Welcome to The Overlook

A space where you can step back for a wider view. The Overlook brings together ideas, insights, and inspiration to help you navigate complexity with greater clarity and confidence. At Beyond the Trees, we share practical strategies, leadership perspectives, and real-world experiences designed to help individuals and teams adapt to challenges and create meaningful progress. Explore articles that inform, encourage, and support your journey forward.

A weathered signpost stands at a fork in a misty forest, indicating multiple winding paths, symbolizing choices and directions.

Quality Questions: The Power of the Right Question at the Right Time

As a coach, I know the power the right question can have on a conversation. As a leader, I wish I had learned it earlier. Leadership is full of difficult…

“A narrow dirt path winding uphill between a grassy slope and a rustic stone wall with wooden fence posts under a cloudy sky.

Sometimes You Just Have to SNAP

Everyone is pinging you wanting your attention, you have meetings about meetings but get nothing accomplished, and your inbox looks like a hoarding situation. You are overwhelmed and feel like…

Embracing the Challenge in Challenging Conversations

We have all been there. We need to have a conversation with someone, and we expect it to be heated, uncomfortable, and maybe confrontational. So, we avoid it, even talk…

A serene forest path lined with tall trees and lush green grass, inviting exploration through nature.

Facts vs Stories Why Smart Leaders Make Reactive Decisions

We’ve all been there. The pressure is on, a deadline looms, and it feels like the success of the whole program is on your shoulders. An email pops into your…

A person stands in a forest, arms outstretched, embracing nature amidst tall trees and dappled sunlight.

I’ve Got This: Taking Control and Moving Forward in Complex Environments

As a former leader with teams from two people to 70 people, I was constantly reading articles, books, and blogs (just like this) to improve my leadership and my team’s…

A scenic road lined with trees, leading to majestic mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.

Level up your thinking

You get in the car, turn on your favorite tunes, and turn onto the road home. The next thing you know, you are 15 minutes into a 20-minute drive and…

Wooden pedestrian bridge through a forest with sunlight streaming over the trees, casting long shadows across the boardwalk as several people walk in the distance.

This Was Supposed to Be Great! Good Change Is Still Change

You have had a horrible boss for years. You have dreamed about the day that they left. You have planned the party in your head, imagined the relief and the…

Hikers relax on a grassy hillside, overlooking a scenic landscape with mountains and a river in the background, highlighting nature's beauty.

Normalizing Emotions During Change

We are always gathering data before, during, and after a change. We analyze productivity, risk, customer satisfaction, financial performance, quality metrics, employee engagement, error rates, and countless other indicators. We…

Silhouettes of five friends celebrating at sunset, with one person taking a photo. The scene captures a joyful moment in nature.

Lighting the Path Ahead Together

Change can feel like being lost in the woods at night. You aren’t sure which direction to go, the path ahead has disappeared, and part of you wonders if you…