Leading in the Cracks
Lead Your Child, Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Your Child, Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Leading in the Cracks

Leading a team or leading a child is never just a sit down for an hour a week affair.  More often than not it is leading in each interaction, in each situation and in each moment. Sometimes as little as 1-2 minutes at a time. The cumulative effect of these minutes is what I refer to as building a relationship in the time in-between or leading in the cracks..

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Decision Fatigue
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Decision Fatigue

What’s for dinner tonight? Can I go to my friend’s house on Friday?  What do I need to get from the grocery store? Who will take the kids to the activity on Wednesday evening when I’m working late? Do I want toast for breakfast?

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Fear of Failure
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Fear of Failure

I’ve just been asked to do a last-minute national radio interview in the morning. My first time for live radio. It’s in my area of expertise and a topic I am comfortable with and have a strong opinion on. Even so, when I looked at the lineup and the people I would be speaking with, there is an Innovation Expert and a person with multiple PHDs (at least that’s what I’m telling myself!) and me. My inner voice had a few things to say, “What have I got to offer?” “What value do I bring?” Then I pictured myself saying something stupid and screwing up.

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3 Common Fears In Parenting
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

3 Common Fears In Parenting

Even if you are a fairly level-headed person, it’s common to experience an increase in the number of fears you have after having children. Someone once said to me, having a child is like having your heart run outside of you on legs – it’s a mixture of intense moments of joy and intense moments of vulnerability. However, when fears are unchecked they can drain your mental energy.

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6 Reasons to Stop Comparing in Parenting
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

6 Reasons to Stop Comparing in Parenting

Parenting can be a competitive arena. Whether it’s the type of activity a child is doing or where you are going for your winter break, some comparisons are overt and others are more subtle. Either way, they can leave you feeling unfulfilled and feeling like you are never doing enough.

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Flexibility for Working Parents is a Mindset Before a Reality
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Flexibility for Working Parents is a Mindset Before a Reality

Flexibility is not just important for working parents, it’s important for everyone. Flexibility in your schedule is what allows you to know you have autonomy over your life, that you can schedule your day to maximise your productivity and work around inflexible commitments relating to those dependent on you. Without flexibility, you can feel stressed out, over-worked and time-starved. Cue, quality of life.

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Want to Make the Most of the Holidays?
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Want to Make the Most of the Holidays?

It’s no secret that this time of year for most us is the busiest time of year. There are parties, end of year concerts, award ceremonies, planning for next year, dinners and the list goes on. Yet, for many it is also the most amount of consecutive days they have had off work this year.

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Are You Fulfilled?
Lead Yourself Dina Cooper Lead Yourself Dina Cooper

Are You Fulfilled?

When you know you want more.
When life keeps dropping you hints.
When you know you’re capable of more in life.
When you feel envious of others.
And there’s that gnawing feeling inside that won’t go away.

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