Workplace Wisdom...
Discover Fulfillment in Life and Work
with Michelle Y. Drake

If you missed this morning's show...or if you don't get the Hallmark channel here is the link to see my morning ritual.

I hope that you all will listen to your own voice to find the fuel to follow your dreams!

Labels: inspiration, news

This morning I was a guest on In the Morning with Bonnie Grice on NPR's WLIU 88.3 FM. Bonnie posed some interesting questions.

Bonnie's program focuses on art and culture on Long Island and CT and we spoke about the whole left brain/right brain division or blend. I am a bit of a blend...businesswoman who paints.

I thought that you might like to listen. Move the counter to 32:45 in the show and enjoy!

Labels: news

The amazing thing about abstract painting is that you get to express who you are and how you feel. The ability to use art as therapy is something that I have been exploring with Michelle Bellici. We will be writing an article for Aspire Magazine next month on Art Therapy and how it can free you.

My painting in the past has been of beach scenes and children (mostly mine). A way to express my joy and relax a little. This past year my art has evolved (as I have) demonstrating the complexities of Michelle Yozzo Drake as a woman. This ability to express myself visually has translated into a higher quality of creative expression in my speeches and writing. Once you open the valve...it is amazing what can come out!

These paintings are the first 2 abstract paintings that I did painting with my fingers and feeling the materials to express my emotions. The painting to the left is Angel ($2500) and the one to the right is water depth ($1900). They were completed earlier this year.

Labels: inspiration

Summer Stormfront
$1800










In the Storm
$1800












Block Island Stormfront
$1900

Other art by Michelle Yozzo Drake

Labels: inspiration

Sorry to have been so out of touch. I have missed you all! I have been on vacation on Block Island where internet access is limited to the library...and the beach was calling me.

I have been keeping my creative juices flowing by painting over the vacation. My talented friend Michelle Bellici has been working with me on techniques that focus on painting what I am feeling and doing it with my hands. I had never worked like this so it was a bit scary at first...then completely freeing! I have been cranking paintings out like crazy. Tomorrow I will post some of the work I completed over the holiday. I finished 3 abstract paintings in my storm series, 1 deep water, 1 angel and 3 in my waves series. All very different in style but using the same technique. I guess I am complicated on the inside!

As great as vacation is...it is good to be back!

Labels: inspiration

When I was growing up, my family alternated who hosted the holiday meal between my parents home on Long Island and my Aunt Marie's in Connecticut. The meal consisted of a traditional 7 course Italian feast and to say it was a lot of work is an understatement. In total there were 16 people in attendance and my mom and aunt would start cooking weeks ahead of time.

Upon arriving at Aunt Marie's house you were assaulted by heavenly smells that reflected generations of cooking and recipes that had been passed down through the amazing women in my family. The immediate instinct was to run (not walk) to the kitchen to hope for a sampling of something...anything. This urge was always brought to a screeching halt if Aunt Marie was standing in the kitchen.

Aunt Marie would hold up her hand to stop us from moving and tell us "Do not talk to me yet...stay out of the kitchen until I am ready" Once she had her head wrapped around the intricate orchestration of getting all the food out at the proper time at the proper temperature...we would be invited into the kitchen to take part in the preparation and sneak a bite or two. I have such fond memories of her kitchen...but only after I was invited in by my aunt...the cook.

This lesson of patience, respect and clear communication has stayed with me all these years. As with many other lessons I learned from my mother, aunts and grandmothers, I have applied this simple truth in the work place with tremendous success. When offering to help an employee or coworker with a project at work I remember to wait until the cook invites me in. It has saved not only many relationships but has produced some beautiful "meals" at work.

Labels: inspiration, success-stories

My 17 year-old son Kevin lost one of his best friends, Nick Girard, a year ago today. I took Kevin out to lunch today to offer him my support as I lost 2 dear friends at a young age and understand the profound impact that loss has. We had an interesting conversation about how Nick influenced who he is today versus who he might be if Nick was not gone.

We spoke about the values that Nick held, tolerance for the underdog, a positive attitude and zest for life. A warm nature and a fun-loving approach...he ALWAYS had a smile on. Kevin shared with me that sometimes, now, when he might loose patience or begin to focus too much on what he wants, he remembers Nick and how selfless and caring he was. Kevin adjusts his approach to how he sees the world and the actions he chooses to take as a result of Nick's influence.

It does not take a long time to create a positive change in people, Nick was not here long...But there are many Stonington High School students that he has shaped dramatically for the better. And for that I say a prayer of gratitude for Nick Girard and the gift he has given my son just by being his friend.

I encourage you to reflect upon who has influenced your life...then take an action to thank them for just being themself and sharing it with you.

The self-discovery process is sometimes brutally honest and sometimes honestly beautiful. To the beauty in life.

Labels: inspiration

Are you hard on yourself? Can you tell people the things that you are GREAT at? Do you KNOW the things you are good...no great at?

I have 3 sisters and a brother. My brother Peter Yozzo, was a Division I NCAA wrestling champion for Lehigh College. He competed in Japan, at Madison Square Garden and trained for the Olympics until a knee injury took him out.

My parents would say he was a good wrestler. This tactic of modesty worked very nicely in developing Peter into a very humble man. However, it did skew my perception of "good" and "great".

You see I never won a national championship at anything...so if Peter who actually did win a national championship was "good" at wrestling...then I must not be "good" at anything...and certianly not "great" at anything. The reality was that Peter was a great wrestler (I can almost see him cringe at my stating that so bluntly). It is a proven fact and although it has taken me a large portion of my adult life to discover...I am great at stuff too!

I am a great strategic analyst and a great speaker. It is not arrogance to identify what you are great at, it is just honest.

I can also tell you that I am not so great at shifting gears from CEO of a corporation to mom. It takes some time for me to re-enter either role once I am emerged. I am also pretty bad, actually, at sticking with an exercise routine.

Those are just a few things I know about myself.

So don't be shy about who you are or what gifts you have to share with the world...If you don't know what you are great at...just ask someone who loves or respects you. Once you know, practice saying it out loud...be the confident person you were born to be.

Labels: inspiration

When I recently went to speak at Rutgers University at their Eagleton Institute-Center for American Women in Politics New Leadership Program, the audience was confused at first glance:

Assumptions were made about my level of education, my self confidence, my income, my profession, my intelligence, my marital status, my political position, my age, my ability to influence others, and based on what they saw, I was not a powerful or influential woman. They assumed I was tired, old, worn-out, a push-over, someone who would not make waves, insecure, dependent, out of touch with trends and in general not capable of leading anything.

Many times when I coach women, they push back about paying any attention to what they are wearing, stating that their mind is the only thing that matters. Well girls, this demonstration on the impact of your visual image begs to argue that point.

As I transformed in front of the women at Eagleton they noted a shift in the perception of who Michelle Yozzo Drake really was.

I immediately got a raise, a family, I got younger, thinner, smarter, and more power, an education and respect. The mind, heart and soul of me was the same person that was standing in front of them moments before; only the exterior had changed.

Now, exterior without substance is no good either, but I challenge you to express who you are in a way that sheds the most positive light. If you don't know how, then find a girlfriend or professional to help.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Watch clips of our presentation on style here and here!

P.S. This concept does apply to you guys, too!

*****
For more FREE tips on advancing your career and navigating the workplace, sign up for my FREE e-zine "Lipstick Leadership" at LipstickLeadership.com today! And check out the products I've developed to guide you toward the success you deserve!

Labels: career-advancement, news

Do you remember all the things you should have said AFTER an opportunity to promote your business has passed? Have you struggled with explaining what you do in order to get financing or fundraising? Do you want to know how to get maximum exposure through media interviews and become a repeat guest?

I will be speaking at a NEW Entrepreneurs Virtual Meeting on July 19th 2006. If you want to learn more about registering for this call click here.

Can't make the call? No problem. Click here to listen to my appearance at this meeting and many other guest expert interviews I've done!

Labels: news

Any of you who were looking for my morning meditation walk on Hallmark TV's show New Morning on July 3rd must be wondering what happened...The dates were changed...

The new air dates are July 31 at 7 am and September 15 at 7 am.

Labels: news

My father (a retired science teacher) is alway intrigued by what I do for a living...

"Shelly, help me to understand, you get paid to tell people what to do? High-powered executives? I just can't picture you in a room of men telling them what to do. What could you possibly tell them that they don't already know?"

Now, being a coach is not that different from being a teacher in a classroom (I was a teacher for about 11 years, so I know). Coaching is more like tutoring, but the topic of public speaking (the category that a lot of my coaching with Fortune 100 companies falls into) lends itself to a lot of up front demonstration, which feels like the classroom to me as well.

Just because a student (or executive) is amazingly talented and knowledgeable in one area...does not automatically mean that they can project that knowledge out to a less familiar group. My job is to help them find the communication talents that they possess and hone them into a presentation that leverages those talents for impact.

In my office they call me the velvet-hammer...because I am always direct, but temper it with compassion. I recently had a client who was an engineer (in the purest sense of the word) and who wanted to open his meeting with a joke...I had to tell him, "you're not that funny" use your talent for story-telling and you will knock them dead! Tell a joke...and you ARE dead.

Communicating is just one area that an awareness of your talents is necessary. The ability to advance your career depends on leveraging your talents and minimizing your weaknesses.

This week...go on a treasure hunt for your talents...small and large and give yourself the tools for success!

To hear what I have to say about communication, watch these video clips here, here and here.

*****
For more FREE tips on advancing your career and navigating the workplace, sign up for my FREE e-zine "Lipstick Leadership" at LipstickLeadership.com today! And check out the products I've developed to guide you toward the success you deserve!

Labels: career-advancement

You know that to get a job you need a resume...but to find a job you love, you need more. One of the tools that I use when I work with clients to help them find work that will make them actually get up in the morning is the Life-Line.

The Life-Line is a document that helps you define who you are, what you like and what your talents are... based on your real life experiences, your defining moments large and small.

Here is the process that I use with my clients (I hope it helps you!):

I start by having you create a timeline of moments from your earliest memory...Things that either made you step back in wonder, learn something new about yourself, trigger a change of action, energize you, or shift your emotion or way of thinking.

Once I have that info we start to discuss trends and dig deep into what this string of events means and how it helps define the direction you are heading in the world.

After our initial discussion I will challenge you to contact people from the past and get other perspectives on these moments. Sometimes it sheds an interesting light on who you are and how you got to this point of questioning.

This exercise helps to aid in the self-discovery process and gives you information on your talents, aptitude and desires. Couple this information with your resume and you begin to have tools to use in guiding your life to your most powerful place.

Now come out of your quiet...
Step into action...
Take back your life and job!

Know you do NOT have to do this ALONE!

*****
For more FREE tips on advancing your career and navigating the workplace, sign up for my FREE e-zine "Lipstick Leadership" at LipstickLeadership.com today! And check out the products I've developed to guide you toward the success you deserve!

Labels: career-advancement, inspiration, workplace-survival

This weekend I made a last minute decision to head home to Long Island to see my parents. Although it was quite busy at the office, I raced to the catch the ferry from Connecticut to Long Island in an effort to keep my life balanced.

Ironically, as I was jumping out of the car to dash in and get my ticket, I landed on an obstacle...cement in nature...and yes, lost my balance and WIPED OUT. Bloody and bruised I limped onto the ferry and had an hour to contemplate what had just happened.

Did I fall because I was feeling guilty about leaving my team?

Is a person ever completely disengaged from their work?

Did this fall indicate a need to slow down in general in my life?

Was it a warning?

Or did I just stop paying attention for a split second and land on my...?

I find that when I try to force that work/life balance it blows up in my face. When I try to integrate some quiet, recharge time into my daily routine it works better for me. I can pass my paints and canvas and paint for 20 minutes and feel recharged. I can close my eyes for 10 minutes and feel rested.

For each of us it is different.

Michelle Bellici, an artist friend of mine, needs hours of complete submersion in her studio painting on a daily basis to feel centered.




My husband needs a full day in the garage to help him to turn off the noise of the work-week.

A high-powered executive client tends to the vines in his vineyard and creates new blends of wines to balance the demands from his job.


My oldest son sometimes needs to drive his motorcycle to calm his nerves if he is having a bad day.




My youngest son likes to surf in the morning before class to keep his mind sharp and his soul fueled.






So, if you find yourself loosing your footing...

take some time to listen and regain your balance.

Labels: inspiration