Jen Schrafft Coaching

12/05/2025

love you!

04/08/2025

03/05/2024

I’d like to introduce you to my personal trainer, Arthur! We are walking a 5k in June and want to wish everyone a wonderful day.
and…
I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but making a mental gratitude list in the morning helps set you up for a lens of positivity all day long. Have a great day with fresh air and sunshine, even if for 5 minutes over lunch☀️

01/02/2024

I am a coach.
I am a 50 year old coach with a brand new hip.

I thrive in situations where my clients wants to be better, achieve more, and feel happier.

Like others, sometimes I find it hard to do what I know will help me.

Last week, I didn't listen, overdid my exercise and Physio and ended up 2 steps back.

I share this photo because I could have gone with my emotions (mad, frustrated,sad) and given up.

I chose to REST, and the next day I could walk to my car and drive,

Rest and exercise are a fine balance. Don't forget to get up from your desk, walk outside, BREATHE, and be proud of yourself for doing even 5 minutes of action.

06/03/2022

Unnecessary mental clutter is holding you back. Head into the weekend knowing you are taking care of cleaning it up. Exhale.

03/01/2022

War is happening. And, you are still a mother, employee, boss, caregiver; how do you do it all? # # # # # # # # # I am trying to allow myself to have a normal and necessary reaction, AND still put one foot in front of the other. Check out my blog for more and resources for processing emotional trauma.

02/16/2022

I’ve been thinking a lot about the impact of leadership in the current state of the workplace as it continues to evolve.

The truth is, things have changed a lot and will continue to. It may feel like an intimidating position to be in, especially within a large organization but you CAN make a difference.

Whether it’s within your small team, department, or organization-wide, putting effort and care into the way you interact and support those around you goes a long way.

This week on the blog I’m sharing the story of a great leader (and experience) I once had along with the three specific things that worked to create an environment of synergy, productivity, and happiness.

Head to the blog for the post and share below what you think makes a great leader!

https://www.jenschrafftcoaching.com/blog/2022/2/15/asaleaderyoumakeanimpact

02/02/2022

You are in a meeting that seems to drag on and on. Every week you meet.  No one is very energized, there is no “good” news or information that is a catalyst for positive outcomes.

The purpose is foggy; why are we here? What is the point of this meeting? 

Do you speak up and ask the meeting owner if there is an opportunity for a group discussion to get clear on the purpose and expected outcome of the meeting?

Or, do you sit through it, watching the clock, glad it’s over for this week so you can go grab a coffee and complain to your loyal dog waiting at your feet?

If you chose door #1, you might have Psychological Safety in your workplace. You are able to question, respectfully of course, ask for clarity, and invite others to do the same for the purpose of doing better work. You don’t expect to be agreed with every time, nor do you expect to have a world war set in motion for asking an uncomfortable question. 

If you chose door #2, (we’ve all been there), you might wonder what the fallout would be of you asking such a question. Would you be ostracized for being “that guy” and poking the bear? Would you be seen as a trouble maker? Is there a real chance no one would say a word and you’d feel like shrivelling up in the corner from embarrassment to the sound of crickets?

The most productive, happiest employees and teams have a high degree of psychological safety. They know that when questioned or asked for more detail, it is about the work, the value and not personal. They know that open honest query creates trust. They know that  agreeing and smiling to avoid personal and professional backlash is what creates distrust and a culture of fear. These people leak copious amounts of energy worrying about repercussions of saying what they think, burnout, and leave. 

And the meetings keep happening. 
 
There are clear cut ways to create psychological safety in teams.

Let’s talk.

01/25/2022

Today, I should have been working in person with a group of 15 people, kicking off a 6 part leadership training series. Instead I’m working from my home office with this guy (not a bad colleague!).

I am really excited about working with this group because they embody why I do what I do:

- They want to increase the positive experience their managers have on the job
- They want to see their people develop and grow
- They want to increase the positive experience customers have 
- They of course, want to increase revenue, but this was not on the top of the list 

Although we can’t come together yet because of the current lockdown period, I am looking forward to this more than any group work I have done for a while. Why? They care about their people.

Nothing gets me more excited than working with organizations that truly value their employees. 

They didn’t come to me asking to fix anyone or anything. They came to me saying that they want to make sure their managers have everything they need to help their teams. 

This is my kind of work.

What’s yours?

01/18/2022

I talk a lot about change and embracing that which is fluid.

Today let’s shift gears and talk about what’s the same.

It was a snow day here yesterday. The lockdown for school is finally over yet a massive snowstorm put any ideas of returning to the classroom quickly to bed.

It’s also Omicron season, and plans of returning to the office have been postponed.

There has been a lot of change, but believe it or not, some things have stayed the same, possibly the most important things.

So what is staying the same for you?

List 3 things you do, that regardless of external changes remain consistent. Here’s an example:

✔️I make decisions based on what’s good for the human beings in our organization, not blindly sacrificing them for the bottom line.

✔️ I look for the lesson in my missteps, even if I overreact behind closed doors!

✔️I try, even in tough conversations, to bring people along with me, and not dismiss other points of view.

Do you notice what’s happening here?

Even when the players change, the rules change, the weather changes, your values don’t. You have control as to how to approach life, even when life is like a constant roller coaster.

This is a simple but grounding concept and is extremely helpful on days when changes that are out of your control are trying your last nerve.

What has remained the same in your world?

01/11/2022

Skipping the hard part is something many of us tend to do unintentionally. When it comes to trust, we must remember that trust is not a “soft skill” that is optional if you want a functioning team.

Real trust among teams lays a foundation to better overall team health. It sets the stage for better communication, diverse conversations, creativity, and productivity, but it doesn’t come easy.

Here’s where I think many leaders get stuck.

Imagine this call.

Client: “I’d like our team to work better together and stop shutting down. It seems like communication is at an all time low. We can’t get anything done and are at each other’s throats. I’m afraid they are going to breakdown”
Me: “We would need to start with helping the team get an understanding of the breakdown in trust and what psychological safety in teams looks like in order to rebuild a solid foundation so they can get out of their own way”
Them: “Great, we have an hour set aside at our offsite in April”
Me: Crickets…….

This conversation is common not because people are not smart or don’t understand the importance of trust in teams. This is common because many don’t realize the true state of their teams, the complexity of trust, and the time required to break down barriers, and rebuild. You can’t ask your team to define trust, understand the implications of lack of trust, the benefits to building it, and how to participate in systems that encourage psychological safety in one hour.

What you can do is understand it yourself so you can begin to influence your team to see the importance of it.

Ready to start fresh with your team and rebuild? Let's chat.

www.jenschrafftcoaching.com/blog/2022/1/11/skipping-the-hard-part

Trust is not a “soft skill” that is optional if you want a functioning team. Real trust among teams lays a foundation to better overall team health. It sets the stage for better communication, diverse conversations, creativity, and productivity, but it doesn’t come easy. Here’s where I think...