I believe that every business deserves a culture where employees thrive, and every individual deserves to live a life that is true to their values. Whether I’m facilitating a corporate workshop, mentoring a young professional, or leading a retreat for The Authentic Life, my goal is the same: to equip people and organizations with the tools they need to grow, lead, and make meaningful change.

These days, it's easy to get overwhelmed by an overly complicated life. If you're looking for ways to gain control over your life or your current situation, consider simplifying.

Simplifying your life can mean cutting unnecessary to-do list items, eliminating clutter from your home, fine-tuning your priorities, or otherwise gaining perspective on what truly matters to you.

Emotional intelligence is considered a much better predictor of success than pure intelligence. In many cases, it doesn't matter how intelligent you are.

You know plenty of people that possess average intelligence that are very successful. The struggling genius is quite common. There’s more to life than being able to do calculus in your head.

Making good decisions, communicating effectively, having positive relationships, and managing yourself well can be far more valuable and powerful than a genius-level IQ.

Your past shapes who you are. The experiences you have throughout your life play an integral part in how you behave and look at the world. This may not seem like a big deal, but in certain circumstances, it can become a detriment to your success.

Keeping your focus on your past can actually negatively affect things in the future. From your work life to your love life, even your day-to-day things can be affected by an inability to move past negative experiences.

Without even knowing it, you're probably a leader in many ways. Do you have kids? Are you the one who friends come to for advice? Do you serve as a team leader at the office? Many of the roles in your life involve some type of leadership. You might be surprised by how easily your actions can impact others. Some of these “leadership positions” may seem basic to you, but they’re more critical than you know. Aim to be the best leader possible.

What’s stopping you from just walking out of your job to start your own business today? It’s likely to be one of two things: common sense or Integrity. Both are very valuable commodities.

Feedback is one of the most valuable things a business leader can give. Constructive feedback in the workplace helps us to understand what we’re doing right and where we need to improve. When feedback is positive, it acts as a source of inspiration and motivation. We get the reassurance of knowing that we’re taking the right steps towards success.

As an entrepreneur, you’re likely to reach a turning point in your career. You start out relying on your vision and critical thinking to launch your new venture. Then, as your operations grow, you find that leadership and management skills become more important.

There’s a big difference between being a boss and being a leader. Anyone can be a boss, responsible for guiding their team and assigning tasks to different members of staff. But it takes something special to be a true leader. A genuine leader inspires their team and motivates them to accomplish amazing things.

Finding a work-life balance is good for both your physical and mental health. But many times, heavy job responsibilities steal that balance away. When that happens, both our work and home life can suffer unwanted consequences. But how can you achieve that balance and still excel at your job?

How can a one-size-fits-all leadership style meet the demands of an increasingly diverse society? Situational leadership offers a more flexible solution. Sociology textbooks can explain how various researchers have contributed in this area, but the concept is relatively straightforward. Instead of sticking with what you know, you adapt your leadership style to different circumstances.

You probably can’t find anyone over the age of 10 that hasn’t felt overwhelmed at some point. It takes more to overwhelm some people than others, but the feeling and the impact are the same.

It can be very challenging to focus on solutions and take the necessary steps to resolve the situation. However, focus and action can ultimately solve most negative situations in your life. Many of us are prone to worrying and then doing silly things to make ourselves feel better. This doesn’t solve the issue. It just avoids it temporarily.

Positioning yourself as a leader will make your work more meaningful and advance your career. You can gain influence based on your title, or on knowledge and skills you already possess. While it could take years to climb the ladder up into senior management, tapping into your personal strengths is something you can start doing right now. Learn how to use your current assets to build up your clout in the workplace.

When we think of leaders, we might be tempted to think of courageous and heroic figures. The leader is the person at the vanguard of the army, leading the charge and taking the brunt of any enemy attacks. That’s what it means to be a leader in comic books and films after all!

Great leaders know how to motivate others. Since the amount you can accomplish on your own is limited, it’s necessary to have the assistance of others. Someone that can motivate others to do their best has an incredibly valuable talent. When you can inspire others, you can accomplish much more.

Great leaders share many common traits. Though criteria for leadership in the workplace can vary from company to company, the majority of effective leaders exemplify certain skills. By focusing on developing these same skills, you can take your leadership abilities to the next level.

Leadership is a daunting task, and there are many theories about how to best lead others. But regardless of the theory employed, there are attributes that great leaders share. With the right blend of attributes, you can thrive within any leadership system. It’s possible to develop these characteristics with study and effort. Ideas are easy. It’s the execution that’s so challenging. Big ideas require multiple people to bring them to life. Leadership is all about getting everyone on the same page and moving them in the same direction.

While it’s commonly argued whether great leaders are born or made, there’s little doubt that great leaders share several characteristics. Leadership skills are among the most important to develop if you wish to advance your career. You’ll find that you already possess some of these qualities and likely need to develop the others.

It’s all about skills in the modern world. It’s never been more challenging to be a leader than it is today. Markets and entire industries are changing rapidly. For any leader to be successful, it’s important to have the proper skills. Many of these skills are evergreen. For example, leaders will always need to be able to communicate well and delegate tasks. Take heart that your leadership skills will be valuable for a long time!