Our brains are hardwired to react. A reaction is the automatic response driven by biases, survival and prejudices of the unconscious mind. This sometimes works for animals in the wild (a wilder beast spies a lion and flees). Or when humans have to take fast action (pulling someone from a burning car). Yesterday, I facilitated a training on Unconscious Bias for private college in Los Angeles. A participant shared how it’s hard to respond when […]

(Note: the following article was co-authored by Raye Mitchell Esq. and Alicia Dunams. It has been abbreviated. You can find the entire post here.) On November 1, 2018, over 20,000 Google employees and contractors staged a worldwide, high-profile, but peaceful disruption of the status quo manner in which Google handles sexual harassment and other workplace matters. Despite its belief that Google fostered an environment and culture of openness and trust to stimulate robust communications and […]

This weekend I dove headfirst into Michelle Obama’s memoir “Becoming,” which now, after selling 1.4 million copies in all formats during the first seven days since it hit shelves on November 13, is a New York Times Bestseller. After supporting thousands of thought leaders write books over the past dozen years, and facilitating leadership trainings for Fortune 1000s and non-profits, I thought it was appropriate to use Michelle Obama as a lesson in leadership. Why? […]

… one conversation at a time. Yesterday, I facilitated a corporate training in Silicon Beach (the Silicon Valley of Los Angeles) on “Addressing the Elephant in the Room.” What’s an elephant in the room? A problem/controversial issue that is obviously present yet avoided as a subject for discussion as the discussion would be uncomfortable, painful or awkward. Examples would be: Taboo subjects; like suicide, racism or drug/alcohol addiction Grief; such as a woman returning to […]

Alicia Dunams, author of I Get To: How Using The Right Words Can Radically Transform Your Life, Relationships and Business, appeared on Good Morning LaLa Land, and shared the power of using intentional communication for transformational results.

Local Author Fosters Passion With New Book Port Washington resident and founder of both Foster, Inc. and FosterWomen Hayley Foster decided it was finally time to curate all of her insights and write the book she had always wanted to write, Foster Your Passion: A Guide To Finding Your Passion And The Tools You Need To Foster It. While Foster had always dreamed of writing a book, the idea and book itself came together in just […]

In the last few weeks I have been featured on the following blogs for my new book I Get To: How Using The Right Words Can Radically Transform Your Life, Relationships & Business.  Episode: https://AreYouBeingReal.com/170 On this episode, we get real about: The value in sweaty-palm conversations. The difference between calling someone out and calling someone forth. Why pause. The power of tone. Get to vs. Have to. Scripts for relationships and the workplace. How to shift […]

When someone says or does something to you – on purpose or inadvertently – that crosses the line…it can be hard to know how to respond. In this important episode, I am a guest expert on the Careers By Jenn Podcast shares her exact script of what to say so that both you and the person who has offended can move forward with dignity. Here’s the interview Click Here to Listen to the episode on Careers […]