Kelly Holding

We ask for recommendations all the time. But what people are really vouching for… is your reputation. One of my favorite things to do is eat good food. I love trying new places (except fish… we’re just not compatible), and I love a great restaurant recommendation. It’s like a stamp of approval. And how often … Read more

But, “How do I help someone else create a plan when I’m not even fully sure what mine is…or how to get there?” The term spring cleaning didn’t start as a cute seasonal trend. It started because people didn’t have a choice. After a long winter of fireplaces, closed-up houses, and stale air, everything felt … Read more

If time really does fly, then what do I actually want to fill it with? Over the weekend, I turned 40. And like clockwork, people asked, “How do you feel about it?” If I’m honest, there’s a small part of me that’s a little sad I can no longer say I’m “young.” But if staying … Read more

Over time, teams recalibrate what is normal. Pouring coffee at a tiny café in small-town Iowa teaches you a lot.How people take their coffee. How long they’ll stand and chat. And how often fruit becomes a personality or life assessment. “Well, that one’s a bad apple.” “Apples don’t fall far from the tree.” Some sayings … Read more

Here’s One Thing You Can Do About It. The world feels like it’s moving faster and becoming more divided than it has in a long time. And sometimes it can feel like there isn’t much any one of us can do about it. But I think there is one simple thing we can do. It … Read more

“Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us.” Life is a series of choices. “Our lives are fashioned by our choices. First we make our choices. Then our choices make us.”— Anne Frank Whether you are the CEO of McDonald’s or a stay-at-home mom, this week … Read more

The groundhog is always wrong. Six more weeks of winter? No thanks.I’m ready for new weather. More sun. A new season. And seasons, whether in weather, life, or leadership, change more than we think. Leadership In my keynotes, I often ask the audience a simple question:“If I gave you $10,000 to go on a cruise, … Read more

Two things that might not seem related at first glance:Having difficult conversations with a team member…And the secret to not getting old. Stay with me. Both require something most leader’s underestimate: a repeatable and steady approach. Leadership What’s the key to handling and staying steady in difficult conversations? Difficult conversations are part of the job. … Read more

My 14-year-old recently got his driver’s permit, which seems crazy because just yesterday he was the size of a loaf of bread and permanently glued to my left side. Or at least it feels that way. I blinked, and now he’s an inch and a half taller than me and proudly driving around with me … Read more