Wendy McManus – Page 2 – Connect 2 Potential

First Reflection, Now the Vision

Welcome to Part 2 of my year-end review process! We are currently going through an exploration to help you zoom out, capture possibilities, and start 2026 with a game plan that sticks. (Instead of starting the new year feeling disorganized, just coming off of holiday stress, and already behind on work from the get-go…been there,…

Look Back To Go Forward

For the past several years, a coach friend and I have gotten together in mid-December for what we call our Year-End Retreat. We block out the distractions and allocate a full day to focus on our businesses. And every year, as my retreat day nears, I think, “Why did I agree to this? I’m way…

Two Mindsets for Life’s Hardest Challenges

Life just isn’t fair. There are days when we get knocked flat and can’t see a way to get back up. A diagnosis. A layoff. A death in the family. A bitter breakup… Whatever it is, there’s never enough time and never enough warning. But the challenges will always keep coming, whether we’re ready or…

Appreciation for the Leaders Who Keep Showing Up

I became a leadership coach almost ten years ago. It wasn’t a perfectly mapped-out plan—it was more like following a whisper. Over the years, that whisper has been tested by doubt, uncertainty, and more than a few sleepless nights. But what has continually pointed me forward is you—the people who choose growth even when it’s…

5 Tips for A Peaceful Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving approaches, you may be preparing to pack up and travel across the country—or just across town—for a gathering with special people. Or maybe you’re the host this year, opening your home to welcome family and friends into your personal space. How do you feel about it? As much as we would love for…

The #1 Mindset Shift for Receiving Feedback

I’ve just returned from my fourth trip this year to work with a client team on the topic of feedback. We looked at feedback from many angles, but there was one key concept woven through each session… Feedback is a gift. Not a threat. Not a punishment. Not a mark of failure. And when you…

Are You Using the Coach Approach?

I’m getting ready to lead a new 2026 Thriving Leaders Circle cohort, and it’s got me thinking about the heart of my message: coach-like leadership. If you’ve been following me for a long time, you may know exactly what I mean by that. But if not, I want to share the philosophy behind everything I…

The Turning Point: How You Add Value

While coaching newer managers in their first leadership role, there’s something I’ve noticed across the board: Success-driven people are wired to add value. But what does it really mean to ‘add value’? We often think of ways to provide value that are instantly gratifying: closing a deal, finishing a report, completing a project… But there’s…

Are You Filling Your Life with Big Rocks or Pebbles?

A few weeks ago when I shared about using “Personal Growth Graffiti,” I mentioned my “Big Rocks” list for the quarter. I keep this list on one of the whiteboards in my office, as a constant reminder of my priorities. You’ve probably heard of the concept of “Big Rocks”. It’s the idea that if we…

Can You Catch 20 Tennis Balls?

My very first coach, Barbara Poole, was a wise woman and a master of metaphors. She once told me, “Wendy, if you throw a tennis ball at someone, they can catch it. If you throw two tennis balls at them, they can probably catch them. But if you throw 20 tennis balls at them, they’re…