Author Archives: Amy Kay Watson

Radical Candor: A Guide for Building Stronger Relationships

Hopefully by now you’ve had a chance to read Kim Scott’s Radical Candor. In today’s fast-paced, high-stakes work environments, clear communication and genuine relationships are more important than ever. Yet, many managers and leaders struggle with giving honest feedback without coming across as harsh or uncaring. This is where Radical Candor, a concept popularized by

Navigating Cultural Differences with Your New Manager

Leadership, management and teamwork between CEO and senior manager in a business meeting in the office. Leader and boss working as a team to plan the vision and mission for growth and development stock photo

Working with a new boss from a different cultural background presents challenges but can open doors to personal and professional growth. By applying these strategies, you can turn cultural differences into an asset for your team’s success.

An Essential Checklist for Crucial Accountability

Listen as a podcast Accountability conversations often come with high stakes and emotions, making them hard to navigate. The following checklist, inspired by Crucial Accountability by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler, will help you stay on track when holding others accountable. Use it before, during, and after conversations to ensure effective

An Essential Checklist for Effective Crucial Conversations

Have you ever found yourself struggling to apply the lessons from Crucial Conversations to real-life situations? High-stakes discussions can be daunting, and bridging the gap between theory and practice isn’t always easy. To help you navigate these challenging moments, I’ve developed a practical, three-part checklist inspired by Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are

Use AI to plan your professional development in a changing world

depicts a futuristic representation of artificial intelligence and human cognition. It shows a human head with a brain visualized as a complex network of circuits or neural pathways, symbolizing the integration of AI and human thought. To the left, the circuits branch out, connected to nodes glowing with purple lights, symbolizing the flow of information. To the right, streams of data seem to be converging into the brain. The background is a starry, cosmic space, suggesting a vast, interconnected universe of knowledge and technology.

In a world where change is the only constant, professionals across industries must stay ahead of evolving trends to remain relevant and competitive. Used well, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be your secret weapon for navigating these changes! In this article I’ll show you how you can use Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity,

An Essential Checklist for Playing Bigger

Listen as a podcast Are you ready to move past self-doubt and step into your fullest potential? Inspired by Playing Big by Tara Mohr, this checklist is designed to help you identify and overcome the internal and external barriers that hold you back. Whether you’re making a bold career move, launching a project, or simply

Leaders Can Manage Stress by Orienting to Purpose

The image shows five colored blocks arranged in an upward diagonal line on a black background. Each block has an arrow pointing upwards. The colors of the blocks, from left to right, are black, red, orange, yellow, and green. The arrows and the progression of colors suggest a visual representation of growth or progress.

Listen as a podcast Have you ever felt that crushing weight of stress, the kind that sneaks up on you and suddenly feels overwhelming? For some corporate leaders, this stress isn’t just an occasional visitor—it’s a constant companion. High expectations, both of yourself and those around you, can turn into a relentless cycle of criticism

The Five C’s of Effective Communication

Have you ever felt overlooked in meetings or struggled to articulate your needs during conversations? Most of my clients’ conflicts stem from poor communication, which often leaves many feeling undervalued and misunderstood. At work, where we spend the majority of our waking hours, feeling unheard can foster significant frustration, precipitate hasty judgments, and lead to

Recommitting to Your Professional Growth: A Journey of Transformation

Read Sheila’s story, a testament to the power of self-reflection, targeted skill development, and the courage to embrace change in our professional lives. It’s not about seeking external validation but about investing in ourselves and our careers for long-term satisfaction and growth.