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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach

September 9, 2026 What Will You Leave Behind? (A big question!)

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

In my retirement years, I’ve been thinking a lot about legacy. What are the things a person leaves behind as they walk through life? How will people remember you? What influences will you pass along to family, friends, and co-workers?

To me, there are two types of legacies:

  1. The capital-L Legacy is the overarching legacy, the way you’ll be remembered after you pass on.
  2. The lowercase-l legacy is the briefer, shorter-term one, the impact you have on those around you on a daily basis.

Both types of legacies are important, and this week I will be focusing on the capital-L Legacy, the one that deals with your long-term impact. (My next post will address “everyday legacy,” so stay tuned!)

Everyone makes their mark on history, whether in a soft, subtle way or in a visible, major way. In reality, most of us will have a smaller ripple than the big names in history, but that’s okay! Even if you can positively impact five or ten people, that’s a Legacy worth leaving.

Keep in mind, your Legacy goes beyond money or finances (although philanthropy, charitable giving, and estate planning could be part of it). Your Legacy might be tied to your volunteer work, or your generous and loving spirit, or the way you prioritize your family. It might be rooted in your dedication to your career and all the people you supported and mentored along the way. Or it could be tied to your faith and your involvement in your worship community.

Legacy could also be tied to the things you created—photographs you took, woodworking projects you created, paintings you made, or essays you wrote. For years, I’ve worked with Kate Leibfried, founder of Click Clack Writing, and she often focuses on this type of work (ghostwriting memoirs and business books for her clients). Recently, she spoke about this type of Legacy in a webinar for Everbright Legacy Law. One of her main messages was that words (particularly those that come from the heart and are not AI generated) have staying power. If you want to tell your true, authentic story, what’s stopping you? Everyone has a story to tell, and it could be worth writing it down.

Keep in mind, big-picture Legacies do not happen overnight. They are the result of years of living authentically, planning, giving, and being involved. As a thought exercise, consider this: What would people write in your memorial or obit today? If you are unsure or if you don’t think they would write what you’d want to hear, consider how you might change that. If you want to be known for your generosity, start planning how to amplify your giving. If you want to leave a Legacy of good works/volunteerism, figure out how to do that. If you’d like to leave behind your physical creations, start making more art!

Just make sure you’re doing what feels authentically and wholly you. A Legacy doesn’t have to be flashy or loud. It should simply reflect who you are at your core.

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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August 19, 2026 Learning to Sit with the Problem

“If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.” –Albert Einstein

We are a nation of quick actions, and we often expect instantaneous results. We want the solution yesterday, and that sometimes prompts us to make hasty decisions—decisions that may not work in the long term. But what if we flipped this way of thinking on its head and intentionally spent more time considering the problem than going for the solution? How might that change things?

Traditional Problem-Solving Approaches

As I move deeper into retirement mode and officially step away from my career, I recognize that many skills we learn in the business world apply to everyday life (see my latest post on this topic). That’s certainly true with problem-solving. We all encounter issues, whether in the office, while taking a post-retirement RV trip, or navigating issues with a friend group or with family members. Whatever the case, it’s possible to engage in strategic problem-solving that goes beyond your impulse to fix things NOW.

If you’re like me, you enjoy brainstorming sessions. You’re energized by the creative process where you toss ideas onto a white board and see which ones stick. This is typical “yellow energy” behavior (see my post on the four Insights Discovery color energies to learn more). People like me enjoy spontaneous problem-solving, talking through difficulties, and offering off-the-cuff solutions. We also tend to adopt whichever solution seems like the best option without overthinking it or plunging too deeply into the analytics.

People on the other end of the spectrum (those who tend to lead with more blue energy) are not terribly fond of this method. They like a more analytical approach…and if a solution is offered, they will examine it closely to determine whether or not it might be a viable option.

Neither method is wrong, but both are lacking something in their approach. Some experts argue that focusing too much on solutions is the wrong way to go about problem-solving in the first place. They claim that you (or your team) will ultimately arrive at a better solution if you live in the problem for a while.

Let the Problem Marinate

The thinking behind this claim goes like this: You can’t really come up with a good solution until you understand the problem inside and out. So, instead either of tossing out whichever ideas pop into your head OR getting analytical with potential solutions, this method calls for everyone to take a step back and really examine the problem in front of them.

Author and Stanford professor, Tina Selig, calls this approach “frame storming.” She believes that if you want to unlock innovative solutions, you have to “fall in love with the problem.” Get to know it inside and out. Ask the tough questions that get to the heart of the issue.

By spending more time considering the problem, you are more likely to take into account all the factors that are at play. Who is affected? How? Does this particular problem create other problems? Would one type of solution only partially solve the problem or, perhaps, solve it for a short period of time?

This approach forces everyone to slow down and consider the dilemma in front of them, before taking action.

So, next time you are faced with a sticky problem, try “frame storming.” Spend more time immersed in the issue at hand before moving to a solution. This way of thinking can help you in all aspects of your life, whether professional or personal.

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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April 8, 2026 Finding Personal Peace

There is only so much within our personal sphere of control. We can’t manipulate the weather, or predict the future, or control global politics. We can, however, take small actions (see my past blog post on this topic) that can potentially contribute to big differences. And we can also find and protect our personal peace.

When things are tumultuous—whether at home, work, or on a national or global scale—it is easy to get swept up in the chaos. We may feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, or we might feel anxious, downtrodden, or frustrated. These are natural emotions when life, and the future, are uncertain, or when there is discord around us. And if you’re like many people I know, you have a big heart and care about others—so much so that you take on their suffering and fear as if it were your own. In other words, you may feel off-kilter for any number of reasons, all of which are real and valid.

When you’re caught in an emotional storm, how can you resist being pulled down by the undertow? How can you use your personal tools to fight back?

Creating a Space for Serenity

Although it may go against your instincts, you need to take care of yourself and protect your personal peace. You can’t help anyone (including yourself) if you’re utterly exhausted. If you want to make positive changes in your home, your workplace, your community, or on an even larger scale, you must equip yourself with a clear mind and fortitude. These things can be found by allowing yourself the time and space to rest, tune out, and be present with your thoughts for a while.

Here are a few ideas for creating that space:

Log Out

Stanford Law School reports that, “The widespread use of social networking sites has been identified as a contributing factor to the growing mental health crisis” and it has been associated with “an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress.” If you often find yourself doomscrolling, I encourage you to log off and limit your use. One way to do that is to set daily social media limits, which can be done using an app such as Opal, One Sec, or StayFocusd.

Set Aside Quiet Time

In today’s world, it’s increasingly rare to find quiet spaces. That’s why it’s a good idea to intentionally set aside quiet time every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. Block off your calendar, put your phone in airplane mode, and escape. You might go on a walk, take a bath, or read a book—whatever makes you feel lighter and gives you a greater sense of peace.

Meditate

The health benefits of meditation are manifold—lower blood pressure, better concentration, etc. And meditation does not necessarily involve sitting cross-legged and humming a mantra (although it could!). You might try walking meditation, or meditating with intention. To get started, download an app such as Calm or Headspace and commit to your practice for the week. Then, commit for one more week. Then another. Soon, it will become an integral part of your day.

Seek Positive Presences

In times of hardship, a good friend is worth more than gold, especially if that friend is a good listener. You don’t have to go through this alone. Instead, text a friend, talk to your spouse, or contact a therapist. Talking things out can be enormously beneficial and can help put things in perspective.

Be Kind to Yourself

During times of turmoil, it’s easy to be hard on yourself, blaming yourself, perhaps, for not doing more or being better. But being hard on yourself won’t get you far. Instead, think about treating yourself with the same tenderness and care that you would a five-year-old version of YOU. Give yourself a virtual hug, be patient, and stop blaming yourself for every little thing. Instead, show yourself grace and understanding.

Focus on preserving your inner peace, and lifting yourself up instead of tearing yourself down. That is the only way to build your fortitude and gain the clarity and strength to keep going, despite the storm.

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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