating an environment, that as a leader, you know that your team will flourish.

And thank you for listening and sharing!

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

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Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

As leaders, we must see our journey as a marathon, but also have the skills needed for sprints.

In this second part of a five-part series, Michel continues the parallels of our leadership journey, to the 2022 Boston Marathon.

Developing leadership skills is like interval training.  While you are on a marathon, you have the need for sprints.

These sprints can be a quick burst of new ideas, fresh perspectives and exposure or experiences outside your comfort zone.

These sprints don't change that you are on a long-distance journey, as we discussed in the previous episode, they simply give you a "burst" of new information when needed.

Where are you on your journey now?

Do you need a sprint? A new set of experiences to help you upskill and lead in this ever-changing world?

If so, take a sprint! Ramp up your energy, refocus, disrupt your thinking, reimagine...

Whatever you choose to do, however you choose to do it...be your own disruptor!

And always know, we are here to be your guide and offer a strong community of leaders.

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

This episode, begins a five-part series on Leadership Lessons that you can take with you to become better leaders in this new world.

Leadership is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

In this episode, Michel shares her reflections on the 2022 Boston Marathon and parallels how today's leaders, must be like the runners in this marathon.

The Boston Marathon requires a lot of experience before you can even apply. You must have run many marathons prior and be a skilled marathon runner.

And these marathon runners know that it is a long journey. 26.2 miles to be exact.

For leaders, it is also a long, sometimes tumultuous, but very rewarding journey.

To truly master leadership, one must know that this journey does not have a destination. You are always learning, gaining new skills, learning new ways to lead and inspire others.

We are entering a new leadership space that requires more of us. The old ways of leading may not cut in in this new world order. And around every corner, is a new challenge just waiting to test our resolve and our ability to lead.

But as challenges come and go, great leaders have a marathoner's mindset. 

To succeed, you cannot have a sprinter's mindset, you must know that the journey is long. And just as runner's prepare their whole life for the Boston Marathon, you have been preparing your whole life... for this.

Looking for the tools to help you run the marathon of leadership? 

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

The leadership journey is a mixed bundle of wonderful experiences and some very unique challenges.

And no challenge greater, than the scrutiny that comes from those we lead.

In this episode, Michel shares a simple, but incredibly effective strategy to help navigate situations where scrutiny is "thrown" at us by those we are meant to encourage and inspire.

As leaders, we often have made the intentional choice to "move up the ladder" to take on a leadership role.

However, this ladder is never a linear path, it is more of a "lattice" framework that takes us up and down, and sometimes navigating through different positions, and even careers.

And along this journey to leadership, we receive scrutiny that, if we are not prepared for, can make this journey very challenging.

In order to properly deal with this scrutiny, so that we might lead effectively, we must learn of very personal, and powerful set of skills.

Michel shares in this episode, that when we are "thrown" scrutiny, one of the most powerful tools is our ability to pause.

First pause.

Then listen.

Then notice.

Taking these moments, when we receive (often times unsolicited) feedback, will allow us to calmly, and effectively, lead.

Are you looking for additional support on your leadership journey?

We invite you to join the UpSkill Community, where leaders receive tools and feedback to navigate these, and all, trying situations.

Thank you for listening and sharing!

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

As leaders, we are expected to always maintain control. 

But what happens when we are (literally) slapped in the face?

In this episode, Michel looks at the incident at the Academy Awards from Chris Rock's perspective.

In order to control your emotions, no matter the situation, start by identifying your emotions. 

When we see others who are "emotionally aware", what are the qualities we admire? 

This is a great process for identifying your (and others) emotions.

It might seem obvious to identify our emotions, but according to research done by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves, “only 36% of people can identify the emotions they experience.”

What are some emotions you notice?  

When do you notice them?

If you were "slapped in the face" (whatever that might mean for you) would you be able to maintain control?

Loss of control is not a goal.

This is why you must have strategies when your emotions kick in.

Michel continues by sharing her "ISMS" framework, to help you, "identify", "strategize", "manage" and "share" challenging emotional moments.

Or simply remembered as, "I Steer Myself"

Emotions do not define you, you define your emotions. 


UpSkill Community is a place where leaders come together for support and navigating emotional awareness.

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

Anywhere human beings show up is a space filled with emotions.

Emotions formed from our backgrounds, values and our experiences. 

In this timely and poignant episode, Michel looks out the "Will Smith Incident" through the lens of emotional awareness.

What are emotions?

Emotions are simply a class of feelings that sends us signals about what is happening around us. 

Under normal circumstances, our emotions are easy to observe and control. 

However, emotions rise as they get closer and closer to our boundaries. 

And once an emotion meets a boundary, anger presents itself. Sometimes leading to violence.

The first six seconds of an emotional experience is a physiological involuntary response. But, after the first six seconds, we are back 100% in control of our emotions.

Additionally, Michel shares a powerful strategy to navigating these situations as they might rise for you.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of UpSkill Talks. 

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

With every goal you are going after, there will be a price.

In this episode, Michel asks the question, "what price are you willing to pay to get your goals?"

When you set a new goal, you must ask yourself what are you willing to do to get that goal? Or, what are you willing to give up to get that goal? What changes must you make to your life to make these goals achievable?

This is the price of getting your goals.

You might need to change your daily habits or how you spend your time. You might need to spend time away from family or stop wasting time on things like social media or Netflix.

When you reflect on your goal getting - what price have you been unwilling to pay in the past? What price did you find it easy to pay?

Many times, as Michel shares in this episode, our unwillingness to pay the price is what ultimately keeps us from getting our goals.

As Thomas Jefferson famously said, "If you want something you have never had, you’ve got to do something you have never done."

All goals have a price, are you willing to pay it to get to your goals?

At Upskill Community, we know there is a price for every goal, and we are here to support you to help you always get your goals.

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

You might have heard the saying from Neale Donald Walsch, "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."

The same can be said for your goals.

In this episode, Michel shares how one of the biggest challenges between you and your goals, is the comfort zone you currently live in.

We all have comfort zones, whether it's our friends, our current financial situation, our job and more. Yet, as we look inside, we all want to achieve more. Even the world's biggest billionaires are still setting goals to go higher! (literally!)

However, we struggle to achieve our goals because we are afraid to leave our comfort zone. For many of us, this is where imposter syndrome comes in.

You might say to yourself,
"I am not good enough"
"I am not smart enough"
"I will never reach that goal"

We all have that voice inside, and it's time to break through that voice - through our comfort zone - and go get our goals!

And the good news, your comfort zone will always be here for you. It's exactly the place to come back to when you want to assess and take inventory of your progress.

But, to make the progress, bust out of your comfort zone!!!

At UpSkill Community, we offer a supportive community to help you take each step as you embark outside of your comfort zone.

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com

As you are looking to GET YOUR GOALS, we discussed in the last episode, surrounding yourself with the right people.

Now...we build a team.

In this episode, Michel shares how incredibly powerful having a team can be to help you get your goals.

In the world of boxing, we see one person fighting in the ring, but in reality, it's an entire TEAM that helps a boxer get there.

Selecting a team to support your goals is like fighting in the ring where you are responsible for all the actions on fight day. However, you know you have your people in your corner, cheering you on, reminding you of the actions to take even when you are so engaged in the fight that you can’t think.

The right team supports you, reviews your process with you and helps you plan next steps together. They hold you accountable to do better next time. They give you opportunities to practice, they provide a sounding board, and they ensure you don’t forget about your goals.

So, who do you need to be on your team to help you get your goals?

Michel continues in this episode to share the importance of choosing these people wisely.

While a team is so beneficial, a poorly-selected team can send you in the wrong direction.

At UpSkill Community, we are part of your team. Helping you, assisting you and keeping you accountable to GET YOUR GOALS!

At UpSkill, we are building a community of UpSkillers, learning and growing together.

Please listen, subscribe and share!

With decades of combined leadership experience, team of coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts can help to UpSkill your organization.

We offer corporate training, coaching, e-learning courses and consulting services for:

• Inclusive Leadership
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Communication
• Soft Skills
• Senior Leadership Training

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more: www.upskillcommunity.com