Organizations “in play” are adaptable, inclusive, innovative, and productive. Want to know what organizations fear? That when we “play” we are not “working”. We are afraid that play means silly, unproductive, and makes us feel unprofessional and uncomfortable. Nothing could be further from the truth. Play is that thing you do that you enjoy so much you get lost in. When you are doing it…

Don’t think of a giraffe. And yet everyone has just thought of a giraffe. It’s hard to tell the mind what not to do. Consider downhill skiing for a moment. I asked an experienced skier, how do you navigate through all those trees without hitting one? And they told me…

If the world is looking for something more in their work, more respect, more balance, more engagement, more inclusive culture — then the companies that invest in knowing their employees will be where people want to land and stay. Employees are seeking genuine engagement and a place where they can…

Diversity and Inclusion — What are you starting from? — I consult for multiple organizations, businesses, communities, retail, and service industries on diversity, inclusion, and engagement. No matter where I go the first thing, I hear about is fear. The fear of “doing it wrong”, of not knowing, of being “wrong”, of not understanding, or making people feel bad. Fear…

Can play be the answer? “Can you untie this rope?” A 10-year-old student approaches me at a play event struggling to untie a rope he wants to play with. …

How Play Invites Kids With Disabilities To Be Themselves I found this in my notes today, it reminds me and grounds me in my purpose. “In play” we invite children to be themselves, so many times I did not understand what drew families to my classes…it was play, an open…

Teaching soft skills means being “hands off” — I watched my daughter lead with trepidatious hands as she attempted to flip the pancakes this morning. Which side do I flip from?, how fast do I flip? Do I use the whole flipper? Watch the hot pan!! She was slow and calculated, afraid for her breakfast and messing them…

Inclusion is a journey, for a lifetime, not just a moment in time. — I was out for the winter walk with my husband the other day, we had a heavy snowfall followed by a cold snap. We went out West, where the snow at times can be 4-feet deep where no one has walked across it for a very long time, and if…

Why Inclusion is Like Falling in Love — People often ask me how we can measure the change that inclusion can have on a company’s bottom line? We get very caught up in measurement and calculations and analytics because we can measure multiple aspects of what it feels like to be included or belong in an organization. If…