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Tag Archives: margaret smith career coach

March 4, 2026 Why Checking In is Meaningful

Throughout the years on this blog, I have often talked about heart-led leadership. This type of leadership is rooted in empathy and genuine care for others. It is not weak and does not involve being a pushover. Rather, it centers around building others up, engaging and empowering your team, and creating positive motion and change. This week, I want to address one specific aspect of heart-led leadership: checking in.

Far too often, we dive straight into business without taking the time to ask how the other person or people are doing. And I’m not talking about surface-level pleasantries that typically go, “How are you?” “Fine.” I’m talking about creating the space to let people be a little honest and vulnerable if they choose. No one should feel obligated to share anything they don’t want to share, but all people should feel invited to share it they’d like.

How might this look in practice? If you’re leading a meeting, you could take a few minutes at the beginning to let people open up. If something big has happened at work or in the local community (either good or bad), you could also acknowledge that. For example: “I know it’s been a tough week for everyone since we lost Client ABC, so I wanted to check in to see how everyone’s feeling and if you have any brief thoughts related to that.”

Another example: “I know the city has been chaotic lately with recent events, so I want to check in to gauge everyone’s headspace and see if I can offer extra support in some way.”

Keep in mind, this approach may not be appropriate for all groups at all times. You probably wouldn’t have this type of check-in with teams you barely know or when you only have a quick meeting scheduled. Use your judgement.

Alternatively, it can often be best to check in with others individually. In fact, you should probably do this anyway, regardless of whether you decide to check in with an entire group. An individual check-in is more personal, and if the other person really feels the need to open up about something, they can do so in private. But you have to build trust first! Demonstrate that you are respectful, a good listener, discrete with sensitive information, and that you genuinely care.

Checking in with team members helps create a safe and supportive space where people are free to be, well…people. Imperfect, stressed, frustrated, sad—we all feel these types of emotions sometimes, and it’s nearly impossible to stop their effects from trickling into the workplace. So why attempt to stop them? It’s better to get an idea of what the people in your office are going through and feeling so you can offer whatever resources, support, or allowances they need.

In short: a human workplace is a welcoming workplace.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.

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January 7, 2026 Learning to Love Your Current Role

woman with reddish blonde hair and bangs wearing a pale-blue button-up shirt looking to the side and smiling

When I was ramping up the career coaching side of my business in 2011, the atmosphere was much different than it is today. As a nation, we had made our way through and out of the Great Recession, and companies were once again enthusiastic about hiring. Additionally, the younger members of the workforce were approaching it with a different mentality than past generations, knowing that the best way to climb the ladder (in terms of both position and pay) was to change jobs periodically. They were no longer being rewarded for staying in one place, and they knew it. So, job hopping became the norm.

Today, however, things have slowed considerably and the job numbers (when they’re released) look dismal. Economic growth is shrinking, and the “AI bubble” that is helping to keep the economy afloat is expected to pop at any time. In this environment, employers are more cautious about hiring, and employees are more reluctant to leave their current jobs (knowing that finding another one may be extremely difficult).

So, what do you do in this situation if you’re discontent with your job? One approach is to stay put for now and make the best of your circumstances. Of course, if your job and/or boss are absolutely terrible, you might want to plan your exit, BUT if you’re simply dealing with a few less-than-ideal aspects of your job, you could try staying and shaping your professional future within your current role. Here are four approaches you could take:

Set Clear Boundaries

The workplace can quickly become toxic if bosses or co-workers overstep your boundaries. Do you feel pressured to reply to emails after hours? Are you frequently asked to do tasks outside your professional scope? Do you feel pressured to pick up others’ slack? All of these are signs that your boundaries are being crossed.

To prevent this, practice tactfully saying “No.”

“That’s outside of my scope, so I think this would be better suited to someone in the IT department.”

“I have too much on my plate right now to take that on by the deadline.”

And if the problem has to do with after-hours calls or emails, simply do not respond until normal business hours. When you establish that this is the norm, you empower others to do the same.

Switch/Redefine Your Role

If you’re discontent with your current work, you may want to explore your options within the organization. Is there latitude to take on a different set of tasks than the ones you’re currently doing? Could you reshape your role? Or, perhaps, move to a different department within the organization? Before abandoning the entire company, it’s a good idea to look internally for other options.

Befriend Colleagues

You don’t have to be best friends with your work colleagues, but it is incredibly helpful to be friendly with each other. Having work friends or allies can help you in numerous ways. You can talk over problems you’re experiencing, you can support and uplift each other, you can ask each other questions about projects or tasks, etc. Even if you work remotely, it’s possible to make work friends by simply being a little more open, vulnerable (without oversharing), and friendly. Ask others about their lives and share a little about yours. Swap some stories and laughs. Simply put: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and be yourself.

Take Advantage of Opportunities

Whether education training, office book clubs, ERGs, or volunteer opportunities, it can be motivating to become more deeply involved in your workplace. Additionally, some of the offerings could help you learn valuable new skills that could be carried over to a new job in the future. In nearly every role, you have the power to shape it—and improve it—in some way, no matter how small. Consider your position and what you can do this week (or today!) to make that happen.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.

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December 3, 2025 Thoughts on Retirement and Transitions

I have already retired once. In 2009, I officially left my position as a Business Director in 3M. But that wasn’t the end of my career. I knew I wasn’t yet done with teaching others, imparting leadership lessons, and providing guidance, so I set up UXL, an organization dedicated to helping people navigate transitions, improve leadership, and capitalize on opportunities. 

After over 16 years of running UXL, I have made the difficult decision to ease into retirement. I’m considering these next few months my “off ramp” and will be getting all my ducks in a row for stepping away from my career. It’s time to enjoy some travel, spend time with my kids and grandkids, and stay engaged in community activities and organizations. 

With this in mind, I put together a few thoughts about retirement (in general) and my plan going forward:

The word retirement carries many different emotions: fear, anxiety, excitement, enthusiasm, relief, and joy. Joy because you worked hard to be at this point and you are well-prepared, fear because of the wonderful relationships, support, friendships, and business associates that have been such an important part of your life, and the thought of not engaging with them on a regular basis is sad.

I wrestled with the whole idea and the right timing. But, like so many other life decisions, there is no perfect time. I just had to set a date and work toward it, keeping a positive attitude and looking for opportunities that exist in the next chapter of life. This whole transition is made more difficult by the fact that I love what I do and genuinely like the clients I work with. But every transition carries a whole series of emotions and thoughts.

In my situation, I have the luxury of being able to step away from UXL slowly. Over the next several months, I will wrap up contracts and stop taking on new clients and projects. As you may know, one of the cornerstones of my business is the Insights Discovery program. To ease out of this practice, I have helped Stephanie Elliston of The Steady Elevation (stephanie@thesteadyelevation.com) take over my work. She is a wonderfully skilled and savvy individual, and I know she will thrive as a Licensed Practitioner of Insights Discovery.

My other work on leadership development and career coaching will go to a variety of people that best fit the needs of particular individuals and organizations. I would be glad to give referrals if you need some help identifying the right person.

I will also be continuing my blog posts and newsletter for a few more months, since I believe I still have some wisdom to impart. So, stay tuned!

What will I be doing?

Spending time with family: With a son and his family living on the west coast and another son and his family living a few houses away from us, I am looking forward to having a relationship with my grandchildren that I have dreamed of. I spent a lot of time with my grandmothers and always envisioned the same for me. Now I get that chance.

Traveling: Not only will I be traveling to the west coast to visit my son and his family, I will also periodically visit the rest of my family, who lives on the east coast. So, I may not know what time zone I am in for a while! I am looking forward to reconnecting with my siblings and their families. Additionally, I plan to travel abroad from time to time, but that’s all TBD! 

Volunteering in my Community: There is so much to do to help make a community, and I plan on getting more involved with the Chamber, my church, and the causes that are important to me. When you work full-time there is not as much time or energy to give, but now I can. Watch out Stillwater!! I love bringing people together, as my neighbors can attest! Together, we have built a wonderful little section of town that cares for each other, celebrates, and knows how to have fun.

Have you thought about your retirement, or perhaps a “rewiring” or rejuvenation, if it is not yet time to fully retire? Who would you like to reconnect with, where are your strengths needed (many nonprofits need professional help), and what brings you joy?

Although I will no longer be officially coaching others, I always enjoy hearing about people’s plans and intentions. If you’d like to share yours, feel free to send me a note.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE.

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