Are You Admired or Just Tolerated?

For years, my husband has been the willing (and occasionally unwilling) test subject for my coaching. Recently, I asked him what changes he’s noticed since he began implementing new strategies and becoming more intentional with his relationships.

Here’s what he said:

One person shifts the way they listen, leads, and connects — and the ripple effect is extraordinary.
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Invest in others, and it will come back in spades.

So, I’ll ask you: What are you willing to do for the same results?

Here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud:

If you’re a surgeon, executive, director — anyone with an impressive title — assumptions precede you.

People assume you’re:

• Arrogant
• Intellectually superior
• Money-driven
• Intimidating
• Too busy to care

It’s not fair. It’s not accurate.
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​But, it is the dynamic you must navigate. The assumptions are not stacked in your favor.

And those hidden assumptions shape every interaction you have — the veil through which you are seen.

If you want deeper connection, better collaboration, and a team that innovates, start with self-awareness and truly knowing your people. Until trust is built, you must intentionally counter these assumptions.

Why this matters:

Power imbalances — even unintentional ones — quiet opposing opinions, shut down honest debate, and turn potential leaders into polite followers.

Your team will never reach its potential unless you set the tone, invite challenge, and take the first step. That will not happen if they don’t feel seen by you.

If you believe your success comes from your title, you’re mistaken.
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Success comes from caring more about your relationships than about protecting your status.
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When you start relying on your title instead of your presence, respect evaporates. The shift is fast: from admired to dismissed, from trusted to avoided.

How to make the shift and engage others:

• Make real eye contact. Slow down. Check in.
• Seek out small, unscripted moments of connection.
• Walk the halls without an agenda and invite conversation.
• Build relationships at every level of the organization.
• Call out the strengths you see — especially the ones people overlook.

And remember:

“Trust is built in small movements, not big gestures. One misaligned moment takes twenty to repair.”

Trust comes from remembering a birthday, asking about the dog that had surgery, thanking someone for great work, checking in on weekend plans.
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Small moments with great return.

It’s mundane. And it’s magic.

Many executives dismiss this as ‘wasted time.’

They can’t see these actions on a spreadsheet.

But you can see them in:

• ​Higher retention​
• Stronger loyalty- 50% less turnover​
• More creative problem-solving
• Improved Productivity
• ​Higher engagement ​

The most common thing my clients say:

“I wish I had known this ten years ago. My life, happiness, and success would have been so much greater.”

Coaching accelerates the shift. What takes a decade to learn alone can transform in months with the right guidance.

If you’re ready for a year of clarity, confidence, and conscious leadership — one that reveals blind spots, strengthens connection, and unlocks unrealized success — reach out, I am here to support you.

Your time starts now.