Author Archives: Allison Newell

I am a highly goal-oriented person. I always have been, and I imagine I always will be. I love it. I love the vision, the plan, the execution, and the moment of “success.” But when I’m always chasing the next goal, I struggle with being present and appreciating where I am. One of my goalsContinue reading “The Discipline of Loving the Process”

How do you know if someone is a good leader? What makes you decide to follow them? Evidently, it’s how we perceive their competence and their warmth. Competence is the cognitive side of the equation – is this person capable and confident? Do they have the means to make things happen? Warmth is the emotiveContinue reading “Leadership Perception…it Depends on Context”

When are we alone with our thoughts? When are we free from other inputs? No music, podcasts, books. Just you and your thoughts, processing. I used to pride myself that I was constantly being productive and learning because I never did anything in silence. NPR or Malcolm Gladwell or [insert latest podcast craze] were myContinue reading “Solitude”

My partner and I just returned from his (very large, very animated) annual family reunion. There are kids running around everywhere, delicious “camp” food, and plenty of competitive folks up for a game of anything… especially euchre. “Labor Day” has been a destination and marker in time for the family for the past 35+ years.Continue reading “Intergenerational Family Traditions”

My program within Kellogg started a series of “TED Talks” for students to share their stories. Last night, the topic was “where or who is home for you?” The two talks we heard were incredibly moving and powerful. The stories are not mine to share. Instead, here is what I learned: There is a beautifulContinue reading “Where or Who is Home for You?”

We are hard-wired to crave belonging and connection. We want to be in the “in-group.” And when we’re in that inner circle, it feels great. We are known, we are loved, we are supported. But when we’re outside, looking at the inner circle, we may experience doubt in ourselves, loneliness, frustration, and more. At ourContinue reading “Make Your Circle Permeable”

I’ve been a self-improvement nerd for a long time. The real start was when I read and annotated a popular de-cluttering book, “It’s All too Much” when I was in fifth grade… from there my obsession has expanded to podcasts, blogs, books, and more. But there’s been something missing – the intentional time to pauseContinue reading “Getting Serious about Self-Reflection”