Hello and welcome to my Living and Leading Blog!

I'll be writing based on my leadership and living experiences and truly hope that you enjoy interacting with me here.  My professional and personal life has been full of great successes. I've had my share of some big failures and adversities, too.  People often say they wouldn't trade or change anything that brought them to this point their lives.  Well, I won't go that far.  There are definitely some things I would trade or just dump entirely.  Even so, I can say that I'm thankful for most of the experiences that have given me a surprisingly grand and glorious life.

Living Boldly

Of course, living boldly or grandly is in the eye of the beholder.  My life has been grand because of my crazy family ( I mean that literally and figuratively.), the extraordinary people I've had the pleasure to meet, places I've travelled, music that lifts my spirit daily and the food that soothes my belly and soul.  Yes, I am a devoted foodie.   Living boldly definitely includes dining well.  My friends won't be surprised to know that I seek out culinary wonders wherever I roam. Foreign places call out to me through their cuisines.  I remember events based on smells, colors and tastes of food that I had while attending them.   It's no secret - I can be bought with a big lumpy Maryland crab cake anytime! Fashion and interior design are also important to me.  While most Americans dress more casually these days, I love dressing up. I believe that putting a little effort into how you look just makes you feel good.  I am happiest living in beautiful interesting cities and in homes surrounded by meaningful things.  Most of all, if mosquitoes weren't so bad, I'd live outside all day and night. Clouds, full moons, loads trees, flowers and water make my heart sing!

Leading Boldly

Now back to the professional me.  I've been leading teams of people in sales, operations or product marketing for over 30 years.  Like most leaders, I didn't start out knowing exactly how to lead.   Managers and mentors told me that I could and would be a great manager because I knew how to connect with people.  That part was true, but oh, did I learn that exemplary leadership requires so much more than that.  Setting direction,  driving for results, coaching employees who may be in the wrong job, supporting teams through the deaths of colleagues, firing thieves, dealing with discrimination, losing, and winning are just some of the leadership topics that I'll explore with you here. In conclusion, I am truly passionate about living and leading well.  I savor relationships and find wonderment in every thing that comes my way.  Dancing, one of my favorite pastimes, through life is what makes it interesting.  So come dance and hang out with me here as we take a journey on Living and Leading Boldly!  I welcome comments, questions and feedback.