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LumenusWorks Putting the happy & fun back into the workplace through trusting, positive, collaborative teams.

đź’ˇ People-first Leadership Coaching & Team Development

Our state-of-the art assessments help you select and retain inspired employees who match the job and fit the culture of your organization. I find ways to incorporate everyday lessons from my sweet dog, Grace, for us all to learn better human communications skills.

Some days I wish I could stick a big “PAUSE” note right in the middle of my inbox.We’ve all had those days when emails a...
10/14/2026

Some days I wish I could stick a big “PAUSE” note right in the middle of my inbox.
We’ve all had those days when emails are piling up, everyone needs something, and we’re responding as quickly as we can just to keep up.

But I wonder how often those rushed replies actually communicate what we’re trying to say. Sometimes we’re sending along half-formed thoughts, assuming the other person will understand what we mean.

What if we wrote the response, stepped away for a bit, and gave it another read before hitting send?

Maybe we’d catch something that wasn’t quite clear. Or realize our words could be received differently than we intended. It’s such a small thing, but I think giving ourselves that little bit of space could make a real difference in how we communicate and connect with each other.

10/08/2026

Have you ever realized that the way you’ve always led just isn’t working quite as well anymore?

It happens. We grow as leaders, our teams change, and eventually we find ourselves dealing with situations that the tools we’ve relied on don’t quite fit. That doesn’t mean those tools were wrong, they got you here. You might just need something different for where you’re going.

And figuring out what “different” looks like isn’t always easy when you’re in the middle of the work every day.

That’s a big part of what leadership coaching can offer. A chance to get some perspective, talk through what you’re running into, and develop new ways of approaching the situations in front of you.

You may already know you’re ready for something to change, you just might need some space to figure out what comes next.

Most of us are pretty good at finding the problem. Something isn’t working, so naturally, we start talking about how to ...
10/06/2026

Most of us are pretty good at finding the problem. Something isn’t working, so naturally, we start talking about how to fix it. I did the same thing for years as a leader.

Appreciative Inquiry flips that a bit. Instead of starting with what’s wrong, we start by asking: What’s already working?

If you’re trying to build a stronger team, think about a time when things really clicked. People were communicating. There was trust. The work felt good. What was happening then? What were people doing differently?

There’s a lot we can learn from those moments.

It doesn’t mean we ignore what isn’t working. We’re just looking at the full picture and paying attention to the strengths and successes that are already there. Sometimes, changing the questions we ask changes the conversation entirely.

I wrote more about Appreciative Inquiry and what this can look like with teams on the LumenusWorks website. Find the full article here: https://tinyurl.com/h5w5yz85

10/02/2026

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work with manufacturers who really know their stuff. And I mean really know it. They understand the process, notice the little things, and solve problems on the fly. They carry years of knowledge that you could never capture in a procedure manual.

That’s the part I think we sometimes miss when we talk about systems and processes. They’re important, but they come to life because of people.

When people have the right training, clear communication, and room to use what they know, it makes a real difference in how a team works together.

So on Manufacturing Day, I’m giving a little extra credit to the people behind the process. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great ones!

I always appreciate this stretch of fall in Vermont. Things start to shift a little, and it feels like a good time to no...
09/30/2026

I always appreciate this stretch of fall in Vermont. Things start to shift a little, and it feels like a good time to notice where we are before we rush into what’s next.

Before we get deep into planning for 2027, there’s still time to pay attention to what’s happening with our people right now.

Where is a team getting stuck? Is someone ready to take on more, but not quite sure how? Maybe a leader has been figuring things out as they go and could really benefit from some new tools.

We spend a lot of time thinking about where we want the organization to go. I think it’s just as important to ask what our people need to get there.

We want people on our teams to take initiative and feel confident making decisions, but sometimes we make that harder wi...
09/24/2026

We want people on our teams to take initiative and feel confident making decisions, but sometimes we make that harder without realizing it.

When we’re used to being involved in everything, it can be difficult to know when to step back. We want to be helpful, we want things to go well, and before we know it, people are checking with us on decisions they could probably make on their own.

I’ve been thinking about how important it is to ask ourselves, “What decisions could this person make without me?”

And then actually give them the opportunity to make those decisions.

They might approach something differently than we would, and that’s okay! There’s so much value in having the chance to think things through, make a choice, and learn from the experience.

We can still be available for guidance and support. But there’s something really wonderful about watching someone grow more confident in their own judgment because we’ve trusted them enough to give them that space.

I keep wondering if, in all our excitement about what AI can do for us, we’re giving enough attention to the things we s...
09/22/2026

I keep wondering if, in all our excitement about what AI can do for us, we’re giving enough attention to the things we still need to do for ourselves.

I love that we have tools that make our work easier. But I also think about how much we learn from the parts of our work that aren’t always easy. Having a difficult conversation, working through a disagreement, making a decision when there isn’t an obvious answer.

Those experiences help us grow, and I’d hate to see us lose sight of their value.

I recently read an article from PXT Select that got me thinking about how we’re supporting our teams as technology continues to evolve.

I think we can embrace everything AI has to offer while continuing to invest in the very human skills that make our workplaces better.

How are you making space for your team to keep developing those human skills as AI becomes a bigger part of our work?

Here’s the article I mentioned, if you’d like to take a look: https://tinyurl.com/y2yevjdd

Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone knows there’s disagreement, but no one really wants to talk about it?We a...
09/17/2026

Have you ever been in a meeting where everyone knows there’s disagreement, but no one really wants to talk about it?

We ask the easier questions, talk around the issue a little and try to get everyone “on the same page.” Meanwhile, we’re still stuck.

What if, instead of trying to get everyone to agree, we asked: “What would change your mind?” It’s a simple question, but you can learn a lot from the answer.

Maybe there’s a piece of information someone needs. Maybe they’re seeing a risk the rest of the room isn’t seeing. Maybe they’ve had an experience that makes them look at the situation differently. Or maybe there really isn’t anything that would change their mind.

That’s worth knowing too.

We tend to think a good meeting is one where everyone leaves agreeing, but that’s not always the goal. Sometimes a good meeting is the one where we finally talk about the thing we’ve all been carefully avoiding.

A little disagreement can be useful. Especially when we’re curious enough to understand what’s underneath it.

One of the quickest ways to lose trust with your team? Ask for their opinion when you’ve already made up your mind. If t...
09/16/2026

One of the quickest ways to lose trust with your team? Ask for their opinion when you’ve already made up your mind. If the decision has been made, just say so 👏

I’ve seen teams spend a lot of time talking something through because they were asked for feedback. People share concerns and offer ideas so they think they’re part of the decision. Then they realize the decision had already been made before the conversation even started.

Not every decision needs to be made as a group. Sometimes you’re looking for input. Other times, the decision is yours and what you really need is buy-in. There’s nothing wrong with either one; just be clear about which conversation you’re having.

“This is the direction we’re going. I’d really like your thoughts on how we get there.”
Now people know what’s actually on the table.

Trust on a team is built in moments like this. When I ask what you think, you should be able to trust that I actually want to know.

And when the decision is already made, you should be able to trust me enough to tell you that, too.

What caught my attention in this PXT Select article wasn’t just the number. It was the connection between fit and joy at...
09/16/2026

What caught my attention in this PXT Select article wasn’t just the number. It was the connection between fit and joy at work.

We usually talk about fit when someone is being hired, but it matters long after that first day.

You can have someone who’s talented, experienced and doing everything expected of them, and still have a role that just doesn’t bring out the best in them.

And sometimes that person looks perfectly successful from the outside. They’re getting the work done, so there may not be an obvious reason to question whether the role is actually working for them.

That makes me wonder how different work can feel when what you’re naturally good at actually lines up with what you get to do every day.

How much of enjoying our work comes down to simply being in the right fit?

Worth a read: https://tinyurl.com/3swkj5us

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