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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: Margaret Smith LP of Insights

September 24, 2025 Building Can Be Better Than Creating

Photo by Imagine Buddy on Unsplash

As a leader, it can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of change. We might attend a conference or discover a new program and want to implement what we’ve learned in the workplace. But large changes might seem more daunting than exciting to your team. Where you might see innovation and opportunity, they might see more work and tension. Or they may wonder what was so wrong with the old system. Rather than overhauling the system, there is a better approach to change. 

Building on Strengths 

Even in a flawed system, there are usually elements that work. Maybe a software program isn’t as efficient as it could be, but it’s easy to use. Or maybe your team is great at brainstorming new ideas, even if they never get implemented. Or perhaps individuals have many skills and strengths, but they do not tend to collaborate well with others. It’s a good idea to look for strengths before considering a complete system overhaul. Even if everything doesn’t work perfectly, you’ll likely find some elements that do work just fine. 

Once you’ve identified the positive skills, habits, strengths, or attributes of your team, you can begin building on them. If the team is excellent at coming up with creative ideas, lean into that. Convey that you appreciate their talents and get them excited about stretching those skills even further while developing additional skills, such as time management or attention to detail. Set aside time for your team to really shine while also asking them to try something new. 

When people are in their element, they are more likely to be open to constructive feedback and additional asks. Additionally, your team will probably be more willing to make changes when they play an active role in deciding how to approach the change.

Thinking about the creative team from the above example, you may challenge your people to come up with five potential solutions to improve meeting deadlines. Or you could ask them to brainstorm ideas for more effectively collaborating with the data analytics department.

Another part of building on knowledge and abilities involves language. Instead of focusing on and talking about deficiencies, start talking about positive traits that can be made even better. In the improv comedy world, the phrase “yes and…” is commonly used. Essentially, when someone is presented with a new, improvised situation, they can keep the scene going by accepting what is happening and building on it. This can create a back and forth that moves the action forward in new and often unexpected ways.

“I see you have a parrot.”

“Yes, and his name is Bill.”

“Yes, and I noticed he has a special diet of spaghetti and meatballs.”

“Yes, and he sometimes hosts pasta nights for his friends.”

This is a silly example, but the main idea is this: accept your team’s positive attributes and talk about how to build on them. 

Yes, the team is great at customer service, AND they can use that skill to reach new markets.

Yes, the team is comprised of excellent individual performers, AND they can brainstorm ways to work better as a team.

The point is to leverage the skills and knowledge your team already has to make productive changes. Start noticing your people’s skills, tendencies, and attributes. Think about goals and areas of improvement. Then, work with them to co-create solutions to take the team to the next level. This is about building on what already exists, not starting from scratch.

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. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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June 25, 2025 Becoming Resilient and Adaptable in a Turbulent World

Photo by Jaspinder Singh on Unsplash

“You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think.” –Winnie the Pooh

Human beings have always been adaptable and resilient. If you take a look at our history, you’ll see that we’ve survived deadly plagues and massive volcanoes, pestilence and fires, wars and tyrants. Some events seemed insurmountable (the pandemic known as the Black Death wiped out as much as 50 percent of Europe’s population), but we’ve always come through. This week, I want to talk about what resilience and adaptability look like in today’s world, and how you can embrace these qualities to persevere (and maybe even thrive).

Focus on What You Have

By historical standards, we currently have it pretty good. It’s true that we’re going through a period of economic and political turmoil, but we fortunately have several advantages that our ancestors did not. Science (including medical science) is better than ever, we are more widely connected than ever (if we choose to be!), there is more peace internationally than in most periods of history, clean energy is continuing to grow, and quality of life is better (overall) across the world.

These are big-picture considerations, but what about your own life? Even if things aren’t perfect, I’m certain you can find a few things to be grateful for. Think about the people in your life—the positive influences, the friends who check in, the co-workers who say thank you, the people who make you laugh. Your support system can be an incredible source of resilience and strength as you go through hard times. And then there are the things we take for granted—the roof over your head, the dinner on your plate, the fact that you have the ability to read this blog post (meaning you’re both literate and have access to technology). Even something as small as enjoying a good book, planting a vegetable garden, or going on a walk can fortify you enough to face tough times.

In short: focus on the things you enjoy, your support system, and the many blessings in your life. These things can help fuel your resilience and adaptability.

Make a Plan

If you perceive tough times ahead, one of the best things to do is make a plan. Better yet, make several plans—one for tough times, another for tougher times, and a third for “what is even going on?” times. Even the act of drawing up a plan can be comforting. You’re being proactive, thinking ahead, and doing whatever you can. This might mean saving extra money, buying specific items, cutting certain expenses, or investing in yourself.

For example, if you think your job is at risk, now is the time to start taking classes or developing a new skillset. Even in the worst of times in history, people continued to have professions or trades. During major wars and plagues, people still needed clothing, food, housing, fresh water, transportation…the list goes on. Applying this to the modern day, people will still need thousands of goods and services, and it could be a good idea to learn how to provide one or more of them.

Together We’re Stronger

During hard times, the people who are most likely to thrive are the ones with a robust support network. These are the friends who check in on each other, the neighbors who loan each other tools or baking ingredients, the family members who ask, “How can I help?” and the co-workers who occasionally pick up the slack when someone is having an off day (or week!). These are the community centers, libraries, or communal gardens that provide a place to gather, share, and mingle. These support systems can lift us up and help us through the worst of times. Just remember to give as much (or more) as you get, if you can.

I truly believe you are braver, smarter, and stronger than you think. As was the case with your ancestors, you are deeply resilient and can adapt to just about anything. Humans have made it through some incredibly difficult times, and I am optimistic you, too, can weather any storms that blow your way.

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. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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April 9, 2025 How Your Personality Type Adapts to Change

Photo by Ambreen Hasan on Unsplash

We are living through a time of major change. No matter your location, job industry (or job status), political leanings, or background, you have likely been affected by all the change that is underway. Maybe you (or someone you know) were part of the recent mass layoffs, maybe you’ve simply noticed the prices of certain items changing, or perhaps you’ve observed relationships changing due to recent political tension. Whatever the case, you have likely felt the ripple effect of change, whether subtle or severe.

Since we are all “built differently,” we deal with change in different ways. Our brains process information differently, and our bodies react in varying ways (a faster heartrate, clenching up, preparing to either fight or flee, etc.). One of the best ways to cope with change is to become familiar with your personal tendencies—the ways in which you typically react when confronted with change.

As a Licensed Practitioner of Insights® Discovery, I know how helpful it is to develop a deep understanding of yourself, your personality, your strengths and flaws, and the way you respond in certain situations. The Insights® Discovery program defines people by four distinct “color energies.” Each of the four colors is connected to a certain set of personality traits and tendencies. Because humans are multi-dimensional, we all have the capacity to embody all four colors, but we tend to embrace one or two more often that the others. The chart below shows some of the basic characteristics of each color energy. Which one(s) do you find yourself identifying with most?

NOTE: This was a very basic introduction to Insights® Discovery. If you are interested in diving deeper, you can contact me or explore the topic on my website.

Insights® Discovery and Change

When you’ve developed an understanding of yourself, your personal attributes, and how you approach difficult situations, you can begin to understand how you’re predisposed to coping with change.

Someone who leads with blue energy may feel overwhelmed by a lack of information or clarity. They may think that things are accelerating too quickly, and it is necessary to pump the brakes and think critically before proceeding.

Someone who identifies with red energy may cope well with fast-moving change, but they may also get frustrated with a lack of clarity or end goals.

A person leading with green energy might automatically think about the implications the change will have on others. This could either energize them, or leave them feeling disheartened (depending on how the change impacts other people).

Those leading with yellow energy may start thinking creatively about where the change could lead, and how it could affect others. They may feel compelled to talk over the change with other people to make sense of it.

These potential reactions are generalizations, of course, but they give us an idea of how varied a person’s response can be to change. When facilitating the Insights® program, I have found that people respond to change with varying degrees of:

  • Adaptability
  • Eagerness or energy
  • Resilience
  • Creativity
  • Compassion or empathy
  • Skepticism
  • Vision or big-picture thinking

Not only are we all very different, we can even take on different attitudes day-by-day, depending on our state of mind, the circumstances, the support of others, etc. In other words, we are dynamic and our reactions to change or difficult circumstances can change. And that’s okay! There is no single “right way” to react to change.

Lastly, please refer to the infographic from Insights® Discovery below. This image conveys how each color energy can make change work for them (through research, establishing clear goals, considering others, etc.). If you’re finding yourself having difficulties grappling with a certain change, consider using this chart as a guide.

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. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

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