The Leadershift Project

06/04/2026

ONLY 7% OF OUR COMMUNICATION IMPACT COMES FROM WORDS.

We pick up information through a balance of verbal, visual, and vocal cues. But most of our communication impact comes from visual cues.

So… why am I telling you this?

Well, because most organizations aren’t using this to their advantage.

Let me give you an example.

I was recently coaching someone who kept fidgeting with his fingers. I noticed it, pointed out the action, and asked what it meant. (I’ll get into this later but want to be clear: I asked out of *curiosity*, NOT out of judgment.) After thinking for a minute, my client said he does this with his fingers when he feels like he has something he needs to say but hasn’t found the words to say it yet.

This gave me an opportunity to make him feel more comfortable so he could share his thoughts with me.

This type of approach can be GAME CHANGING when it comes to having meaningful discussions with our teams.

When you do not pay attention to non-verbal cues, it can become far too easy to assume the wrong thing.

For instance, when we notice someone with “a look on their face” in a meeting, we typically assume that they disagree or that they’re bored, but it might actually mean that they’re feeling confused about something that you need to better systemize.

So, with this in mind, here’s what you do:

1️⃣ Be more aware of non-verbal behavior and cues.

2️⃣ Ask a curious, non-judgmental question about them. I can be as simple as, “What’s on your mind?”

Next week, I challenge you to pay attention to the non-verbal communication from your team and ask what the cues mean.

06/02/2026

Just taking a moment this Pride Month to appreciate the people who made it easier for others to live a little more openly.

05/28/2026

Ever feel like you get distracted from working on the things that are important?

Like… maybe it’s time to focus on a big goal or project but instead you check insignificant emails, turn to social media, or binge another Netflix show? And then hours may pass and you still haven’t started on the far more important thing you should be doing?

Sound familiar?

One of my clients was running up against this recently.

As a coach, my job is to ask some powerful questions to help him get to the core reason these distractions are so prevalent, and we had an interesting discussion that is worth sharing.

It was kind of a “it’s not about the nail” moment. [a YouTube video that went viral in 2015; watch it if you haven’t!)

What this means is when you peel back the onion, there is actually something underneath that was the real culprit for procrastination.

And I’m gonna bet you know what I’m talking about. ⤵️

We perceive scrolling social media, for example, as a distraction. But that’s just how a distraction manifests itself.

What’s happening on the INSIDE that is causing avoidance?

For example, is it...

🤔 ...fear of failure? (or success!)
🤔 ...fear of not being good enough?
🤔 ...lack of confidence?
🤔 ...fear of rejection?
🤔 ...fear of being judged?

Hear me: this isn’t wrong; we are prewired for it actually. Uncertainty can feel dangerous, and when humans are in danger, our flight/flight/freeze/fawn mechanism kicks in right away.

Once you deal with that prehistoric voice in your head that tells you to be anxious and its strong-armed partner in crime, vulnerability, the need to watch more cute but irrelevant animal videos or “just one more episode” will dissipate.

So ask yourself honestly, “what is the REAL thing driving my distraction?”.

Then to break the distraction pattern, do one small thing toward your goal or big project. That alone can shift the momentum.

What do you do to maintain focus when tempted by distractions?

05/26/2026

I am really excited to share my new and improved website. Same URL, updated vibe: https://theleadershiftproject.com/ LMK what you think!

Executive coaching, culture transformation, and leadership workshops for C-suite and VP-level leaders. Founded by Shani Magosky.

05/25/2026

For many people, Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer. A long weekend. Parties. BBQs.

Sure. But I urge you not to take this day so lightly.

Remember what it is meant to commemorate. Bravery. Sacrifice. Loss. Appreciation. Victory. Enduring impacts. Reshaped identities.

Don't just hang up an American flag and check the Memorial Day box.

Let it interrupt your thoughts for at least a moment, and remember those who have served as well as the family, friends, and others who supported their service before, during, and after.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED AND CONTINUE TO SERVE. I for one will not take for granted your service to and sacrifice for our country and keeping us safe.

05/21/2026

With the recent release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, I couldn't resist a meme with Miranda Priestly as the quintessential boss who could use a coach!

Raise your hand if you've ever had a boss who could use a coach! 🙋🏾🙋🏻🙋‍♂️🙋🏼🙋🏽🙋🏿🙋‍♀️

That's what I thought.

Let's be clear though. Coaching is not just a wish you'd have for an a-hole boss. Most often, it's developmental to help them be more successful by getting the right support.

I wish I had conceived the advice in this helpful HBR article by Marlo Lyons, “How to Convince Your Boss They Need a Coach,” such that the suggestion isn't a career limiting move. Allow me to summarize it for you:

1️⃣ Understand the Real Barrier - Resistance to coaching typically falls into three areas: ego/identity protection, misconceptions about coaching, and time/overload. Keep this in mind when developing your approach to meet them where they are.

2️⃣ Start with the Executive’s Pain Points, Not Their Gaps - Pay attention to what they have expressed as difficult or frustrating and focus on that. Position coaching as a solution to business problems and not an indictment of them personally.

3️⃣ Normalize Coaching as a Status Symbol - Not only do elite athletes still have coaches, but most Fortune 500 leaders have executive coaches, Mark Benioff, Jack Dorsey, and Eric Schmidt among them.

4️⃣ Choose the Right Messenger - Perhaps the right person to initiate the conversation is a trusted peer, HR business partner, or consultant.

5️⃣ Offer a Time-Bound Experiment - Lower the stakes by proposing a short trial. Most execs really value the experience once they embark on it and will elect to continue of their own volition.

As Lyons says, "The real objective is to create the conditions where they can opt in without feeling exposed, diminished, or cornered."

If you need support preparing for such a conversation, I am at your disposal. Ping me at [email protected].

05/19/2026

If you don't know about the Serenity Prayer, then you probably live under a rock.

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

It's widely attributed to American theologian and philosopher, Reinhold Niebuhr, and popularized globally by Alcoholics Anonymous. But it is excellent universal advice for anyone and everyone.

I was recently turned on to an article in Psychology Today called “The Serenity Prayer and 16 Variations,” written by Jeremy E. Sherman Ph.D. I thought that couldn't be anything but a fabulous and thought-provoking read!

Sherman applied the form of the serenity prayer to other tough judgment calls. Here are a few examples that resonated most for me:

1️⃣ Should I join this? - Grant me the enthusiasm to join the things that will prove to have been worth joining, the aversion to not join the things that will prove to have been not worth joining and the wisdom to know the difference.

2️⃣ Should I be consistent here? Grant me the flexibility to try new things in situations in which changed behavior will pay off, the steadfastness to be consistent in situations in which changed behavior will not pay off, and the wisdom to know the difference.

3️⃣ Should I say this? Grant me the honesty to say what will prove to have been helpful, the tact to not say what will prove to have been unhelpful and the wisdom to know the difference.

4️⃣ Should I delay gratification here? Grant me the patience to delay gratification when the future payoff will prove to have been worth the wait, the impatience to gratify now when the future payoff will prove to have been not worth the wait and the wisdom to know the difference. [Oh how I wish I had this one handy over the years of reckless spending and bad investments lol!]

Here is your homework: Pick one of the 16 versions, write/type it on a piece of paper, and display it somewhere prominent where you can revisit it whenever you're in that situation. LMK in the comments which one you picked!

05/14/2026

I finally found an influencer type that I can finally get behind - "enoughfluencers!"

A came upon the term through a recommendation of a book by Anna Kilpatrick, Not Needing New: A Practical Guide to Finding the Joy of Enough. She explains the benefits of living with less: “An increased sense of calm, less anxiety through clutter, free time away from maintaining the home, a healthier bank balance and reduced debt, children who are learning how to manage delayed gratification.”

Yes. Please.

This led me to some commonsense wisdom in a Guardian article, Less stuff, more joy: seven lessons from ‘enoughfluencers’ on how to live a happier, simpler life. Here are the lessons with my own commentary:

1️⃣ Be bolder about borrowing - for items you may only need once or very infrequently, borrow them from a friend, family member, or neighbor. I mean, somebody has to have a supply of tiki torches in their garage they could lend you!

2️⃣ Rewrite the rules around gifting - gifts don't have to cost a lot - or even any - money...it's the thought that counts!

3️⃣ Resist the comparison trap - I got MUCH better at this after taking the social media apps off my phone.

4️⃣ Practice slow shopping - be aware of impulse shopping and take a beat before rushing to the cash register.

5️⃣ Make it yourself - might require learning a new skill, but that's a good thing!

6️⃣ Care and repair - take good care of what you have rather than always buying new. As we know, if you hold on to something long enough, what was old is new again!

7️⃣ Less having, more doing - this is the one I've been practicing more and more. Experiences > Things.

I don't care how much money you have. Less is often more. Which one of these seven suggestions appeals to you enough to put into practice? LMK in the comments!

05/12/2026

This bold statement was made by Robert Chapman, former CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, a capital equipment and engineering solutions firm.

Chapman passed away on March 19th of this year, and I think his life and accomplishments are worth celebrating. He is well known as co-author of the book, Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family.

The book elaborates on 10 commandments of truly human leadership, as follows:

👥 See people as someone’s precious child

🛑 Stop managing people—start caring for them

👂 Listen to understand, not to respond

❤️ Measure success by the lives you impact

🧭 Create a culture of safety and belonging

🪞 Lead with empathy and vulnerability

🎓 Invest in people’s growth (personally and professionally)

🔄 Replace judgment with curiosity

🤝 Build relationships, not transactions

🌱 Take responsibility for the energy you create

So how does this relate to the bold allegation that CEOs are the cause of the healthcare crisis? The reasoning goes that the workplace causes the overwhelming majority of stress, stress causes chronic disease, and chronic disease is the biggest component of increasingly out-of-control health care costs.

This isn't to say that work can or should be completely without stress. There is healthy stress in pursuing a challenge, innovating, taking smart risks, and building things that matter. This is stress that a motivated person welcomes and enjoys.

In contrast, the 10 commandments of truly human leadership were devised to combat the unhealthy stress that pervades most workplaces. Toxic cultures, unevenly applied reward systems, unmodeled values, unachievable goals, lack of empathy. lack of accountability. Favoritism, sexism, and all the other "-isms." I could go on but it's too depressing.

So, please join me in taking a moment to acknowledge Chapman and his inspiring leadership philosophies!

05/08/2026

Happy Mother's Day to mothers everywhere (including moms of fur babies!).

This year's Mother's Day post celebrates traveling with two of my favorite travel buddies - my Mom and my sister (mother of my nephews).

My travel bug was inherited from my Mom. While I was growing up, travel was aspirational for her because it just wasn't in the budget. But she painted such romantic images of travel for me that it was contagious.

She was able to save enough over the years to treat me to a high school graduation present of two weeks in London and Paris. We had an absolute blast. As an adult, I have spent a large part of my discretionary income on travel. My current country count is 58!

Among other subsequent adventures, the African safari I did with my mom was one of the highlights of my life. You can see us in the photo at the Mount Kenya Safari Club. Sadly, there were no more trips to be had after she passed away in 2019. But lots of treasured memories.

However, my sister has stepped into the role! The photo of us in the silly big pink hats was on a trip to celebrate her 50th birthday. We've been averaging two trips a year, some in the U.S. and some in Europe.

So here's to all the mothers in our lives who bring us joy, whatever that looks like for you!