Carpenter Smith Consulting, llc

10/12/2026

Today we're talking about a couple of additional ways you can use our decision-making framework called, Benefits, Concerns, and Suggestions.

🔴 PROBLEM SOLVING 🔴
When you’re proposing a solution to your team and would like their input and engagement, consider asking questions like these.

As we consider our mission and vision, and the current challenge we’re facing,
1. What BENEFITS do you see of this proposed solution?
2. What CONCERNS do you have about this proposed solution?
3. What SUGGESTIONS do you have, to make this proposed solution successful?

🔴 JOB OFFER 🔴
When you’re unsure whether to accept a job offer, consider asking yourself questions like these.

As I look at the job description, the information I gathered at the interview, and my core criteria,
1. What are the BENEFITS of accepting this job?
2. What CONCERNS do I have about accepting this job?
3. What SUGGESTIONS do I have to make this job opportunity a great fit for me?

The next time you’re making a decision, consider using this framework to help you/your team gain clarity on how to move forward.

If you’d like more detailed instructions, we've included documents in the comments section.

10/05/2026

To support you, we’re sharing some differences between FEARLESS and RECKLESS, as well as a simple assessment framework.

FEARLESS
When you’re being fearless, you lean into possibilities and stretch yourself to think in new ways, explore new options, and take action even though you may be uncomfortable or feel afraid.

You take calculated risks.

RECKLESS
When you’re being reckless, you’re not evaluating the risks that are in front of you but instead you’re catapulting yourself headfirst into an oncoming disaster.

You act impulsively without regard for consequences.

HOW TO ASSESS? Ask yourself questions like these:
🔴 What do I see as the Benefits of this opportunity?
🔴 What Concerns do I have for myself and others, with this opportunity?
🔴 What Suggestions do I have to move forward in a way that’s fearless vs reckless? How can I mitigate some of the risk?

Let us know what comes up for you.

Today, we're provide some details so you can discern when you're acting fearlessly vs recklessly.

10/05/2026

Fear isn’t failure or a psychological malfunction.

Fear is a part of our very wiring and is there to keep us safe and alive. Unchecked fear though, can keep us from joy rather than protecting us from harm.

The next time your fear stops you rather than protects you, consider using one or more of these suggestions.

🔴 CHEERLEAD
Combine talking with yourself and using words that are kind and assuring, to turn things around and motivate you in moving forward.

🔴 MOVE
Doing something physically active will help you release some of the energy that gets built up with fear.

🔴 NAME IT
Many times, you can regain your power by identifying and naming the fear that’s derailing you. It’s like bringing light to a scary dark place.

🔴 RE-NAME IT
Saying to yourself something like, “I get to do this!” or “This is going to be a rewarding experience!”, can change your sense of the impact, influence, and power you have in your life.

🔴 REFLECT
Getting curious about your fear is one of the best ways to navigate it. You can ask yourself, What am I afraid of?
Is there genuinely a reason for me to feel that fear?

🔴 ASK FOR SUPPORT
Reaching out to someone you trust for support, can help you move away from fear and can accelerate your ability to explore if the fear is there to protect you.

This week, consider the spaces where you can start to take action—even when you’re afraid.

Let us know how it goes!

Today, we're sharing some suggestions to help you get unstuck, and move forward, despite your fear.

09/15/2026

To support you today, we’re sharing a framework you can use as you determine which decisions you need to make, and whether or not you will use input from the team.

LEADER or MANAGER DECIDES
⚪️ Autocratic: As the leader you make the decision on your own, without input from others.

⚪️ Consultative: As the leader you engage your team in giving you their input, expertise, and perspective, and then you make the decision on your own.

GROUP DECIDES
⚪️ Group Decision: The group shares in making the decision, and as a leader/manager you have an equal voice in the decision.

⚪️ Delegation: As the leader/manager, you turn over, or delegate, the power of deciding to the group completely.

Be sure to follow through with the type of decision you’ve committed to. Employees quickly lose trust when you tell them that they can be part of a decision and then you make the decision autocratically.

There may be times when you aren’t able to stand by your commitment—we know life can get messy sometimes! When this happens, be sure to own it and let them know why. This should be an exception and not the rule.

Today, we're providing you suggestions to help you as you think about the types of decisions you're making.

09/10/2026

The beginning of September can often conjure up a mix of feelings for people.

All at once, we may feel excitement for a new school year starting or the chill of autumn in the air, and at the same time, sorrow that the long sunny days are ending, or the spaciousness of summer is over.

This week, as summer starts to wind down, consider pausing to take a breath and think about what your new beginnings could be.

Maybe you’ll:
🔴 Take a virtual meditation class.
🔴 Volunteer one day a week at the library.
🔴 Offer to mentor a new staff member.
🔴 Make time to take a walk for 30 minutes/day.
🔴 Get your office and to-do list organized.
🔴 Set up monthly video chats with loved ones.
🔴 Learn a new creative skill like playing an instrument or dancing.
🔴 Gain new work experience with a class or training program.

Breathe deep into the possibilities of a new beginning.

Let us know what comes up for you!

Today, we're encouraging you to consider what you're beginning as summer ends and autumn begins.

09/03/2026

Life is beautifully and wonderfully complicated. Too often we forget that the strong emotion we’re feeling, isn’t the only one—Both/And, honors that.

Holding this idea in your brain can be a powerful tool to reduce stress as you navigate and nurture your relationships (with others and with yourself).

Using Both/And in your personal and professional leadership, demonstrates that it’s okay to talk about and name the messiness while also celebrating what’s good.

To support you today, we’re sharing some examples we’ve heard from our clients.

🔴 I think I’m right AND I respect you, so I will fully listen to your thoughts.
🔴 I want to do this on my own AND I’m feeling overwhelmed and would like support.
🔴 I’m feeling grief over the loss of my mother AND I appreciate the beauty of my garden.
🔴 I’m feeling frustrated by your behavior AND I want to understand what you’re going through.
🔴 I’m relieved that the kids are back in school AND I miss having them around.

Remember that you have the capacity to hold two seemingly opposite or conflicting ideas, feelings, or truths at that same time.

This week, try to notice when you’re feeling caught by the messiness of life, and consider using this Both/And framework to provide you with a more complete view of your world.

Let us know what it looks like for you.

Today, we're reminding you of the power in holding two truths at the same time.

08/19/2026

When you envision standing shoulder-to-shoulder with others, you’ll have an amazing shift in how you approach conversations and interactions.

Take a moment to think about how it feels when you’re in an important conversation with someone and it feels like you’re on one side and they’re on the other.

Maybe you sometimes have the feeling that when they talk, they’re poking a finger at your chest and you’re doing the same in response.

Now, imagine, that you’re sitting side-by-side—looking at the problem, issue, or opportunity, together.

Shoulder-to-shoulder puts you on a team. One where you’re exploring how to move forward in a way that works best for the success of you, them, the team, and the company.

Whether you’re tackling a problem, coming up with new ideas, or navigating stressful situations, consider what it might feel like if you switch to physically or mentally, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the other person(s).

Let us know how it goes!

Today, we're discussing how you can use Curiosity, Caring, and Connection to support your team with burnout.

08/05/2026

Today, we’re focusing on ways that you, as a manager, leader, executive, or owner, can support your team members (and yourself!) in avoiding and managing burnout.

We're sharing some ways of connecting and communicating that could help your team to feel supported, which will ultimately result in you being more supported.

⚪️ Curiosity ⚪️
Genuinely ask how people are doing and what support from you would look like.

As you have these conversations, remember to approach people as if you’re standing shoulder-to-shoulder, working toward their individual success and the organizational success, together.

⚪️ Caring and Value ⚪️
People feel like they matter to you and belong to something larger than themselves, when you demonstrate that you care about them as humans and that you value their unique skills and contributions.

Being specific when you see them contribute, and curious about how they’re doing, will increase their experience of being an important member of the team.

⚪️ Connection ⚪️
Building a sense of connection is not a one-and-done.

True connection grows over time, by having shared experiences, dealing with success and failure together, talking about development needs, and in having each other’s back.

It can feel like extra work when you first lean in, but the increase in satisfaction and the sense of engagement that fuels the team, will accelerate everyone’s success.

Let us know how it goes!

Today, we're discussing how you can use Curiosity, Caring, and Connection to support your team with burnout.

07/28/2026

In a recent article on Psychology Today's website, Joel Wong, Ph.D. discusses the importance of cultivating a level of Healthy Dependence in our relationships.

HEALTHY DEPENDENCE / NOURISHING RELIANCE – this is the sweet spot where you lean on others and they lean on you, creating authentic and strong relationships.

This type of dependence can play an important role in nurturing relationships and enriching your life.

What can you do if you see yourself in one of the unhealthy dependence categories? We encourage you to use the first part of our Reflect practice, which is to Reflect on SELF.

Ask yourself questions like this,
🔵 What am I afraid of in this situation? What's keeping me from asking for support?

🔵 What do I typically do when I feel that fear? When you become afraid, what does your behavior look like?

🔵 What would you do if you felt safe? How might you show up if you felt comfortable asking for support?

Click through for additional details and helpful examples.

Let us know what comes up for you!

Today we're sharing the differences between healthy and unhealthy dependence.

07/21/2026

We've heard from you that somedays, you're just feeling too overwhelmed to practice self care or even gratitude.

To support you today, we're sharing a simple suggestion to Look for the Neutral.

Rick Hanson, Ph.D. recommends,

“Let neutral things be without prodding.
Acknowledge the day-to-day,
ordinary moments
without needing to make them
more interesting or exciting.”

By learning to sit with the neutral parts of your day, you prevent your mind from needlessly creating suffering or craving, and you may even find that you have space for some gratitude!

The next time you’re feeling too drained to practice of reflecting, reframing, and restoring, consider taking a moment to look for what’s neutral.

Let us know what you find!

When you're feeling too overwhelmed to refuel or even make note of your gratitudes, it can be helpful to look for what's neutral.