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To be a good leader, you must do more than lead teams. You need to cultivate self-awareness, conversations, and relationships. Its not enough to practice leadership in the office. Today, the skills we need at workhumility, listening, and emotional intelligenceare just as necessary at home, in friendships, and community life. Unfortunately, many leaders feel less confident when tough conversations or messy emotions arise outside formal settings. Without titles, power, and staff to rely on, you strip leadership down to its rawest form: connection with others. Here are six leadership lessons that apply whether youre managing a project, having a hard conversation with your teenager, or navigating a disagreement with a neighbor, a practice that I personally recently failed at. 1. Be aware of stories that influence your reactions Whats shaping your reactions? We might not realize it, but every interaction is influenced by the private stories we tell ourselves. Recently, during a tough conversation with a neighbor, I got triggered. My story made perfect sense to me; their story was a strong no to any compromise. That didnt fit our friendship, and I didnt handle it well. Later, I used a tool I call CADSConcerns, Authority issues, Desires, and Standardsto explore my reaction. My trigger came from an unmet standard: my belief about what good neighbors should do. I wanted a mutually acceptable solution, but they did not want to discuss options. Accepting that I couldnt control their position helped me move forward with less judgment. I could wake up from my patterned reaction, accept their choice, and ground myself in what I could (and couldnt) control. To watch your stories, ask yourself: What is my desire? What are my concerns? Are there power dynamics at play? What standards are driving my judgments? This enables you to deconstruct your opinions and examine the underlying feelings that are shaping your reactions. 2. Adopt a more humble attitude Are you willing to be wrong? Many of us probably received the message to be the strongest voice in the room. Real leadership, however, begins with humility. Leaders must be willing to be wrong, to listen, and to learn. One senior executive (lets call him Josh) was passionate and intelligent, but when he met with his team, there was little interaction. Hed kick off meetings with strategy ideas and challenges, then ask for input. He heard crickets. With coaching, Josh realized his passion and unintentionally sent the following message: I have the answers. He committed to changing his style. Instead of presenting solutions, he reframed his meetings: Were here to explore tough issues and possible solutions. My perspective is one of many. I might be wrong about this. Who sees it differently? That shift transformed the meetings. More ideas surfaced, and better ideas emerged 3. Truly collaborate Are you balancing advocacy and inquiry? Collaboration and psychological safety arent just about agreement and niceties. True collaboration requires balancing productive advocacy with sincere inquiry. I once worked with finance and legal teams who found themselves trapped in politics and blame. During an off-site retreat, they played together, ate together, and explored the stories that the other group carried. Slowly, they began questioning assumptions and listening to each other. As camaraderie grew, they began to trust each other and created agreements for how to move forward together. Whether youre leading a project, planning a family trip, or navigating a community issue, collaboration demands humility, self-awareness, and openness to other perspectives. To truly collaborate, its important to present your view as one possibility among many. Share the thinking behind your position. Inquire sincerely into others perspectives. What are their desires, concerns, or standards? Examine your assumptions and dispel mistaken beliefs. 4. Think beyond the script Many leaders subconsciously self-censor. We stick to safe scripts, relying on old conversational patterns. But creativity often begins when we allow ourselves to explore whats unfamiliar. Recently, a client felt stuck in a job she didnt enjoy. She didnt respect her boss and felt dismissed. When I asked her to shift focus to what might be possible, she began to move away from fixating on what was wrong with her job and allowed herself to imagine alternatives. Once she opened that door, she made thoughtful choices about her future. To think beyond the script, give yourself permission to explore possibilities. Its a freeing practice. Imagination can spark breakthroughs and deepen relationships at home and at work. 5. Explore alternatives Are you skipping over discussions? In high-stress situations, its easy to rush to decisions. I call this the conversational bypass. We present our position, skip dialogue, and move straight to action. But rushing to action stifles creativity. In architecture school, one of my first assignments was to design a toy. I poured myself into a single idea. When I presented it, my professor raised an eyebrow and said: One idea? Come back tomorrow with five more. I was stunned. But the lesson stuck: Dont fall in love with your first idea. Dont move to action without exploring options. That mindset changed how I approached design and leadership. To ensure that you explore alternatives, dont settle for your first idea. Ask yourself and others, What else might be possible? 6. Only make promises you can keep Are you slowing down enough to commit wisely? In a fast world, its easy to say yes. But its also risky. I once promised my son that Id help him with a project later. But then I forgot. That small broken promise hurt more than I expected. It reminded me that sloppy promises, at work or at home, erode trust faster than mistakes. When someone makes a request, a rushed yes might feel efficient in the moment. But when we say yes just to please someone, we bypass a crucial step: understanding. Before responding with Sure, no problem, take the time to really understand the request. Ask a few clarifying questionsnot to challenge the person making the request, but to understand their needs and expectations: Whats the intent or goal? What concerns are you addressing? Who is this really for? What does success look like? Asked with sincerity, these quick, thoughtful questions can prevent misunderstandings and build trust. Slowing down creates clarity and confidence. A fulfilled promise is the foundation of trust. To make sure you keep your promises, before saying yes, pause and ask: Do I truly have the capacit to deliver on this? Ask clarifying questions to set the right expectations. And whatever you do, make sure that you can keep the promises you make. Lead where you are Leadership isnt a role you turn on at work and off at home. Its a daily practicea way of showing up with humility, curiosity, and care, wherever you are. You dont need a title or permission. What you need is the willingness to pause, reflect, and lead, moment by moment.
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E-Commerce
The color of the summer is here, and it started with a chocolate bar. Pistachio (both the food and the color) is all the rage right now. The nut entered the limelight over the past several months after various food creators on TikTok popularized Dubai chocolate, an indulgent chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream, tahini, and shredded phyllo dough. This spring, Dubai chocolate officially made its way into the mainstream, appearing as a cookie at Crumbl, a shake at Shake Shack, a chocolate bar at Trader Joes, a donut at Krispy Kreme, and a returning latte flavor at Dunkin. [Photo: Patislove] Demand for Dubai chocolate has spiked so high that pistachio producers in Iran exported 40% more nuts to the United Arab Emirates in the six months leading to March 2025 than they did in the entire 12 months before. Some stores have had to limit sales of the bars due to disruptions of the global pistachio supply chain. But it turns out that for customers in the U.S., theres a bonus to the trend besides an influx of tasty treats: The nut is relatively shielded from potential tariffs. Come what may, chances are that its about to be a very nuttyand very greensummer. A mechanical shaker harvests pistachio nuts on a farm in Californias San Joaquin Valley. [Photo: Ed Young/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group/Getty Images] America dominates the pistachio market The U.S. is the top producer of pistachios globally, accounting for about 75% of the worlds supply, according to Zachary Fraser, president and CEO of American Pistachio Growers (APG). The second-largest producer is Iran. The 2024-2025 U.S. pistachio crop harvest, Fraser says, was 1.1 billion pounds in-shellthe third-largest harvest in the history of the industry. So far, Fraser reports, the Trump administrations tariffs have not had an immediate impact on the nut’s production. The industry is closely monitoring tariffs as the situation evolves, and we are active in the conversations with government officials to stay on top of the changing dynamics, Fraser says. Continuing to invest in market development and new countries to drive demand is part of that strategy. From APGs perspective, theres been a marked rise in interest in pistachios over the past several months. Recognizing the trending Dubai chocolate bar, its been exciting to see the popularity of pistachios grow across many other food and beverage products, Fraser says. Were seeing pistachios incorporated across baked goods, spreads, snacks, ice cream and more. [Photo: Shake Shack] Pistachio goes beyond the bar Pistachios arent staying confined to sweet treats, either. As the nuts flavor profile has risen into stardom, so, too, has its signature sage-green hue. In the past two months or so, pistachio green has exploded from the chocolate wrapper to fashion runways, mood boards, and even interior design. In March, Homes & Gardens called the hue designers go-to color for spring and summer 2025. In May, Harpers Bazaar noted that the gastronomic shade defined recent fashion shows by Miu Miu, Prada, Alexander McQueen, Gucci, and others. The average American is also becoming enamored with the color. According to Pinterest global data from January to March 2025, searches for pistachio chocolate bar surged 1,989%, while searches for pistachio outfit ideas jumped 361% and those for pistachio green weddings were up 285%. Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest, says pistachios are “having a major moment” on the app, noting, What started in the kitchen is now spilling over into style, with this earthy green inspiring everything from homemade desserts to intentional fashion choices.”
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E-Commerce
Antonia Saint Dunbar, cofounder of the period underwear brand Thinx, loves the way she feels when she’s wearing heels. “It has a divine geometry,” she says. “It creates a perfect pitch for your body, elongating your leg, creating an anatomical architectural balance.” Saint Dunbar isn’t alone: Even as society has become more casual, making sneakers and Birkenstocks acceptable to wear in more situations, many women still love the way they look and feel while wearing heels. But sometimes this means compromising comfort for style. While running Thinx in heels, Saint Dunbar says she often had to scan the room for a place to sit because her feet hurt so much, and took cabs so she wouldn’t have to walk. Part of the reason that heels are so uncomfortable is that many early shoe designers were men. They designed heels they believed would make women look attractive, but had no idea how the shoes would feel on the wearers feet. Today, women aren’t willing to compromise on comfort. This is particularly true after the pandemic, Saint Dunbar says. Stuck at home, women stopped wearing heels and turned to more comfortable footwear. Now painful heels feel even more unacceptable. The good news is that there’s a new generation of shoe brands focused on designs that make them more comfortable, including Sneex, Nomasei, and Marion Parke. Saint Dunbar herself is among these founders. In 2016, while still running Thinx, she launched Antonia Saint NY, which creates more comfortable heels. She’s taken the silhouette of a classic stiletto and added a layer of padding inside to provide better arch support and toe cushioning. She’s just relaunched all of her shoes with a slimmer version of the padding to offer the same level of comfort with less bulk. As we head into summer, we’ve been testing out the most comfortable shoes for everything from weddings to company outings. Here are five we love. [Photo: Antonia Saint NY] Antonia Saint NY Vicki DOrsay, $286 This shoe has a 2-inch heel that gives you just enough lift. Its outfitted with an updated padding system called SoftSurround. There is a layer of cushioning within the entire upper, with a special focus on the toes and the back of the heels. There is also a rubberized outsole for better traction. The outer is made of a soft Nappa leather. It’s designed to help you get through a full day without any pain. [Photo: Sézane] Sézane Gloria Sandals, $215 These strappy sandals offer the vintage aesthetic that Sézane is known for, featuring an elegant circle design. They’re versatile, since they can be dressed up or down, looking just as nice with jeans as with more formal summer dresses. With a 2.75-inch heel, they offer height without leaving you with achey legs or calves. [Photo: Margaux] Margaux City Sandal, $375 As their name implies, these shoes are designed for pounding the pavement. They feature a 2.5-inch block heel that is very walkable, and crisscross straps that are placed to make your feet feel supported. The insole features foam padding for cushioning. They come in a wide range of colors to match your outfits. [Photo: Nomasei] Nomasei Baghera, $450 Founded by former shoe designers at Chloe, Nomasei wants to bring comfort to the luxury shoe experience. The brands Baghera sandals are meant to provide all the leg-lengthening effects of a high heel, bu in a much more comfortable silhouette. They feature a 2.3-inch wide block heel, with an insole made of memory foam, lining made of goat leather, and an outsole made of calf leather. [Photo: Rothy’s] Rothys Knot Sandal, $189 If you’re concerned about the environment, Rothy’s is a good option. The brand was first known for its flats, but it has expanded into new silhouettes, including heels. These sandals are made of eight ocean-bound plastic bottles that have been recycled into a knot material. With a 2-inch block heel and a plush footbed, they’re designed to be worn all day. And as a bonus, theyre machine washable, which extends their life.
Category:
E-Commerce
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