Author: Rachel Cooke
Rachel Cooke
Rachel Cooke is a leadership and workplace expert who holds her M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. Founder of Lead Above Noise, she has been named a top 100 Leadership Speaker by Inc. Magazine and has been featured in Fast Company, The Huffington Post, and many more.
Quick question for you. Have you ever struggled with Imposter Syndrome? I’m guessing yes. Only because most people around me tend to nod in the face of that question. My secrets to not struggling with imposter syndrome What would you think of me if I told you I have lots of challenges (because I sure do!), but Imposter Syndrome just isn’t one of them? Would you think – wow Rachel’s ego is out of control? That clearly I’m short on self-awareness? That my confidence has no limits? Maybe. But you’d be wrong. Truth is, my secret to not struggling with…
The Power of Activation OK. By now, you know I have a crush on this idea of Activation – the process of finding and implementing simple strategies to help our teams deliver great work, develop new skills, connect with their team, purpose, and customer – and to thrive – to feel well, recognized, and balanced. The call for help: Addressing a 911 situation So when Edward – a senior leader in a professional services firm – called a few months ago asking for help with a “911 situation,” I was pretty sure Activation would find its way into the conversation.…
Random story alert: when I was little, I’d sometimes get a weird allergic reaction after eating. Nothing serious – just some light swelling. And then I’d have to take this allergy pill to counter the symptoms. And I hated that pill because it made me super sleepy. And then finally one day, after long last, we figured out what was triggering the allergy. I changed my diet and abracadabra – no more meds needed! So now you’re wondering (or at least I hope you are) why I just shared that random detail of my childhood? Well, simply put, it was…
This week on Modern Mentor, I interviewed one of my newest heroes, Kevin Ervin Kelly, author of the new book, Irreplaceable: How to Create Extraordinary Places That Bring People Together. I picked up Kevin’s book kind of by accident. It’s a long story. But I loved it so much, as soon as I finished it, I went back to the beginning and read it again. I reached out to him and now the rest is history. Kevin is an award-winning architect, brand innovator, and co-founder of the strategic design firm Shook Kelley. But trust me. His work – and writing…
We all wanna be using our time wisely at work. We want to be focused on top-priority initiatives and projects. Otherwise, what are we doing here? And yet something I keep hearing in organizations across the board is that the top priorities change with the wind. Like, yesterday we were all supposed to be chasing new customers, and today we’re focused on retaining existing ones. What to do about changing priorities at work Or yesterday “innovation” was the buzzword of the moment. New ideas were the thing. Today though? Nope – it’s all about improving the basics of customer service.…
Meetings, one of the most criticized elements of the workplace, are often vilified for hindering productivity rather than promoting it. According to the Wall Street Journal, we spend an average of two full days per week in meetings. However, meetings should serve your ability to deliver excellent work, not hinder it. They should feel like a platform from which you deliver something important, not merely a drain of your time. Here are some strategies to improve your meeting experience and amp up your impact.
In the busy world of business, communication is the key that unlocks many doors. This article will provide insights into the importance of communication, especially given an example from a global CEO’s recent decision to lay off employees in the middle of celebrating a company-wide success. The Memo: a mix of triumph and termination This CEO, amid the rejoice of record-breaking success, sent out an employee memo. Necessity might say layoffs, but this well-drafted note announcing nightmare job losses was undoubtedly a case study in how not to communicate better at work. Between the perfectly framed professional sentences, the memo was a…
How to improve communication at work with tense teams In my role, I spend a lot of my time running Pulse Checks—engaging in open and honest conversations with teams about what they most need to deliver, develop, connect, and thrive. Having difficult conversations at work is hard, and you need to be fully activated to make progress. One of my favorite things about running Pulse Checks is seeing the leader’s face when I share the results and recommendations back with them. Almost always, they’re bracing for recommendations that will cost millions and take months to implement. Also, almost always, they’re…
Introduction As we continue in the new year, the allure of a fresh start and the pursuit of success beckon us. The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions, however, often falls victim to a barrage of “shoulds.” In this article, we break away from the conventional resolution mindset and invite you to focus on what truly matters—your aspirations and defining success on your terms. Reflecting on 2023 The past year has been intense, with many of us caught up in a whirlwind of busyness and multitasking. Amidst the chaos, it’s easy to lose sight of our true pursuits. Modern Mentor…
Introduction: A Timeless Practice for Reflection We’re posting this at the end of 2023. And my goal today is to share one of my favorite year-end practices – Creating a personal highlight reel. Timeless Reflection: Beyond Year-End But frankly, I think this practice suits at the end of a quarter or even a month. So don’t sweat if you’re listening to this smack in the middle of a year. It’s an exercise that never goes out of fashion. The Power of Your Mental Montage Cinematic Inspiration for Workplace Reflection So, let’s chat about this highlight reel. It’s kind of like…