You have spent lots of resources preparing yourself to deliver – time, money, energy. Blood, sweat, tears. And yet, it is awkward or seems out of integrity to ask someone to invest in or with you. Why? Because what’s missing…
You never know who is watching! We often inspire people from afar – without ever even knowing it. And we are inspired by people whose stories we hear but who we never meet. What we forget to do sometimes is figure out how to…
Rachel Perry embodies all the qualities that make a great leader. She seeks feedback and uses it to move forward. She takes on roles that are outside of her comfort zone. She leads with transparency, honesty, and integrity. …
I’ve reached a point in my life where I am selective about how and where and on whom I spend my energy. That includes deciding what I’m willing to go to battle over. But the deeper question that comes to mind, is this: is th…
My guest Tiffany Williams is the walking example of “go big or go home.” She had a vision for what she wanted to do and decided the time was now. She took the risk to start her own business instead of the traditional path of…
Codeswitching from a social interaction perspective is a real phenomenon for those who are deemed as “other.” The need to manipulate language or attitude or the need to emulate behavior that is seen as more “successful” crea…
There is a desire to know our roots to get grounded in our “belonging.” And there is so much strength in that – and a little bit of trepidation because you never know what you will find when you digging for information. But …
We have entered an era of calling out and canceling those who exhibit behavior that is deemed unacceptable. And sometimes, doing those two things is all that we can do. But if the point is to change behavior and not just pun…
We are NOT ok in Texas! This Snowpocalypse has been soul-crushing. BUT, because I believe when you change your perspective you change your circumstances, it has also been an opportunity to remember to stay in flow. Let go of…
It’s LOVE week on The Rutledge Perspective and I want us to think about showing ourselves some love. For those who are single and struggling with isolation, see what you can do to turn that energy into self-care. For those w…
Not every situation deserves a response. Not every fight is yours to engage in. BUT, it is important to recognize that silence can be interpreted as consent and there are consequences – good and bad – to entering into any he…
Surrendering to the flow INCLUDES surrendering the ego that prevents us from asking for help. Somehow, we have grown into the habit that the more you have accomplished, the less you have to learn. We have learned that if you…
Not everyone’s “hustle” is the same; yet we measure ourselves by what others are doing. But we need to give ourselves grace. Grace to have a minute. Grace to have doubts. Grace to move forward. And, as leaders, when we give …
Sometimes we don’t know how much power we have. At other times, we are VERY CLEAR but fail to reign it in because it suits our agenda at the time. But #trueleaders are always aware of both positive and negative consequences …
How did “hustling” become the measuring stick for success? Words matter and we have taken a word that means “to forcibly move” or “to con” and turned it into the definition for acceptable effort. Although the way the meaning…
It is time to take off. It is time to celebrate what is to come. It is time for 2021! After a year of madness all around we have made it to the next level. And, I don’t know about you, but I’m ready. Let’s use what we have …
What a year. As we end our month of reflection and celebration, I want to celebrate all we have learned and all we have experienced. I want to celebrate our strength and our resilience. And I want to celebrate 2020 being beh…
When you are in pain, you do something about it. And I’ve been in pain for a while and I found an expert to help me figure it out! Welcome back Mariam Haddad. Listen to the exercises she is going to take me through and pract…
Sometimes our reflection challenges us to change a perspective. Sometimes, it actually solidifies one. As I listened to Ms. Loretta Ross on “On Point” both happened. She gave a fantastic definition of the difference between …
We made it to December! Normally I’m speaking of preparation for the next year, but this year, it seems like a good time to reflect on the past year and celebrate some successes. Just as there is always something to be grate…
There is power in gratitude. Yes, there is science behind how our neurotransmitters are strengthened by the practice of gratitude and how stress is relieved, and sleep is enhanced. But gratitude is more than a brain exercise…
Speaking Truth to Power is about 3 key things: information, inclusion and service. You have important, potentially critical information. The culture needs to be such that your perspective is included. And the sharing of the…
There is power in taking a pause and evaluating or re-evaluating your situation. And sometimes, we are forced to take a pause. That’s what happened to Sherri McManus. And her pause led her to not only a deeper connection to …
We toss around the word “power” a great deal. But what does it really mean? Does everyone have power? Is power only given or is it earned? What does it really mean to “stand in your power?” For the month of November, the the…