Around this time of year, I have a tradition of preparing an Annual Report. I brought the practice with me from my experience in nonprofit organizations: I'm a mission-driven individual. Even though I'm not an organization, I wonder what would it look like to create a report on my personal mission impact and growth?

This year's annual report looks a little different from years past…

This year, in my 38th trip around the sun, I learned something major about myself: I am Autistic.

My submersion into this new identity was guided by reading the stories of other women—some memoir, some nonfiction, some fiction. Now I'm writing my own story, in two parts: how I got here and what it means.

Thanksgiving is this week, and while the prospect of gathering around a table with family can be warm and cozy, it can also be a lot.
Because getting together means catching up, and catching up means answering questions about our lives.

Continuing work as usual when there are layers of unthinkable violence and grief playing out is weird at best and completely heartbreaking at worst. Here are two undervalued leadership skills that might be supportive right now, whether you're a formal leader, a parent, or leading yourself through this difficult time.

Many of us feel the discomfort of uncertainty in our work, daily.
There's a word that describes the state of insecurity we feel around employment and income: precarity.

Understanding and talking about your unique, marketable skill set with clarity and confidence is essential to successfully navigating your professional path. But what if no one has taught you how to do this?

I’ve been driving for 22 years and it’s become second nature. I’ve been navigating my career for almost as long and it still doesn’t feel effortless. Maybe this is something you recognize too?

Here's a roundup of 5 five-star books I've read so far this year, and 5 I have on my nightstand to dive into this summer.

Take a moment to step back from the given version of American success (grow forward & up!) and ask yourself: What truly feels like success to me?

Gentle encouragement to rediscover what lights you up.

“Professional Development” is a big umbrella. Let’s take a look underneath it in order to understand different types of learning and how they might serve you.

Sometimes people ask what it means when we say that we work with mission-driven professionals. It may not be what you think.

Here's what you need to know in order to truly understand psychological safety and what it means for you at work.

Being strategic means having a filter to assess opportunities for the right fit. Before I say yes to anything these days, I turn to my “Strategy Screener,” which lays out a set of questions that help me understand if this opportunity is something I can merely fit in or if it’s the right fit.

Our culture normalizes overextension, even though it’s anything but normal. Your margins are the border around your capacity. Just like on your resume, they leave blank space to breathe. You need that space in order to absorb things that come up in the moment, adapt plans, or to renew and sustain yourself.

The scrappy culture of nonprofits shaped my worldview not only at work, but in life. Now, as my own boss, I am trying to shift my habits and model what it looks like to operate beyond the bare minimum. I don't want to be scrappy. I want to have resources that match the challenges our business is taking on, and I think you, as my clients, want that, too.

Here's what we're celebrating as we wrap up this year—the meaningful work that we did together with our clients, alumni community, and partners…

One of the greatest surprises of 2022 for me: Penney Leadership evolved from just me in my little business to a community of talented team members and alumni.

This month, members of the Penney Leadership community put together a gift guide of wonderful things to make work and life more joyful. You'll find great gifts for others here—and some to add to your own list. Check them out..

We hear from clients all the time who are teetering on the edge of a choice, wanting to take the “right” path (whatever that means!) and worried about potential regrets down the road. Today, we’re hearing from Penney Leadership Coach Jessica Crowley on what it means to make a career decision with confidence.

I'm psyching myself up to attend my first in-person conference in three years. Conferences are nerve-racking. Networking, especially now, is intimidating. ​Will I remember how to talk to people? Are we going to shake hands? What do I say about myself? Couldn't I just stand in a corner and scroll Instagram instead?

While I'm preparing to walk by myself into a room full of people I've never met before, I've had a weird and wonderful realization: Some of the most meaningful and treasured relationships in my life came about as a result of...attending a professional conference?!

So today, I wanted to share six simple ways for how you, too, can make meaningful connections at a conference.