Author: Melissa Segal

In a recent Tough Conversations workshop, a participant asked, “Is it ok to speak on behalf of others if they aren’t comfortable addressing an issue directly?” At the time, I suggested that they might consider their ultimate goal, their role

Earlier this week, I facilitated an all-day retreat, and once again, I’m reminded of the power of stepping away from the day-to-day to connect and reflect together. When we carve out intentional, structured time, we create space for four critical

Last week, I was scheduled on a flight into Newark, NJ. Yes, the airport with several communication outages and a recent FAA walkout. A week prior to my travel, I received a text from the airline warning that my flight

A few weeks ago, someone in my mutual learning group asked for my professional opinion about the curriculum. I felt pressured to respond, and I shared my raw thoughts—directly and without considering first how they might land. As soon as

Most of my work involves teaching and facilitating. This week, I took time to learn, reflect, and connect at the Durham Business Evolution Summit + Expo. And I came away feeling inspired and energized. Here are a few moments that

Having a tough conversation? Don’t forget to name the elephants in the room. Yesterday I facilitated one of my favorite workshops: Navigating Tough Conversations. As part of the learning, we explored how to notice and name the elephants. What is

That work conversation you’re avoiding? It’s not helping.

Ever notice how quickly the phrase, “Yes, but…” can shut down a conversation? You say, “I think that…” or “I’d like us to…” Without a pause, the other person interjects, “Yes, but…,” followed by why your solution won’t work or

Last weekend, I went for a walk with a new friend. I thought we’d chat about light subjects: kids, jobs, or perhaps social events. Instead, within the first few minutes, he shared his feelings about a specific political issue. And

About two years into the pandemic, I attended a meeting with senior leaders in a health care organization to launch a peer support program. We discussed the daily experience of team members who pass colleagues in the hall; everyone generally

What a great conversation about compassion in healthcare! Thanks to the Healthcare Reinvention Collaborative and especially Dawn Ellison and Denise Wiseman for being partners in this space. Watch the full panel discussion here (I start at around 18:45).

Exactly five years ago, in March 2020, my team and I left our offices without knowing when we would return. We had no idea how this possible pandemic would progress, when we would be together again, and how we would

Our team members often share that they don’t feel valued. Our leaders often explain, “I value my people, and I tell them that regularly.” What is the disconnect? Telling people that they are valued is not the same as valuing

Consider the following situations: A manager changes her own job description to fit her interests and delegates the unwanted tasks to a team member. A leader creates a new organizational structure that tailors his own role to his skillset. An

I recently attended a lecture by Brendan Murphy, a historian and teacher, who reminded us that history is never inevitable. History is always the result of a collection of choices. And those choices can always be different. Those comments resonated

How many of us have experienced or witnessed the following scenarios—or even recognize ourselves as the leader in these types of situations? A boss always double checks a team member’s emails before she is allowed to send them to potential

While I had planned to publish Humility Part 4 today, I am instead thinking about another important quality for leaders: humanity. This season is a challenging one for so many of us and our team members. We may be facing

I’m so honored that E3 Durham chose me as the Entrepreneur of the Month for January 2025! I’ve enjoyed being part of this vibrant community and look forward to all that we will accomplish together!

Last week, in part two of my series on how to be a better manager, I posted about sharing our mistakes and imperfections with our teams. Another key component is to actively and genuinely encourage feedback from our team members