Lynn Carnes

Wishful Thinking

Today I sit on the airplane appreciating realistic thinking instead of wishful thinking. Many times traveling, I only allow for exactly the time it takes to the airport plus a little wiggle room. This trip was more complex. There are three of us traveling, and many more realities, like slowdowns due to construction, a checked bag, dropping […]

Communication, Miscommunication, and embodied knowledge

Miscommunication happens so frequently. As I write this, I’m still smarting from a post office encounter I wish had gone differently. I was just leaving the post office with a pile of boxes in my arms. A local gentleman who I know more by sight than personally was moving slowly, and he started to move

What does an ear twitch have to do with business?

​Early in my career, I’m pretty sure I was tone deaf. I KNOW I was tone deaf as an elementary school kid, trying to be in the church choir. After the first rehearsal, the choir director asked me to stay behind. I don’t know about you, but I have never really liked getting called onto the carpet. Being asked to stay behind at choir felt like there might be trouble coming. I don’t really remember how he started the conversation; what I do remember is his pa […]

Better is better than perfect

When I was an adult, I went back to taking piano lessons. This was not some long-held dream or bucket list item. No, this was more of an accidental way to deal with my lack of patience.  We had an old player piano that was way out of tune. It was something my new husband brought into the marriage against my wishes. In fact, I’m pretty sure I stood at the front door trying to keep him from bringing this old dirty thing into the house. It was REALLY old and dusty – and out o […]

The Rules That Run Our Decisions

Do you ever think about the unwritten rules that run your life? It seems I discover a new one every day – an most of them are not of my making. I’m following someone else’s rules as if they are some kind of unbreakable law. The punishment? I never wanted to find out. Until I

Reading Signals-it’s harder than it looks

Driving down the road this week, I was listening to an interview, where Tim Ferriss asked Naval Ravikant what he thought was the most important skill of all. Naval’s answer was quick: Learning to learn. And the follow up to that was that the best way to learn was to read books. A LOT of books. While I

The Halfway Point

We are halfway through 2019! Reaching milestones like this can make you thrilled – or set you up for dread. It all depends on how you see it. Here’s one thing I’m sure of: in some ways you’ve done more, and other ways less than you hoped. If by chance you HAVE done everything on

Precious Time

Years ago, I was working on a huge project at a bank that touched thousands of people. My team was counting on me for daily decisions, my boss looked to me constantly to put out some raging fire, and my peers and I were desperately trying to row the boat in synch with each other. Every

We Have To Do Everything

My client Maddie was being completely run by her inner bully when we started working together. As we were reviewing what was her “plate” of work commitments, the list went from bad to simply unmanageable. One day, we were in a coaching session, working through what was most important so that Maddie (not her real name)

How To Say No And Free Yourself To Do What Really Matters

Here’s a newsflash: Nobody anywhere is doing it all, I don’t care what they say in the project status meeting or on their Facebook or Linkedin page. High level performers have mastered the art of saying no and they are constantly working on the clarity and strength to do it. The people you know playing at