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Golden Career Strategies Blog

Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023

Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined.

We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush.

The impact of fear
If we live in constant fear, our physical health, memory, brain functioning, and mental health can suffer:

Physical Health
Chronic fear weakens our immune system, making us susceptible to viruses and bacterial infections. It can affect cardiovascular health and create gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. Living in fear for extended periods can lead to premature aging and early death.

Mental Health
Feeling constant perceived threats can lead to reduced productivity, fatigue and diagnoses such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Brain Function
The ability to regulate emotions, read non-verbal clues, reflect before responding and act ethically are all brain functions that can be disrupted. Since decision-making goes through the emotional center of our brain, chronic fear leads to poor decisions and inappropriate reactions.

Memory
According to the National Institute for Health[i], “Fear memory formation may induce changes in neurons within specific brain regions that affect the formation and extinction of future different memories.”  This can make regulating fear more difficult.

Ways to minimize chronic fear
Thankfully, we can take many easy actions as often as necessary to minimize the effects of fear in our lives. Below is a partial list of specific actions to minimize the intensity of fear. Pick a couple of practices that appeal to you and are easy to repeat when needed.

  1. Be aware of your emotions for a few minutes. We can’t run from them, but when we face them, they lose their intensity.
  2. Address fear by talking about it, writing about it or merely thinking about it with curiosity. When we pay attention, we can ask ourselves questions like, “How is this emotion serving me?” or “What can this teach me?”
  3. Move your body. Dance, run, or walk to engage in a physical exertion that pushes you beyond your perceived limits.
  4. Take slow, deep breaths. These breaths signal to the brain that you are safe and diminish the intensity of the emotion.
  5. Turn off the news. Today’s news is designed to keep you watching. How do you feel when engaged in news media? If it elicits fear, limit the amount of time you watch or listen each day.
  6. Pay attention to any sensations in your body as you scroll and read posts on social media. Block or hide posts that cause you to feel fearful and schedule periodic breaks from your apps.
  7. Make time to interact with friends or loved ones.
  8. Create a gratitude list and write down what you are thankful for in your life. Keep the list handy so you can add to it.
  9. Simply reflect on what you are thankful for and notice the feeling of fear shift to gratitude.
  10. The brain does not know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. Watch a laughter yoga video on YouTube if you need help stimulating laughter. You can also watch a favorite comedy or share funny stories.
  11. Reflect on times when you have felt strong, secure and courageous.
  12. Change your body posture or engage in physical movement by standing up and assuming a powerful pose for three minutes or taking a walk.
  13. Be kind to yourself. Engage in favorite activities that make you feel alive. What do you do that makes you completely lose track of time?
  14. Question your thoughts. Just because you think them doesn’t mean they are true.
  15. Reread a favorite book or watch a favorite comedy.
  16. Eat a healthy diet. Avoid sugar, which can weaken your immune system.
  17. Help others for increased feelings of well-being
  18. Meditate or pray.
  19. Imagine the worst. The fear will lessen the more you confront it.
  20. Work with a professional coach to help build physical and mental resiliency.

By engaging in the activities listed above, you can regulate your emotions, manage your energy and reduce stress.

Special Offer
Click here to schedule a complimentary *Stress and Well-Being Assessment and debrief or to “Connect with Purpose. *This Stress and Well-Being Assessment is not the free online version; this version is only available from HeartMath-certified providers.

[i] Fear memory formation can affect a different memory: fear conditioning affects the extinction, but not retrieval, of conditioned taste aversion (CTA) memory

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4179742/#:~:text=Fear%20memory%20formation%20may%20induce,extinction%20of%20future%20different%20memories

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

    Read More
  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024

Rock Climbing

About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them.

Acknowledge Concerns
My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, “When I say “no” to this, to what can I say “yes”? We fill our schedules so tight that we no longer have time for dreaming, playing, laughing, and passion. I am concerned that we have forgotten that we are human “beings” not human “doings.” We know we can’t control time, but we have forgotten the importance of managing our commitments.

Create Long-term Happiness
I am concerned that we stay so busy in the day-to-day of our lives that we don’t question whether we are striving or thriving. What can we create that will lead to long-term happiness?

Be Your Best
I am concerned that we hide our pain, fear, and joy. Some of us are more afraid of our potential than our failure. We diminish our own light, fearful of shining too brightly. We silence the voice that whispers of our greatness. We settle without realizing that our world needs more people to live their best lives.

Ask for Help
I am concerned that we don’t ask for help. People want to help. They don’t know how to help until they are asked. Being asked for help makes us feel valuable – part of something beyond ourselves. We are afraid of showing our weaknesses or appearing vulnerable. We isolate ourselves from what makes life extraordinary. I love Joseph Campbell’s quote: “Do not be afraid, follow your bliss, and where there were walls, doors will appear.” During an interview, Bill Moyer asked if he believed in “helping hands.” Joseph laughed and said he had “no choice but to believe.” Following our bliss includes being supported by something bigger than ourselves. Sadly, we are often afraid to ask for help.

Mentor and Find a Mentor
|I am concerned that we don’t mentor or receive mentoring. When we are mentored by someone we admire, what we see in them is in us! Those characteristics we admire often exist; they simply need to be developed. Being mentored is empowering. When another person is willing to invest in us, we are motivated to exceed our preconceived limits. Being a mentor allows us to provide wind beneath another’s wings. It also allows us to share our wisdom and our knowledge.|

Communicate
I am saddened that we don’t often venture into deeper levels of communication. We see familiar faces at meetings and events. Yet, we don’t honor each other with the gift of time and friendship. We don’t know each other’s stories. Did you know there has been a 40% decline in empathy in college students since 2000?[1] Without empathy, how can we have healthy communication? Healthy communication leads to inspiration, co-creation and error reduction.

Support Each Other
I am concerned that we talk a good talk about supporting each other, but too often, that is not the reality. When we connect with trust amazing things can happen. It is possible to put minor differences aside and solve more significant problems. We must stop giving power to our differences. We all have a story, and we all have value.

When we unite and use our powers for good, injustices will be a thing of the past. We CAN make our world a better place. When we change the Observer we are, new Actions come to our awareness, leading to improved Results. (OAR)[2]. Remember what Einstein said about solving problems. “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

It is a joy to know that while our concerns are significant, where there is breath, there is hope.

Watch for opportunities each day to show kindness and support. Even the smallest act can make a ripple effect for good beyond our imaginations.

Encourage. Lead. Listen. Love. Mentor. Nominate. Support. What other words would you add?

Let’s all do what we can to lessen our concerns. I wish you a year filled with good health, peace and joy.

 

Special Offer
Click here to schedule a complimentary *Stress and Well-Being Assessment and debrief or to “Connect with Purpose. *This assessment is not the free online version; this version is only available from HeartMath-certified providers.

About the Author
Stacey Bevill, PCC, BCC. MPM® is the owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies. She has over 24 years of business and marketing experience and has certifications in coaching, entrepreneurship, project management, resiliency, communication, and more. Bevill is passionate about helping organizations improve trust, communication, mental fitness and belonging as part of employee engagement and inspiration. She supports individuals in transition and those interested in personal leadership and vision, resiliency, and wellness.

Stacey is a credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coach Federation (ICF), a Board Certified Coach from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE), and is certified by the internationally acclaimed Newfield Network Coaching Institute. Additional training includes Positive Intelligence, Conversational Intelligence Enhanced Practitioner, Inspired Leadership from Case Western Reserve University, and Coaching for Managers from the University of California, Davis. Stacey is also a HeartMath® Certified Coach, Trainer, and Stress & Well-Being Assessment Provider. She is a Flow Energy Balance Indicator (FEBI® ) Assessment Certified Coach (Leadership Patterns) and a Strong Interest Inventory® and MBTI® Certified Practitioner. She is also a credentialed Harrison Assessments® provider for both individuals and organizations.

She has received “value-added” training for her manufacturing clients: Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training/exam, Certified Local Change Agent, Master Project Manager®, ISO 9001:2015 Standard & Internal/Supplier Auditor, IATF 16949: 2016 – Understanding Standard and Auditing, Stacey is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, Leadership Spartanburg, The Women’s Campaign School at Yale, The Spartanburg County Foundation’s Grass Roots Leadership Development Institute, and Furman Connections: Women Leaders of the Upstate. She is an active volunteer with One to One: Women Coaching Women as a coach lead and serves as one of four volunteer coaches in South Carolina for Stand Beside Them. She provides coaching worldwide for Non-Profit Executive Directors through CoachAid and received the Rotary International District Service Above Self award in 2007. Stacey serves on the Board of Trustees for the University Center of Greenville and is a member of Women In Manufacturing (WiM), Georgia Automotive Manufacturing Association (GAMA), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the SC Association for Talent Development (ATD). Stacey is available for speaking engagements, podcasts and panel discussions. She lives with her husband, Bobby Bevill (winner of the international David Debien Award for technical expertise and training excellence in the HVAC industry), and their five beloved rescue dogs in Upstate South Carolina.

1 Shocker: Empathy Dropped 40% in College Students Since 2000
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/born-love/201005/shocker-empathy-dropped-40-in-college-students-2000
2 Training from Newfield Network® https://newfieldnetwork.com

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

    Read More
  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024

Ready for Better

Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1]

Opportunities Abound

For over a decade, I had the opportunity to provide marketing services to Myles Golden, founder of Golden Career Strategies. After Myles passed, I continued to work with Steve Olson, the second owner and later my mentor.

After our marketing meetings, I would ask Steve if I could update him on what I was accomplishing in coaching and manufacturing via training and certifications. Steve always listened, and I believed I would become one of his coach collaborators. In 2020, Steve offered me an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I never dreamed that one day I would be the owner of GCS!

When we are steadfast in our actions to fulfill our vision and mission, our opportunities can be more significant than our dreams.

Listen with Curiosity and Follow Your Intuition

I was often questioned about the number of certifications I earned in coaching and manufacturing. I understood why. Many people joke that coaching is an industry worth over 4.5 billion dollars per year globally because coaches are continually taking classes, believing that the next course will be the game changer to help them be good enough. For me, it had nothing to do with self-esteem. It was about investing in myself to perform the work I wanted to do for many years. I liken the strategically selected coaching and manufacturing training to creating a tapestry that becomes more tightly woven and colorful.

Why Manufacturing?

The three Ps for manufacturing success include product, process, and people. I understand process and believe no matter how good your processes are, they are only as good as your employees’ engagement. Engagement requires trust, communication, resiliency and belonging. As a professional coach, I focus on people and offer services to increase profits and improve quality, safety, and retention.

Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation.
-Zig Ziglar

Recently, SC Biz News published its statewide 2024 Manufacturing Power List honorees. I am filled with awe and gratitude for this honor, knowing that this would never have happened without the support of many who provided encouragement, wisdom, knowledge, unwavering belief in me, introductions, and staying true to my vision.

Creating a Better Life

I share my story because I know firsthand that we can create a better life. Joseph Campbell, author of The Heroes Journey, said,

“Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.”

Opening Doors

What if your only resolution was to create the life you want to live? Do you want a promotion? Do you want new or improved personal or professional relationships? Do you want a more cohesive and engaged team? Is there a process you want to improve?To achieve your desire, what will you start saying yes to? What will you start saying no to? What action steps are you willing to take?

Seven Tips for Success

  1. What do you value? Establish your mission and vision. Discover your tribe and explore opportunities. They are often closer than you realize.
  2. Identify your why. You need to identify your why to see the how. Why do you want this change? How will it help you? How will it help others? Review your why often to stay focused.
  3. Ask for help and guidance from trustworthy sources and ultimately follow your intuition. Request meetings with others whom you admire. We often have the same traits as those we want to emulate. Make the most of the time by clearly identifying what you would like to learn from them beforehand and deeply listen to hear, not respond.
  4. Regardless of how small the steps are, commit to daily activities that will lead to transformation. Visualizing is not enough; concerted effort is required. Continually prioritize actions that will lead to your success.
  5. Expect and prepare for resistance. See tip #2. Keep your plans close to your chest. Don’t share them with everyone. When we choose to improve our lives, others may feel threatened by how our changes will impact them. Additionally, our brains do not like change. Embrace resiliency techniques and believe that you can improve your life.
  6. Pay attention to your thoughts; avoid self-sabotage. Question self-talk and beliefs. Are they even true? Challenge them as they may no longer serve you.
  7. Invest in yourself. Engage with a professional coach who identifies the coaching relationship as built on trust, mutual respect, and no judgment and acknowledges you have the wisdom you need. Your coach will support you through powerful questions and conversations, and you will learn to access that wisdom and grow your intuition.

Are you ready to learn more or get started? Let’s talk. Schedule your complimentary consultation today at https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/ or call Stacey at 864-527-0425

About Stacey Bevill – Stacey Bevill is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Board-Certified Coach (BCC). Additional credentials include Positive Intelligence, Conversational Intelligence Enhanced Practitioner, Inspired Leadership, and Coaching for Managers. Stacey is a HeartMath® Certified Coach, Trainer, and Stress & Well-Being Assessment Provider. She is a Zen Leadership Practitioner and Flow Energy Balance Indicator (FEBI®) Assessment Certified Coach (Leadership Patterns), a Myers-Briggs MBTI® and a The Leadership Challenge LPI 360® Certified Practitioner. She is also a certified Harrison Assessment provider.

SC Biz News 2024 included Bevill as an honoree on their 2024 Manufacturing Power List. She has received “value-added” training for her manufacturing clients: Certified Agile Change Management and Local Change Agent (credentialed by APMG), Certified Master Project Manager® trained in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 16949: 2016 – Standards and Audits. She is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, Leadership Spartanburg, and Spartanburg County Foundation’s Grass Roots Leadership Development Institute (GLDI); is an active volunteer with One to One: Women Coaching Women; and serves as one of four volunteer coaches in South Carolina for Veterans through Stand Beside Them. She also volunteers for CoachAid, which offers complimentary coaching to Executive Directors of Nonprofit Organizations. Bevill is a contributing author for the South Carolina Manufacturing Association and was awarded the Rotary International District Service Above Self award.

About Golden Career Strategies (GCS) – GCS helps organizations maximize their employees’ effectiveness and potential by providing innovative organizational and leadership development, assessments, team and individual coaching, custom training and workshops, onboarding, and outplacement services. For individuals, GCS offers many tailored services, including The Golden Career Course™, Assessments, Coaching / Consulting, and more. GCS clients include executives in transition, recent college graduates, those seeking encore careers, entrepreneurs, and others. Complimentary consultations can be scheduled online at www.goldencareerstrategies.com. Everyone is welcome to attend the popular Golden Career Strategies Monthly Monday Morning Roundtable for professional career development via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Register online at https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/roundtables.  Learn more and register for our Monthly Upskilling and Networking event. https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/

[1]The Edge is a 1997 American survival thriller film written by David Mamet and directed by Lee Tamahori. It stars Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024

My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, like the ability to learn emotional intelligence, we can also learn to become more coherent and grow our capacity for resilience.

Defining Coherence

Coherence, a state where our hearts, minds, and emotions are aligned, is critical in relieving stress and improving overall well-being. Inflammation in the body caused by stress leads to diseases that account for as much as 90% of doctor visits. Achieving coherence leads to improved decision-making, as all decisions go through the emotional center of our brains, and emotional regulation, Multiple techniques, such as deep breathing, time in nature, and feeling gratitude, can help us achieve coherence. Many of these techniques can be done in the moment with just a few minutes of focus, making them easy to incorporate into our daily lives Being coherent leads to higher productivity, increased safety, fewer errors, and better decisions.

Defining Resiliency

Resiliency refers to our ability to bounce back from adversity and stress. It involves adapting to challenges and maintaining a sense of purpose. Studies show that resilient individuals are more likely to thrive in difficult situations, demonstrating the importance of cultivating this trait. Scientifically backed methods for developing resilience include mindfulness meditation, adopting a growth mindset, fostering strong social connections, regular physical exercise, and reframing negative experiences. These strategies are supported by extensive research in psychology and personal development.  The more resilient and coherent we become, the more we can help others also shift.

Supportive Research

A HeartMath study titled “Co-participant Pair Experiment” explored the dynamics of coherence between paired participants, focusing on how individual coherence practices could influence a partner’s physiological and emotional states. Key findings revealed that when one participant achieved a state of coherence using HeartMath techniques, their partner, even without prior training, often experienced improved heart rate variability and emotional stability. This phenomenon underscores the potential for emotional and physiological states to be shared and enhanced within interpersonal relationships.

Defining Energy Management System

HeartMath introduces the idea of viewing ourselves as energy management systems. This concept emphasizes the importance of managing our energy to maintain well-being. When we understand the significant role of energy, we can make conscious choices to sustain and renew ourselves and finish our days with enough energy to engage in activities we enjoy instead of being exhausted.

Emotions and Energy

Emotions play a significant role in our energy levels. Renewing emotions like joy and gratitude can increase our energy while depleting emotions such as anger, fear, and anxiety can deplete it. Practicing gratitude daily can boost energy levels, enhancing overall life satisfaction. Conversely, fear significantly impacts brain function, particularly the hippocampus, which is involved in memory and learning. Chronic fear can impair hippocampal function, leading to difficulty processing information and with emotional regulation.

Practical Applications

These findings are significant for individuals, leaders, and teams, suggesting that fostering personal coherence can positively impact group dynamics and performance. Leaders can leverage these insights to cultivate emotionally resilient teams, enhancing collaboration and reducing stress. For individuals, practicing coherence can improve personal well-being and interpersonal interactions. Athletes often use coherence techniques to enhance performance and focus under pressure. The study above aligns with existing research on emotional contagion and group coherence, highlighting the transformative potential of HeartMath practices in various settings. Resiliency and coherence are vital for emotional and mental health. They enable individuals to handle stress more effectively and maintain a positive outlook.

Conclusion

By exploring concepts such as HeartMath’s energy management system, resiliency and coherence, or Positive Intelligence’s mental fitness, we gain valuable insights into managing our mental and emotional well-being. Embracing these ideas can lead to a more balanced, fulfilling life.

Are you or your team ready to become more coherent and resilient? Let’s connect. Schedule your complimentary consultation today at https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/ or call Stacey at 864-527-0425. Visit us at booth 217 on November 7th and 8th at the 2024 South Carolina Manufacturing Conference and Expo in Greenville, SC.


Stacey BevillAbout Stacey Bevill – SC Biz News 2024 included Bevill as an honoree on their 2024 Manufacturing Power List. She serves on the board of the South Carolina Roundtable, part of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), and the Board of Trustees for the University Center of Greenville. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Board-Certified Coach (BCC). Additional credentials include Positive Intelligence,

Conversational Intelligence Enhanced Practitioner, Inspired Leadership, and Coaching for Managers. Stacey is a HeartMath® Certified Coach, Trainer, and Stress & Well-Being Assessment Provider. She is a Myers-Briggs MBTI®, a Leadership Challenge LPI 360® Certified Practitioner, a Zen Leadership Practitioner, and a Flow Energy Balance Indicator (FEBI®) Assessment Certified Coach (Leadership Patterns). She is also a certified Harrison Assessment provider for hiring and promotions, indicating performance and enjoyment based on 175 personality traits.

She is trained in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has received “value-added” training for her manufacturing clients: Certified Agile Change Management and Local Change Agent (credentialed by APMG), and is a Certified Master Project Manager.® She is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, Leadership Spartanburg, and Spartanburg County Foundation’s Grass Roots Leadership Development Institute (GLDI), and one of four volunteer coaches in South Carolina for Veterans through Stand Beside Them. Bevill was awarded the Rotary International District Service Above Self award.

About Golden Career Strategies (GCS) – GCS helps organizations maximize their employees’ effectiveness and potential by providing innovative organizational and leadership development, assessments, team and individual coaching, custom training and workshops, onboarding, and outplacement services. For individuals, GCS offers many tailored services, including The Golden Career Course™, Assessments, Coaching / Consulting, and more. GCS clients include executives in transition, recent college graduates, those seeking encore careers, entrepreneurs, and others. Complimentary consultations can be scheduled online at www.goldencareerstrategies.com. Everyone is welcome to attend the popular Golden Career Strategies Monthly Monday Morning Roundtable for professional career development via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Please register online at https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/roundtables to learn more and register for our monthly Upskilling and Networking event. https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/

 

 

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

    Read More
  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025

Four Birds

Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights.

The Evolution of DISC

The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How can team members easily remember the four letters and apply these insights in their daily interactions?

Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC”

“Taking Flight with DISC” addresses this challenge by introducing a novel approach to the traditional DISC model. Instead of abstract letters, this innovative version uses bird metaphors to represent different personality styles:

  • Eagle: Represents the Dominant (D) style
  • Parrot: Represents the Interactive (I) style
  • Dove: Represents the Supportive (S) style
  • Owl: Represents the Conscientious © style

This unique approach makes the concepts more memorable, engaging, and fun, leading to better retention and application of insights gained.

Benefits for Manufacturing Teams

Enhanced Communication

In manufacturing, where precision and clarity are paramount, effective communication can make or break a project. “Taking Flight with DISC” helps team members understand their own communication styles and those of their colleagues, leading to:

  • Clearer instructions and expectations
  • Reduced misunderstandings and errors
  • More efficient problem-solving discussions

Improved Conflict Resolution

High-pressure environments and misunderstandings can often lead to conflicts. By understanding each other’s styles, team members can:

  • Recognize root causes of conflict
  • Approach disagreements with empathy and understanding
  • Quickly find beneficial solutions
  • Avoid “amygdala hijacks” and maintain a state of coherence and resiliency

Increased Productivity

Leveraging the strengths of each style allows teams to:

  • Assign tasks more effectively based on natural inclinations
  • Improve job satisfaction and ownership of projects
  • Create a more efficient workflow

Enhanced Leadership Skills

For managers and supervisors in manufacturing, “Taking Flight with DISC” provides valuable insights for:

  • Adapt leadership styles to individual team members
  • Provide more effective feedback
  • Understand how different team members prefer to be recognized and appreciated

Supportive Work Environment

The visual and memorable nature of the bird metaphors helps team members:

  • Quickly identify and relate to each other’s styles
  • Appreciate the value of personality differences in team composition
  • Build stronger, more collaborative relationships

Implementing “Taking Flight with DISC” in Your Organization

  1. Assessment: Begin with the “Taking Flight” assessment for all team members.
  2. Debrief/Workshop: Review the styles and their applications in a group setting.
  3. Application: Encourage using the insights in daily interactions and decision-making processes.
  4. Reinforcement: Follow up periodically with team-building activities and discussions to reinforce the concepts learned.

Real-World Impact

Organizations implementing DISC-based assessments have seen significant improvements, including:

  • Reduction in project delays due to improved communication.
  • Increase in employee satisfaction scores after introducing the assessment

Conclusion

In the competitive world of manufacturing, having a high-performing, well-communicating team is not just an advantage – it’s a necessity. “Taking Flight with DISC” offers a fresh, engaging approach to achieving this goal. By understanding and appreciating the diverse styles within your team, you can create a more efficient, harmonious, and productive work environment.

Don’t let communication barriers and team conflicts ground your success. Let your team take flight with this innovative approach to the time-tested DISC assessment.

Take the Next Step: Connect with Stacey Bevill

Taking Flight with DISCAre you ready to revolutionize your team’s dynamics and soar to new heights of productivity? As a certified “Taking Flight with DISC” provider, it is a joy and an honor to guide you through the process. Reach out today to gain:

  • Personalized guidance tailored to your organization’s unique needs
  • Expert-led training sessions that bring the DISC concepts to life
  • Strategies for seamless integration of DISC principles into your daily operations
  • Ongoing support to ensure lasting positive change in your team’s communication and collaboration

Don’t wait to transform your workplace. Contact me (Stacey Bevill) today and take the first step towards a more cohesive, efficient, and successful team. Your journey to enhanced team dynamics and increased productivity starts with a simple conversation.
Email Stacey@GoldenCareerstrategies.com, schedule online at https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/ or call 864-527-0425.

Watch a short video: “Can Birds Make DISC More Engaging and Memorable?

About Stacey Bevill

Stacey Bevill

SC Biz News 2024 included Bevill as an honoree on their 2024 Manufacturing Power List. She serves on the board of the South Carolina Roundtable, part of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), and the Board of Trustees for the University Center of Greenville. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Board-Certified Coach (BCC). Additional credentials include Positive Intelligence, Conversational Intelligence Enhanced Practitioner, Inspired Leadership, Zen Leadership Practitioner, and Coaching for Managers. Stacey is a HeartMath® Certified Coach, Trainer, and Stress & Well-Being Assessment Provider. She is a Flow Energy Balance Indicator (FEBI®) Assessment Certified Coach (Leadership Patterns), a Myers-Briggs MBTI® and a The Leadership Challenge LPI 360® Certified Practitioner. She is also a certified Harrison Assessment provider for hiring and promotions and is Take Flight with DISC Certified which uses birds to represent D-I-S-C. Stacey recently earned the Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) credential from the National Career Development Association (NCDA).

Bevill is trained in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has received “value-added” training for her manufacturing clients: Certified Agile Change Management and Local Change Agent (credentialed by APMG), and is a Certified Master Project Manager.® She is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, Leadership Spartanburg, and Spartanburg County Foundation’s Grass Roots Leadership Development Institute (GLDI), and one of three volunteer coaches in South Carolina for Veterans through Stand Beside Them. Bevill was awarded the Rotary International District Service Above Self award.

About Golden Career Strategies (GCS)

GCS helps organizations maximize their employees’ effectiveness and potential by providing innovative organizational and leadership development, assessments, team and individual coaching, custom training and workshops, onboarding, and outplacement services. For individuals, GCS offers many tailored services, including The Golden Career Course™, Assessments, Coaching / Consulting, and more. GCS clients include executives in transition, recent college graduates, those seeking encore careers, entrepreneurs, and others. Complimentary consultations can be scheduled online at www.goldencareerstrategies.com. Everyone is welcome to attend the popular Golden Career Strategies Monthly Upskilling and Networking Event held on the third Thursday of each month from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. To learn more and register visit our website at. https://goldencare.nw-testsite.com/

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025

From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment.

Recognizing Stress

The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the first time, I understood why so many find working with plants relaxing. I completely lost track of time and fully enjoyed the task at hand. As I pruned the dead leaves, I was amazed to see all the tiny new growth hidden from sight. I realized I wouldn’t have seen this beautiful growth if I hadn’t pruned. I wondered, “What do I need to prune in my life so that it is easier to see the beauty in my life?” Then, “As a leader, what needs pruning to improve employee relationships for improved performance, productivity and enjoyment. Enjoyment is often overlooked, but according to the Harrison Assessment’s Enjoyment Performance methodology, “Measuring work satisfaction is essential to determine motivation and forecast whether an individual will prosper, succeed and stay with the organization.” If a team member enjoys at least 75% or more of their job, they are three times more likely to succeed.[i]

Effects of Stress

When we have too much stress in our lives, we show up with less energy, disengagement, irritability, and a lack of focus. Stress impacts all four domains: emotional, mental, physical and spiritual. For example, if you have a stressful encounter, when you go back to your desk, you are more likely to make an error. If you don’t reduce stress in the moment and become coherent, you may experience physical symptoms such as an upset stomach, headache, or muscle tension. Next, you may be less motivated to help when someone asks for support.

Similar to a plant’s dormancy, leaders may face quality issues, missed deadlines, increased accidents, and poor attendance. The Workplace Well-Being in 2025: Insights from the Workplace and Employee Survey, released by the WebMD Health Services Center for Research, found that employees with a strong perception of organizational care report 56% higher engagement, 37% lower burnout, and greater retention compared to those who feel less supported. Outside of work, they also experience higher overall well-being and life satisfaction.”[ii]

“Pruning” in the Workplace

Removing what’s not serving growth creates space for renewal. Identify what is destroying innovation, creativity, and excellence. Use assessments, like the Harrison Assessment, to learn more about your personnel to understand them better, build team cohesiveness, and improve employee engagement. Create a sustainable system for talent motivation and inspiration to align with the organization’s values and mission. Your workforce wants to know that you value and appreciate them. Provide resources such as custom training/workshops, external coaching, and assessments. Recognize improvements and achievements in a way that resonates with the individual, whether that be a public announcement or a private moment to express appreciation and gratitude.

Conclusion

Just as removing decaying leaves allows plants to flourish, when nurturing talent and removing obstacles, organizations witness increased engagement, heightened productivity, stronger retention, and enhanced quality standards. Effective leadership cultivates an environment where team members can reach their full potential, just as a sturdy trellis enables vines to climb higher than they could alone. Is your organization poised for its next growth phase? We’d love to help!

About Stacey W. Bevill

Stacey loves working with leaders, teams, entrepreneurs and individuals who are ready for transformation. SC Biz News included Bevill as an honoree on their 2024 Manufacturing Power List. She serves on the board of the South Carolina Roundtable, part of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), and the Board of Trustees for the University Center of Greenville. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC)and a Board-Certified Coach (BCC). She holds many credentials and is passionate about developing rising stars, communication, resiliency, well-being, employee retention and engagement. You can find her bio and CV here/. Call 864-527-0425 or email stacey@goldencare.nw-testsite.com for a complimentary consultation.

About Golden Career Strategies (GCS)

GCS helps organizations maximize their employees’ effectiveness and potential by providing innovative organizational and leadership development, assessments, team and individual coaching, custom training and workshops, onboarding, and outplacement services. For individuals, GCS offers a range of tailored services, including many assessments, coaching and consulting, and The Golden Career Course™ for outplacement or individuals. GCS individual clients include executives in transition, recent college graduates, those seeking encore careers, entrepreneurs, and others. Let’s talk! Complimentary consultations can be scheduled online at www.goldencareerstrategies.com

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

    Read More

January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective.

During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization.

There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding.

We can all think of a time when a conversation activated feelings of anger or frustration. Ineffective communication often drains our energy and can affect motivation, performance, quality of work, and relationships. By nature, we shift into a protective mode when we feel threatened, making us unable to hear the actual message.

The good news is that we can learn to recognize when this is happening and change the pattern by simply slowing down our breath. As we take a moment to breathe in and out at a slower pace, our brain moves from a fight, flight, or freeze response. We can then choose how we respond. We can share how we feel, ask questions for clarification, and embody calm. When we are genuine and come to conversations with curiosity and respect, we create a coherence that leads to clarity and effectiveness in our communication.

Prepare yourself to listen
Before you begin a conversation that may create depleting emotions, consider preparing yourself by making an intention to be respectful and to listen for the real message. Before ending the conversation, confirm mutual understanding between those speaking. You can state what you heard and ask for confirmation or clarification. This extra step often serves to build trust and a foundation for future discussions.

Words are weighty
As leaders, teachers, or parents, it is essential to be aware that our words hold greater weight. For some, those words are commands and not suggestions, so being careful with our word choices can be essential. Aim to be aware of and sensitive to the reality that our word choices can demoralize or motivate others. If you sense discord, it is an opportunity to create mutual understanding and get back into alignment with shared goals and missions.

It can be challenging to hear a message if we don’t feel listened to, valued, or appreciated. Effective communication requires a level of mutual respect and trust. Trust is critical to effective communication. If we don’t trust someone, we are often unable to hear their message.

Take a moment and recall a time when someone’s words allowed you to connect to a renewing emotion, such as confidence or appreciation. You may also remember a time when you aligned with someone and felt heard, valued, or respected.

The first memory that came to me was from a conversation many years ago with a former boss. I had implemented new systems and created new programs for the organization, but I was unsuccessful in my attempts to be promoted. One day I asked him for a moment of his time and shared with him a prototype flyer I had created with the idea to start a new marketing business.

I felt a bit threatened because I didn’t know how he would respond and if he would start looking for my replacement. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, smiled, and said, “I am very proud of you. You are finally starting to see your potential.”

I did start that marketing company and have been serving others for more than 20 years. During the lean early years, I held on to his words and determined that his belief in me was enough to keep me motivated. That conversation could not have taken place without the safe space that included trust and respect.

What can we do to find our calm so that we can listen deeply to others and not assume we know what another is thinking or feeling? so that we can share effective and powerful conversations? What can you say or ask today that will lead to better understanding, compassion, care, and improved connection?

Interested in learning more about creating sustainable change for powerful conversations for you or your organization? Schedule a complimentary conversation.

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

    Read More
  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

    Read More
  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

    Read More
  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

    Read More
  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

    Read More
  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

    Read More
  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

    Read More
  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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Coping with Coronavirus: the Impact and 20 Ways to Minimize Fear
Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience.

We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving.

Hard-wired to detect and respond to danger

Our brains are hard-wired to respond to danger. Our nervous system continually takes in sensory information from our environment and from physiological responses to access risk. Most of us are familiar with fight, flight, or freeze, but there is also a response named appease. Each of these is a physiological response expressed in behavior. The term neuroception, coined by Dr. Stephen Porges, describes how our neural circuitry consistently distinguishes whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life-threatening. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ938225

Our bodies respond to fear

Several physiological changes occur in response to fear. In a fight or flight response, our breath and heart rates increase. Our peripheral blood vessels constrict, and our central blood vessels dilate to flood vital organs with oxygen and nutrients. Blood rushes to our muscles, and blood sugar levels can spike to provide energy. Our bloodstream may also have an increase in white blood cells and calcium. Our stomach and pancreas inhibit digestion while the adrenal glands stimulate the secretion of epinephrine. Adrenalin and dopamine levels rise, and the production of tears, salivation, and hearing is reduced. Tunnel vision may occur as our pupils dilate to improve visual acuity.

A freeze response may occur when there is a perceived threat to safety, connection, or dignity. (Amanda Blake, Body=Brain www.embright.org) In a freeze response, we may dissociate, play dead, or engage in passive avoidance. Our pupils contract and heart and breathing rates slow down.

When we respond to a perceived threat to safety, connection, or dignity by appeasing, we are attempting to accommodate or submit to minimize further danger. All of these responses are normal.

How fear processed in the brain

The amygdala plays a vital role in processing emotions, including fear. Trauma responses and memories are stored in the amygdala. The amygdala is closely related to the hippocampus (memory recall) and the prefrontal cortex, which help the brain interpret the perceived threat.  (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-happens-brain-feel-fear-180966992/) When the amygdala is activated, it triggers the hypothalamus, which prompts the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland connects the nervous system to the endocrine (hormonal) system. Once the adrenal gland activates, epinephrine flows to the bloodstream. The body then releases cortisol and over 1,400 other chemicals that negatively affect the body. (HeartMath® Training)

Chronic fear impacts us

In my last article, I wrote that “if we continue to experience an emotion for hours or days, it will become a mood. Over time, if we stay in that mood, it will become a temperament and eventually a personality trait.” (https://livingupstatesc.com/being-compassionate-in-a-time-of-crisis/) Additionally, when we live in constant fear, our bodies, mental health, brain function, and memory can suffer.

  1. Physical Health
    Chronic fear weakens our immune system, which makes us more susceptible to viruses and bacterial infections. It can also affect our cardiovascular health and create gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and even irritable bowel syndrome. Living in fear for an extended time can lead to premature aging and early death.
  2. Mental Health
    Feeling constant perceived threat can lead to fatigue and serious diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  3. Brain Function
    The ability to regulate emotions, read non-verbal clues, reflect before responding, and act ethically are all processes in the brain that can be disrupted. Chronic fear leads to poor decision making, intense emotions, and inappropriate reactions.
  4. Memory
    The hippocampus (memory recall) can be damaged, which impairs the formation of long-term memories. Regulating fear becomes more difficult. (https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/impact-fear-and-anxiety)

Shifting from Chronic Fear

Thankfully, there are many easy actions we can take to minimize the effects of fear in our lives. It is impossible to live in fear and, at the same time, experience the good in the present moment. Below is a partial list of specific actions we can take to minimize the intensity. Trust your heart and pick a couple of practices that appeal to you.

  1. Be aware of your emotions for a few minutes. We can’t run from them, but when we face them, they lose their intensity.
  2. Address fear by talking about it, writing about it, or merely thinking about it with curiosity. When we pay attention, we can ask ourselves questions like, “How is this emotion serving me?” or “What action can I take to create good at this moment?” or “What can this teach me?”
  3. Move your body. Dance, Run, Walk, engage in a physical exertion that pushes you beyond your perceived limits.
  4. Turn off the news. Today’s news and is designed to keep you watching. Pay attention to how you feel when you are listening to the press. If it elicits fear, limit the amount of time you watch each day.
  5. Limit social media. Pay attention to sensations in your body as you scroll and read posts. Block or hide posts that cause you to feel fearful.
  6. Take slow, deep breaths. These breaths signal to the brain that we are safe, and the intensity of the emotion diminishes.
  7. Reach out to friends or loved ones.
  8. Write down what you are thankful for in your life. Keep the list out so that you can add to it when things come to mind. Review the list when you are in an uncomfortable place.
  9. Allow yourself to reflect on what you are thankful for and notice when the feeling of gratitude shifts you from fear.
  10. The brain does not know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. Watch a laughter yoga video on YouTube if you need help stimulating laughter. Watch a favorite comedy. Remember and share funny stories of things that happened in your past.
  11. Reflect on times when you have felt strong, secure, and courageous.
  12. Change your body posture. Stand up and assume a powerful pose and hold it for three minutes.
  13. Be kind to yourself. Engage in favorite activities that make you feel alive. What do you do that makes you completely lose track of time?
  14. Question your thoughts. Just because you think them, doesn’t mean they are true.
  15. Reread a favorite book.
  16. Eat a healthy diet. Avoid sugar.
  17. Help others – get creative in this time of isolation.
  18. Pray for guidance and peace.
  19. Seek out a mentor or a coach.
  20. Trust your inner wisdom.

By engaging in the activities listed above, we can regulate our emotions, manage our energy, and reduce stress. Fear is external but can become internal, which becomes anxiety.

Would you like to learn more? Schedule a complimentary conversation.

April 2026

  • Golden Career Strategies Announces Special Veterans Day Offer

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 9, 2022 In honor of Veterans Day, Golden Career Strategies (GCS) offers a complimentary Stress and Well-Being Assessment to veterans who call or register online. This special offer ($100 value) includes a 30-minute review and tips for reducing stress, becoming more resilient and building one’s capacity for resilience. “We truly value those who have served our country and want to serve them in return, even if in a small way,” said GCS CEO Stacey Bevill, who personally supports veterans as a volunteer coach for Stand Beside Them, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping veterans transition out of the […]

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  • Safe Harbor Provides HeartMath® Training for Staff to Build Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff November 1, 2022 South Carolina domestic violence ranking improves from #6 in the nation to #23   Since 1987, October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Over the past 30+ years progress has been made to support domestic violence victims and survivors, to hold abusers accountable, and to create and update legislation to further those goals. Safe Harbor, a private non-profit serving four counties in the Upstate, offers ongoing support and training to its staff in keeping with its mission to provide a continuum of services to victims of domestic violence and their children, and to eliminate […]

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  • Press Release: Golden Career Strategies Adds Change Management to Portfolio of Services

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 21, 2021 Greenville, SC, July 13, 2021 — Golden Career Strategies (GCS) is pleased to announce the company has added another valuable offering to its portfolio of services: Change Management, which focuses on helping organizations be successful in implementing special projects or major strategic initiatives. This comes on the heels of GCS President Stacey Bevill earning the prestigious designation of APMG International™ Certified Local Change Agent (CLCA). As a CLCA, Bevill can serve organizations as a Local Change Agent to execute change success for her clients and help train others to become APMG International™ Change Management professionals. “By engaging professional assistance to […]

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  • Onboarding for Mergers and Acquisitions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff July 19, 2021 We often think of onboarding for new hires, but effective onboarding is also imperative for successful transition during mergers and acquisitions. Even before the final contracts are signed, it is beneficial to have an onboarding plan. Sadly, more often than not, little preparation has been made for onboarding staff members who may feel uneasy even in the most exciting of times. To successfully onboard an acquired team, great care must be taken to move these team members into their new corporate “homes” quickly and carefully. This calls for a particular set of change management activities that […]

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  • Workforce Resilience

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 16, 2021 One of the common attributes’ employees list for an ideal job is a stress-free work environment. Even if there was such a thing as a stress-free job, the reality is we would still carry our stress from home and other sources. To make matters worse, a study from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig indicates that stress is contagious. “Observing another person in a stressful situation can be enough to make our own bodies release the stress hormone cortisol.” [1] Most of us are familiar with cortisol, but few know that over a thousand […]

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  • Talent Innovation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff September 29, 2021 Many years ago, an executive director I worked for told me, “I don’t pay you to think.” After a moment of shock, I replied, “I guess that explains why you pay me so little.” During my time with that organization, I spearheaded many projects, some of which are still in existence over 20 years later. Thankfully my willingness to create and improve systems to serve our clients better wasn’t squashed. It easily could have been, as this was my first “real” job after college and I was working with team members with higher education levels. This […]

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  • Energy in Leadership

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Energy Measurement We all feel each other’s energy, whether we’re aware of it or not. Each time our heart beats, a magnetic field travels out of our bodies and extends in all directions. This field can be measured with magnetometers. Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee first demonstrated the first biomagnetic signal in 1863 with a magnetocardiogram (MCG) that used magnetic induction coils to detect fields generated by the human heart. Research indicates that we feel each other’s energy as far as three feet away from the body.[1] Many scientists believe we can feel each other’s energy further, […]

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  • Improving Communication by Building Trust

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 13, 2022 Communication is part of everyday life, whether in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, or other avenues. The messages often include tone, body language, facial expressions, and perspective clues. Communication has the potential for understanding and productivity or misunderstanding and disengagement. Including care and compassion in our conversations during stressful times becomes even more critical. Those who have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization and others may experience anxiety, worry, fear, and other depleting emotions. Can you think of a time when communication activated feelings of inspiration and connection? What […]

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  • 20 Ways to Minimize Fear

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 30, 2023 Fear is an emotion everyone experiences in their lifetime. A perceived threat that activates fear can be physical, psychological, or emotional. It can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear activates our survival instincts. It can motivate us to take action that will prevent us from harm. Some of us even enjoy being afraid, and we purposely watch scary movies or engage in high-risk adventures such as skydiving for the natural high of an adrenaline rush. The impact of fear […]

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  • Identifying Concerns in the Workplace and Beyond

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff January 15, 2024 About five years ago, I was asked the following question: What issue for today’s working women is of most concern to you? When I started writing my response, I noticed that I had more concerns than I realized and that they were the concerns of many –not just women. Taking the time to identify these concerns motivates me to do what I can to lessen them. Acknowledge Concerns My concern is multifaceted. We live with the belief that self-sacrifice is more honorable than self-care. We have forgotten to say “No.” to yet another request. We forget to ask, […]

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  • Are You Ready for Better?

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 25, 2024 Ready for Better Do you want to become a better leader, embrace personal development, or improve your team’s engagement and innovation? Perhaps you have an idea for a book or a passion for learning a new subject or language. After founding and working in a marketing company for 17 years, I knew it was time for a change. This is my journey so far, followed by several tips to support your journey. I hope it inspires you. “What one man can do, another can do.” (The Edge)[1] Opportunities Abound For over a decade, I had the […]

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  • Sustainable Mental Well-being with Coherence and Resiliency

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 8, 2024 My sister used to tell me, “Use your powers for good.” Growing up with Wonder Woman as one of my heroes, this was easy to imagine. As I matured, it was harder at times to remember that we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made…” and capable of much more than we realize. Learning to manage emotional and mental well-being is crucial for success, enjoyment of life and physical health. In today’s fast-paced world, knowing how to obtain a state of coherence and resilience quickly helps us and impacts those with whom we interact. I love that, […]

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  • Taking Flight with DISC: Revolutionizing Team Dynamics in Manufacturing

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff March 4, 2025 Effective teamwork and communication are crucial in today’s fast-paced, high-stress work environments. As to-do lists grow and deadlines loom, organizations require innovative tools to enhance self-awareness, team performance, engagement and effective leadership. Introducing “Taking Flight with DISC” – an enhanced version of the classic DISC assessment that’s taking team building to new heights. The Evolution of DISC The traditional DISC assessment, a long-standing tool in organizational development, has been a go-to resource for understanding personality styles and improving teams. With over a million assessments sold annually, its effectiveness is well-established. However, a common challenge persists: How […]

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  • Taming Everyday Lions

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff April 6, 2025 Have you ever been to a circus and watched a lion tamer with a four-legged stool? While the effectiveness of using a stool against a lion is debatable and not scientifically proven, the idea that a four-legged stool can prevent a lion from attacking is an intriguing concept that combines elements of animal behavior, psychology, and human ingenuity. Let’s examine the reasoning behind this unconventional defense strategy and explore how to apply these concepts to tame the lions in your life. Visual Confusion The primary theory behind using a stool against a lion revolves around visual […]

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  • From Pruning to Growth: What Plant Care Can Teach Us About Employee Well-being

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 15, 2025 Recently, while pruning plants that had suffered from sun and water stress, I noticed that after pruning, beautiful new growth emerged rapidly. This experience inspired me to express the importance of leaders in fostering similar rejuvenation in their teams by addressing stress and promoting a supportive and collaborative work environment. Recognizing Stress The leaves of my Hosta plants were not just yellowed; they were browning and droopy. Before this recent experience, I did not enjoy working with plants. But on this day, I spent over three hours tending to our plants and garden, and for the […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies President Stacey Bevill Earns Harrison Assessments Debriefing and Coaching Accreditation

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff August 2, 2022 Stacey Bevill, Owner and President of Golden Career Strategies, recently became a certified Harrison Assessment provider. Harrison Assessments’ Talent Solutions Platform empowers businesses and leaders across the globe to create engaged, fulfilled and high-performing teams by providing insights for talent acquisition, employee development, team development, leadership and succession planning, employee engagement and organizational analytics. Harrison’s award-winning, cloud-based technology provides secure, job-specific predictive analytics designed to enhance the candidate and employee experiences. Organizations save time and money by utilizing Harrison’s assessment science and technology to hire the best candidates, validate high potentials, and accelerate individual and team […]

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  • Golden Career Strategies CEO Stacey Bevill Earns Specialty Designations for Board Certified Coach (BCC) Credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff October 6, 2022 Stacey Bevill, BCC, PCC, MPM®, is one of fewer than 12 Board Certified Coaches in the Greenville-Spartanburg area and part of an elite group of only 66 in the entire state of South Carolina.  Stacey Bevill, Owner and CEO of Golden Career Strategies, recently earned two prestigious specialty designations for her Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential from the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). These specialty designations are voluntary accompaniments to the BCC credential emphasizing areas of expertise. Bevill’s specialty designations include Executive/Corporate/Business/Leadership Coach and Career Coach. The BCC credential is a mark of distinction for credential holders and a source […]

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  • Team Engagement and Collaboration in a Hybrid World

    Posted By: SCMFG/Staff June 1, 2022 Unprecedented Stress Over the last couple of years, employees have experienced unprecedented stress from external sources including significant losses or changes, health issues, social division and more, all while managing their personal and professional obligations. As a result, employment expectations for both employers and their employees have shifted and will continue to change. Work View Shifts One primary shift is how employees view work. They want a position that is more closely aligned with personal values. Many want their job to have a purpose in their life and not just a way to make a living. […]

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March 2024

  • Identifying and Removing Stressors

    This summer I addressed little things in my life that either annoyed me or added stress. Once identified, it was easy to take action. Below are a few examples. I hope you will be inspired to identify and remove some of your own stressors. 1. Every morning I felt frustrated with having dirt and dog hair on the kitchen floor. Action: Bought a robot vacuum. Result: A smile each morning as I see the floors and empty the vacuum. Love it so much we now have one for the carpeted rooms and will be getting one for the upstairs. 2. […]

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  • Peace Begins with Me

    Recently I attended a Peace Conference. Early in the day we were told that “peace begins with us.” Peace begins with us. I have been contemplating those four simple words since the conference. Peace is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind.” If peace begins with our own ability to enjoy peace, what are our chances for peace beyond us? How many of us have peace in our daily lives? Today during my morning walk […]

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  • Resolve to be a Better Communicator

    A study by the Joint Commission for Transforming Healthcare revealed that up to 80 percent of serious medical errors can be attributed to miscommunication among medical staff. The good news is that we can easily learn skills to help us communicate more effectively and improve our business and personal relationships. Making effective requests of others is an integral part of good communication in the workplace and at home. But many of us haven’t learned how to deliver a concise request with clear expectations. Oftentimes, we expect others to read our minds or intuitively know how to respond to our requests. […]

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  • Being Compassionate in a Time of Crisis

      If I had to pick one word to describe what we need during this time, that word would be compassion. Compassion for self and compassion for others. Why compassion? When we are under duress or experiencing stress we are more likely to make mistakes, communicate less effectively and present with emotions and behaviors that vary from our norm. For many, the changes and the challenges that we are currently facing trigger unresolved grief or trauma. We feel rocked to our core. Trauma lives in cellular memory, not just the brain. When we experience a traumatic event such as what […]

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  • Communication and Trust During Times of Chaos

    It is virtually impossible to go through a day without communication. We communicate in person, via phone, texts, email, online meetings, social media, and more. The messages can include clues such as tone, body language, facial expressions, and our perspective. During times of chaos and uncertainty, it is even more essential that we begin our conversations with care and compassion. In stressful periods, many experience fear, worry, and anxiety. And those that have experienced trauma in their lives may be experiencing re-traumatization. There is much potential in communication – the potential for productivity or for misunderstanding. We can all think […]

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January 2022

  • The Impact of Fear and 20 Ways to Minimize It

    Chronic fear impacts our physical health, memory, brain processing, and our mental health. This article will explain what happens in our brains and bodies when we experience fear and ways that we can move from fear to resilience. We feel the emotion fear when we are threatened. The perceived threat can be either physical, psychological, or emotional and can also be real or imagined. We often think of emotions like fear or anger as bad, but every emotion serves a purpose. Fear can help to keep us safe by motivating us to take action that will prevent us from harm. […]

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September 2019

  • Does Cultural Fit make for Group Think?

    In advising clients we often mention the cultural fit of an organization.  Do you like ping pong tables next to your desk?  Is the organization one where all-nighters are part of how the work gets done?  In looking at culture on your way in you certainly want one where your core values are in alignment.  Violating this maxim creates a stressful work environment.  I would suggest that if you do take a position violating the rule of alignment of your basic core values (the gap between your values and the values of the organization) you create a space for stress […]

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August 2019

  • Are You Agile Enough?

    What does it mean to be agile?  How many businesses do you know that espouse agility but couldn’t find it in the dictionary?  There are a lot of demands in the commercial world-Faster-Better-Cheaper.  And on top of that the other guys—whoever they may be—are already doing it, so now you’re in catch up mode.  In this WSJ article by Sue Shellenbarger she discusses the pros, cons and potential harm of corporate agility.  Enjoy!!!

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  • Overqualified or Unemployed, What Kind of Choice is That?

    Ok, you’ve got great experience, killer credentials, you score the first interview, then the second.  And then you get the call, “we appreciate your submittal and participation in this process, however we going with a candidate who is a closer match to our needs.”  “Wait” you say, “my resume looks almost exactly like your requirements, in fact a little better.” “Too much,” they say, “you’re OVERQUALIFIED.”  The kiss of death, or is it?  Organizations want hungry applicants who meet their needs but not too much experience.  Sometimes the overqualified rejection seems like a veiled age discrimination, but it can happen […]

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July 2019

  • Boss Management 201

    So ….. have a new boss?  And perhaps you’ve heard off bosses like this — demanding, unrealistically demanding, not supportive, perhaps you’ve even questioned they’re emotional stability with other members of the management team.  A little while back we had a GCS Roundtable discussion on boss management, we touched briefly on how to engage and manage bosses like this.  Bosses who aren’t team players who impressed the hiring committee with their take charge, self-confidence, change agent presentation. You can’t hide from such a leader.  In fact, you mustn’t take these tirades, or put downs personally. This is your opportunity to […]

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May 2019

  • The Challenges of Finding that First Job

    The ever changing career market throws challenges at seekers as they try to out think employers desires.  I have seen a number of graduates working hard to give employers what they want.  First a graduate degree, then intern experience and now it would seem that job experience helps to set one apart from the crowd.  How does a student and ultimately a graduate find and secure the position they desire? First, have a target.  Internships, graduate degrees and work experience will not add much to your resume if there isn’t a target in mind.  As you gather your education create […]

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March 2019

  • Making your next interview work for you

    Perhaps you’ve had this experience, you interview with a potential new employer, or for a promotion/job change within your existing employer, its a great interview from your standpoint but you don’t get the nod. It isn’t always easy to find that right combination to get to that next step and I don’t have a silver bullet to offer you to overcome resistance. But, you can make some extra preparations for that interview. Be prepared to tell a story about how you overcame adversity to meet a goal. Include as many details as appropriate, you see we remember stories, particularly real […]

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February 2019

  • Promotions can Change more than just your office.

    So you’ve been at your current position for sometime, you’ve achieved some success and you’ve established a number of relationships. The boss, noticing your effort and your success, extends a promotion. Its just what you were hoping for, more salary and the chance to impact the direction of your organization. You turn around to celebrate with your friends and … where did they go? You’d like to think that a title change would not affect your relationships, but it does. How you manage that effectively is key to avoid misunderstanding and confusion, In this article from the Wall Street Journal, […]

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January 2019

  • Another reorganization, is it time to head for the exit?

    We’ve all experienced a company reorganization. Sometimes its economically driven, sometimes it is new ownership, it always causes anxiety. It often surprised me how quickly my co-workers would want to head for the exits before the reorganization was fully rolled out, before they knew how it might affect them. There’s a great deal of emotion expended in a reorganization many times leading to irrational choices. My question often was how can moving to a new company you don’t really know be better than staying where you are and finding out your new role? But, sometimes its just reorg fatigue, too […]

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  • Is it time in your career to yield, make a u-turn, or exit?

    We all work hard to make our careers a success. This can be a detailed plan, it might be an opportunistic path as others pursue you, or it could be that as you reach each point you merely look for the next step. In many situations there comes a time of re-evaluation. Is this leading to where I thought I was headed? Can I afford to stay in this job? Do I have to check my personal values at the door each day to follow through on my assignments. Under conditions where you are challenged each day, where the space […]

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December 2018

  • The Impromptu Speech, rational or rambling?

    Some years ago the manufacturing company where I was VP was about to embark on a major change.  It was important enough that the president wanted to hold a company wide meeting first thing on Monday morning.  Over the weekend I considered how I would approach this topic and the major points.  Monday morning we settled into our cafeteria, the only room big enough, the president came in and started.  “I suppose you’re all wondering why we’re meeting this morning” … “Steve’s got something to tell you,” he said pointing at me.  Wow, talk about impromptu.  I was blessed.  I […]

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  • Career Advice in 3 Words

    Everyday we get advice from all around us.  What to do, what not to do, the best phone, car, etc.  Here is some great investment advice:  Invest in Yourself!  As The Golden Course strives to impress upon clients — reflection upon and improvement of your skills is always valuable.  The skills we focus on and hone during our coaching serve clients not only in their career search, but in community, family and in their new career.  In this Inc. article Warren Buffet speaks to the value of Investing in Yourself.  Advice can be basic, but even basic advice is important.  Cement […]

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November 2018

  • Gratitude makes for happier people, and a more successful business

    Ah, the simple things.  Gratitude.  Grateful people are happy people.  “What have I got to be grateful for?” you might ask.  Indeed, there are those days, those seasons in our life when we might start to believe that we don’t have much to be thankful for.  Perhaps our boss steals our ideas, haven’t had a review or raise in 3 years, the company let me go with no warning or negative feedback ever, my co-workers are cliquish,  and my secretary talks behind my back.   It certainly sound like we’re asking you to drink the Kool-Aid to say there is a […]

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  • Does it pay to be nice?

    So, is civility just a garnish on the plate of business?  We grew up learning how to be nice to those around us, sometimes that gets lost in the busyness of business.  I recall an incident years ago, the factory had a high pressure line break and I shouted to the supervisor to, “Go, shut it off right now!”   He stopped came back and asked if it was too much trouble for me to say, “Please.”  I was completely taken aback.  That said, I have been guilty in the past of sacrificing relationship on the altar of expediency.  I did […]

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October 2018

  • What is Leadership and Who make the best Leaders?

    For a long time businesses have looked for that over the top, larger than life personality to lead.  But is that really what benefits the organization.  Think about the leaders you’ve known in your work life, think about historical leaders and consider what traits serve best.  Oh, sure there is the strong leader who is able to push, pull, or throw the organization against a goal, but what is the steady form of leadership that draws the best out of the team.  A super star doesn’t get the job done, unless the rest of the team is engaged and plays […]

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July 2018

  • Less is more … Happiness comes in small packages

    So what is the basis of happiness?  We often hear money can’t buy happiness, but then most of our time, attention, and effort goes into making more money.  Happiness just may be aligning our efforts with our core values, the more divergent our work is from our core values the more stress and anxiety we experience.  But there is more, sometimes we need to get the stuff out of the way.  Check out this TED talk called, “Less stuff, More Happiness.”

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  • Change takes time…

    We can be in a big hurry to move through change, to gain closure, to put it all behind us.  But is this really the case?  Change, whether it is perceived as good or bad requires us to leave something behind.  When we graduate we leave behind some rather happy times as a student.  When we marry we leave the single life, and even though we prefer to be married (most days), we have to recognize that we have chosen a new life over the old. The old life is not forgotten, nor do we want to put it behind […]

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