We can’t turn back time, but we can progress forward. So, if there is a person you believe you’re done learning from, I invite you to reach out to them today. Tell them that you were thinking about them. And then listen closely to whatever they have to share. You may be surprised by how much there is left to learn.

No organization is immune from a crisis erupting at any moment. It’s how you prepare, plan, coordinate, and communicate in the moments of calm that will determine how you weather the storm when it rolls in.

Checking in may not change the big things, but it will matter deeply to those around you, who need to feel and see that you understand the weight of this time. And maybe that’s something good to hold onto in these uncertain times.

Eliminating coded language from your vocabulary takes a willingness to learn and a dedication to making intentional change. Use this week to assess the words and phrases you use and notice if you're actively (and perhaps unintentionally) using any coded phrases. Practice speaking up when you hear others using these phrases, too, and use this blog as a guided resource to practice replacing those words with more inclusive phrases. Words matter, and with each intentional swap, we can show how much people matter, too.

Life is hard, and there will always be more to people’s stories than they let on. Start every day from a place of compassion and a commitment to lead with empathy over ego. In taking the time to understand and practice empathy, you may find that people take the time to understand you better, too.

Consider where you’re feeling most comfortable in your work and what you could do to push a little further outside of that zone. Challenge one of your existing routines and what “changing up the process” might look like. And while you’re at it, consider where you can give a colleague a boost in their learning by providing safe opportunities to test their boundaries, too.

In tennis, as in life, there are moments when we’ll be on the defense and moments when we’ll play offense. Every day, however, is a chance to play and lead with care, courage, and clarity. And Gauff is a great reminder of what winning can look like at its best.

AI is an important tool and an indelible part of our future. But we don't need to lose our humanity in the process of using it. Consider how your team's intelligence can be augmented by technology, rather than replaced by technology, and you'll be futureproofing your work in the process.

Stories are critical to business success. And stories exist in all of us. Make time to reconnect with your stories and find out what's possible as a result.

Moving from best-kept secret to the best-known nonprofit is possible. You can move your mission forward by focusing on words, connections, and reach; no secret there.

Regardless of the words you choose to swap, focus on where you can clarify and simplify the language you use. When we take the time to debunk our go-to terms, we stand a better chance at communicating inclusively and effectively.

The most compelling stories for social change break stereotypes and build new ways for us to understand issues and each other. You can start by looking for stereotypes in your communications and then practice some reframing. I guarantee the story will be even better as a result.

The memory in our pockets directly affects the memory in our heads—and that impacts how we communicate. So, before you reach for the phone to help you remember something, give yourself time to think. Practice building back up your memory and brain function, and you should start to see that digital amnesia clear up, too.

It’s natural to feel the weight of decisions that feel out of our control. It doesn’t need to mean all is lost, though. So, let’s take action and do some things.

The next time you’re planning some time away, consider how you'll communicate it with your values at the center of your message: what you stand for, whom you prioritize, and what you live for.

Saying something when we see something is not easy. But the effect could be the start of something groundbreaking, too. You just won’t know if you don't try.

When leaders communicate with care, courage, and clarity, they can also better lead through tumultuous times. It comes down to how we use the power we have.

Whether you’re an advertiser, a fundraiser, or a digital strategist, developing inclusive and equitable communications practices requires care, courage, and clarity—none of which can be achieved without some actual and authentic perspective first.

Find ways to get closer to the users of your content, and when you get there, listen carefully. That closer listen will always be worth it.

How we show up is more than the words we use or the snappy descriptions we print in our brand books. What we say and what we do need to match up. Over and over again. That's what it takes to build a trusted brand. So, can I trust you?