Dogs are creatures of habit. They like routines. In our house, the highlight of my dogs’ morning, other than breakfast, is going to see the chickens. But before that happens, they have to wait on me. After getting up, I work out. The dogs will lie on their beds, patiently waiting for me to finish. If Marlee, my 11-year-old lab, feels the workout has gone on a little too long, he will come up and start licking me or lie down on my mat. After my workout, I shower, get dressed, and head down the stairs. JacX will run down the steps ahead, announcing her excitement to all within earshot. This daily trip includes throwing the ball for Marlee as JacX chases after him with a training bumper in her mouth. We work our way up the garden trail, through the woods, and into the front field for more ball throwing and lots of smells to check out. I do believe it is one of the best parts of their day, second only to food.

A few months ago, we very unexpectedly lost Marlee. One day, he was running on the beach, and the next day, we had to put him down. I was out of town and had to say goodbye to him on FaceTime. When I returned home the next day, I felt the loss of my buddy as soon as I walked into the house.

The following day, after finishing my workout, JacX and I went up to see the chickens. JacX ran out of the garage with her hair up and started hunting for Marlee. When we reached the end of the patio, she stood there, waiting for him. Tears flowed as I watched her, giving her time to process this loss. Then, we slowly walked down the garden trail. It felt so empty without Marlee.

In my grief, I decided I no longer needed to make those morning trips. I could visit the chickens later in the day. And without Marlee to chase around, I figured JacX wouldn’t want to go anyway.

So, I changed my morning routine and didn’t think much about it. A few days later, in the kitchen after my workout, I saw JacX staring at me. I told her to go lie down, but she was having none of it.

Finally, looking at things from her perspective, I asked her, “Do you want to go see the chickens?” She started jumping around me.

What I realized at that moment was that while I was grieving the loss of Marlee, JacX was grieving too, and she needed the comfort of that routine in her life. So, we restarted our morning routine, although it isn’t the same. It still feels empty without him, but we’ve changed it slightly to feel more like “our” routine.

Since that day, I have started taking her up to see the chickens multiple times a day, and she gets so excited every time.

Often, as I walk down that garden path, I think of my clients and friends who have experienced significant loss in their lives, some much greater than the loss of a dog. Continuing to move forward is hard. Sometimes, it feels like something we can’t do. But I find the strength when I think about Marlee and all the joy he brought to my life. During those moments, I realize that it isn’t just about me: I need to think beyond myself, think about the people who are depending on me, those who love me and support me.

To all of you who have comforted me these past few months, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And to those experiencing grief and needing someone to listen, I am here, willing to listen with an open heart. 

With the rising prices of eggs and shortage of chickens, I have enjoyed special treatment from my neighbors and friends. Just last week, I received a meme of me looking like royalty.

But all this notoriety has also come with some challenges. Due to the risk of chicken theft, I have had to put my chickens under 24-hour security to ensure their safety.

I have always enjoyed being a chicken mama, but these changes have added a layer of complexity to my work. To make matters worse, ever since my chickens started trending on InstaLayer, their social media channel, they have been demanding more expensive food, additional scratch (“chicken crack”), and cleaner living quarters. Why they need their coop cleaned more frequently when all they do is poop in it, I don’t know, but that is what they want.

So here I am, working harder than ever and spending additional money to keep my chickens safe and happy, and yet I’m still not meeting my egg-laying needs. I’m frustrated and feel stuck, but I know quitting my egg-laying adventure isn’t the right choice.

My saving grace is that I’m not alone; there are other chicken-laying mamas (and daddies) in the same boat. We support each other. When I shared my frustration with Burkhart, a German chicken daddy I know, he wrote me a song to cheer me up. As I listened, I laughed and realized this challenging chapter would pass, and I should celebrate having chickens and eggs. (Feel free to listen if you want to laugh and enjoy some chicken humor.)

I wonder how many leaders have felt like I have in the past few years—working to keep their employees happy and engaged while dealing with the rising costs of nearly everything, from raw materials to transportation to labor. Running a business and solving all the company’s issues is complicated. It can wear down even the most optimistic person. I believe the benefit of having a leadership team is that the burden of running a business and making those difficult decisions doesn’t fall solely on the owner, CEO, or president. As a team, you can work together to identify potential solutions to a problem and ultimately find a solution you might not have seen on your own.

When I start an EOS session, as part of the check-in, I have each team member share one personal and one professional highlight since we last met. This helps them transition from working “in” the business to working “on” the business. But some of my team members will read their wins with their heads down or with no inflection and then continue with the rest of their check-in. Occasionally, someone will say they have no wins to share at all. Both of these scenarios fill me with sadness.

Most leadership teams are feeling the stress of running a business, whether it be a lack of profitability, losing a large contract, or the departure of a key employee. If a team is going to endure that stress, it is important to stop and celebrate the wins when they happen.

I am a very achievement-oriented person. I love striving to achieve my goals, and once I do, I just keep striving for more. It is really hard for me to slow down and savor my wins. So I understand the mindset that many leaders have. However, I have also learned that slowing down and appreciating the wins allows me to be present and grateful for where I am today.

If you find yourself mired in all the challenges of running your business, I’d encourage you to stop and look at what is going well, and celebrate it with your team. If you are the type of person who struggles with that, think about the people around you. Could they benefit from celebrating their wins? And if that doesn’t help, perhaps listening to a little chicken song could serve as a reminder that there’s plenty to celebrate in your life.

If the challenges still feel overwhelming, reach out to me. I can introduce some tools to help you get a grip on your business.

The dark days of winter. This time of year is hard, especially with all the Christmas lights down. I know we are gaining on the sunlight, but we still have more than five months until the summer solstice. This season also means my hens aren’t laying many eggs. It has been two weeks since my last egg. As frequent readers know, it takes a lot of work to clean the coop, feed the hens, refill their water container, give them treats, put hats on them, and not get any eggs. The lack of egg production has forced me to buy eggs at the grocery store. I paid $10.49 for a dozen free-range eggs. When did the price of eggs get so high?

Here I am, working really hard to care for my hens, and they aren’t doing their jobs. So I turned to my chicken coach for advice. My first question was, “Are your chickens laying right now?” Her response was, “Yes, we’re getting 18-20 eggs per day.” How she ended up with so many chickens, I have no idea, but I’ve learned not to ask someone how many chickens they have. It’s one of those seemingly easy questions that can be surprisingly difficult to answer.

But her answer to the question of egg-laying made me realize I could definitely do something to get my ladies to start laying. My chicken coach provided lots of resources and ideas on what she has been doing to ensure egg production throughout the winter. I immediately put her ideas into action, and slowly egg production has begun to increase. 

Here’s the thing. Had I not sought outside advice, I would have made up my own story about what was going on with my hens. I’d rely on what I thought I remembered from the last time this happened or search the web for the best remedy. But talking to someone who knows me, my hens, and all things chickens was the fastest way to identify the root cause and start addressing the problem. 

As I teach my clients, you can’t coach yourself from inside a bottle. You receive much more valuable help when you bring in an outside perspective from someone who understands you. However, you must invest in that relationship if you want that person to understand your situation and the people involved. That’s the only way to ensure that the advice they offer you remains relevant.

A few months ago, I received an email from a CEO about an issue with a leadership team member. This team member had a complete breakdown during a meeting. He was yelling, swearing, and carrying on. The CEO was quite concerned about the team member and the impact his behavior would have on the team and possibly the organization. Having spent time with the team during several EOS sessions, I had my own perspective on this person and some of the behaviors I had observed. We talked through the issue and ultimately agreed that there must have been something outside of the business that caused his severe reaction. 

Rather than discipline the team member for his behavior, the CEO decided to meet one-on-one to find out what was going on. It turned out that some stressors at home were spilling into his work. Together, they talked through some techniques the team member could use when he started to feel that his emotions were getting the best of him. 

This is exactly what I believe is so powerful about the work I have the privilege of doing. Spending time with leadership teams allows me to get to know the team and individual team members along with the business and the challenges they face. All of this gives me the context and background to truly coach them to become their best. As one of my clients said, “You are hard on us when we need it. But you’re also there to share in our celebrations.” 

As you start this new year and consider everything you want to accomplish, do you have the right structure to support achieving those things? Do you have the right coach to guide you through the obstacles you may face? If you answered no to either of these questions, please reach out to me. I can help you and your leadership team get more out of your business than you could ever imagine. 

Our “Little Gray” hen hatched out five peeps in late June.  Unfortunately, one of them had a bad leg, and while she could hop around, she couldn’t roost. After about eight weeks, we had to move her on to greener pastures.  Of the remaining youngsters, it appears we have at least three roosters.  About four weeks ago, I headed up to the coop for the weekly cleaning, and I found one of those cockerels (young roosters) hanging out in the coop.  I kicked him out so I could clean, and as he ran down the ramp, all the other chickens started chasing him and pecking at him.  When I intervened, he was crammed up in the corner of the run.  I picked him up and found that he was pecked raw and nearly lifeless.

At this point, I decided he needed to be moved to the smaller coop just 20 feet from where I stood.  All I needed to do was open the coop gate, walk the 20 feet to the other coop, open that gate, and put him inside.  But this simple journey became a bit of an obstacle course, because I had two very interested retrievers who wanted to help.  Now, if I had expected to be handling chickens and moving them from one coop to another, I wouldn’t have brought the dogs, but this was the situation I found myself in.

So, I stood there, contemplated the situation, and did what anyone would: I took a selfie.  No, I did.  But then I realized I was stuck.  There was no way I would be able to handle this situation alone.  I could either set the cockerel down and take the dogs up to the house, risking further attacks on the cockerel, or I could phone a friend.  So I called Mike and asked for his help.  He came up and was able to pull the dogs away so I could move the injured cockerel to the other coop.

I don’t know why all the chickens were picking on that particular cockerel.  Even his three “hatch-mates” chased him around.  That is one of the things I don’t like about chickens.  They can be mean.  They peck at each other. They don’t support each other.  They are the antithesis of how I encourage my leadership teams to behave.  And honestly, it makes me a little sad.  I know it’s just in their chicken DNA, but why must they do that?

When implementing EOS, I work with the leadership teams to get them healthy.  That means having uncomfortable conversations with one another, calling people out if they aren’t living by their core values, holding each other accountable, and caring so much about the company and its people that they will enter danger.

In his book Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni defines a team as a group of people who share common goals and the responsibilities and rewards of achieving them. However, according to Lencioni, not every group of people in an organization is really a team. They might have the same manager or work in the same department, but that doesn’t make them a team.

When implementing EOS, I work closely with an organization’s leaders, guiding them to become a true team. For them to succeed, they must embrace collaboration, accountability, and unity. My work is most rewarding when I witness this transformation—watching a group of individuals embark on their EOS journey and evolve into a cohesive, high-performing team.

I see leaders lean into the discomfort of holding each other accountable, emerging stronger and more united. They align around a shared vision, celebrate their wins together, and provide unwavering support during challenging times. It’s a privilege to witness teams navigate failures, rebuild together, and grow even stronger. I’ve also seen team members face personal struggles only to be lifted up by the care and strength of their team.

These moments of resilience, trust, and growth are what make my work so fulfilling. Watching leaders transform not just their businesses but also their relationships and personal lives is a constant reminder of the power of teamwork and shared vision.

Celebrating and supporting each other creates a team that is determined to succeed.  As Lencioni says in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (the main book that preceded the book mentioned above), “A healthy team can dominate any industry, at any time, against any competition.”  If you sense your team isn’t as healthy as it could be, and you need help getting it where you want it to be, please get in touch with me.  Together, we can transform your flock of leaders pecking at each other into a team of leaders who are working together toward a common vision.

A few days ago I made my morning walk up to the chickens with the dogs.  As I approached the gate, I saw Sven, our rooster, standing with his back to the gate in what appeared to be a protective stance.  Sven is 2 years old and to date hasn’t been aggressive with me or the other hens.  My first thought was that perhaps that “switch” had flipped in his head and he was ready to fight.  I opened the gate and asked him if he was planning on moving.  As I did, I realized his spur was caught in the chicken netting and he was stuck.  He tried to free himself, but he couldn’t. He was so nervous with me so close that he kept trying to get away, making the situation worse.

I walked back to the house to get some snips and returned to the gate.  I was hoping I could cut the netting from under the gate, but that didn’t work. So, I slowly eased myself into the coop and crouched down next to him, within about 12 inches.  He stood completely still.

Slowly, I started to cut away the netting around his spur.  After four cuts, he was able to free himself and run away.  I watched him for a bit to make sure he wasn’t injured. He looked OK, but he wasn’t quite as “cocky” as he normally is.

I walked back to the house feeling pretty good about myself and saving my rooster.  But then I started to think about him.  He’d been stuck and had to succumb to my help in order to get free.  I’m sure that was hard for him at some deep chicken level.

I wonder, if I had been in his shoes, could I have stood there and waited to be cut free?  Knowing myself, I would have struggled for a long time before I actually asked for help.  I believe I am not alone –  a lot of people have that same challenge. It can be humbling and sometimes demoralizing to admit we can’t do it alone.

I have always been the person who is willing to step in and help others, but when I need someone to lean on, it is very difficult for me to admit it and even more difficult to actually ask for help.

However, what I have learned in the past year is that my relationships with my clients, my friends and my family are deeper when I share what is going on in my life, including areas where I’m struggling and need help.  It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I could do that, much less write about it.  A wise person in my life once told me, “You can’t truly be of service to others until you allow others to serve you.”

When you look at yourself and the people around you, are you paying attention to what is going on in their lives?  Are you creating an environment where people are comfortable asking for help?  Are you slowing down and really connecting or are you double booked, often cancelling your one-on-ones for things that seem more urgent in the moment?

Looking inward, are you allowing others to help you, or are you trying to project the image of someone who has it all together? If this is hard for you, I understand.  But developing deep, meaningful relationships requires honesty and vulnerability.

Still not convinced?  Research shows that companies with a culture of belonging and caring have less turnover, higher productivity and are more profitable.  Sounds like a win-win proposition!  If you see the value but aren’t sure how to start, please reach out to me.  I’m here to listen and support you on this journey.