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Kimberly's Writing Portfolio

About Me

Where You Can See My Writing:

My creative career spans three decades, including leading a magazine as a contributing editor, writing articles for national magazines, creating marketing materials, blogs, and content for corporations, small businesses, non-profits, agencies, and professional consultants, and ghostwriting books. As an author, I write non-fiction, children's books, and adult fiction under a pseudonym. I also help fellow authors compose and launch their next bestsellers while keeping their blogs and newsletters flowing. I'm honored to announce my literary citizenship project and blog, Books Uplift, has become a "bestseller" in its own right (so to speak;).

My professional experience includes human resources, executive coaching (PCC), counseling, publishing, learning and development. For 20 years, I’ve had the good fortune to help career professionals realize their true potential and organization leaders drive engagement. I’ve been lucky enough to be interviewed by CNN Business, Moving Forward Podcast, and CDS Podcast, quoted in Entrepreneur Magazine.

I have a Master’s degree (MA) in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, a Bachelor’s (BS) in Business Administration, and "once" a Texas State License for Counseling Psychology. My craft training includes courses and certifications in change management, technical writing, proposal writing, book development, and line editing.

Creative Highlight? Picture in US Weekly, 2007 of Julia Roberts receiving my children’s book as a baby shower gift.

As the Senior Vice President of People Services at “Herman Miller” and then as a founder and principal of both “ARIA Leadership Coaching & Consulting” & “INSIGHT Action Learning Group”, I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with Kim Monaghan in various capacities… most recently as a freelance content creator, writer, and advisor.

Kim’s work is creative, substantive, engaging, and infinitely readable. She is keenly aware of trending topics and provided sage counsel on what would (and would not) resonate with our market/client base.

Tony Cortese ~ ARIA Leadership Coaching & Consulting

Kim’s insight and expertise is always timely, relevant and practical. As a writer, she communicates her ideas clearly and compels the reader to action. 

Angela Klinske ~ Lambert Publicity

 I would absolutely recommend Kim as a writer and editor, and I look forward to reading her freelance work.

Anna Champion ~ Women’s Day Magazine

Kim is adept at taking an expert's deep insights and presenting them in a way that is accessible to the general public. She also goes above and beyond to learn about a subject before creating a piece of content. Those two skills result in pieces that advance a reader's knowledge of a topic, no matter how new they are to it. If you want to share your expertise with a wider audience, I highly recommend working with Kim!

Greg Collette ~ HR Collaborative

AchievementResources •

What Leaders Need to Do To Get Team Members to Contribute at High Levels

It's well known that much of what is required for individuals to contribute at high levels and increase their impact in an organization is learned on the job, in the context of their employment. Indeed, there are some fundamental skills and aptitudes that need to have been developed as critical minimums for them to be eligible to be onboarded. And with those competencies, there must also be the right expectations regarding their anticipated contributions, the right sense of what will be required
Books Uplift •

Five “Killer” Genres Unpacked: The Difference Between a Mystery, Detective, Crime, Thriller, and Suspense Novel

Someone is killed in the book, therefore it’s a thriller. Or is it a mystery? A killer left a string of clues, so it’s a suspense. No, it must be a mystery. Right and wrong. Now you get why this can be so darn confusing!

The “Killer Genres” are one of those tricky, sticky, picky subjects that plagues the writer, industry professional, and reader, often because there is some serious crossover in today’s publishing market. For example:
• I’ve seen the same book shelved in two different genres in

Monaghan, Kimberly | Chicago Review Press

Parents, teachers, and caregivers looking for ideas on how to get children outdoors and instill in them a love of nature can find more than 75 creative crafts, games, and activities using objects that kids can collect from nature in this idea book. As children make race cars out of rocks, create paint from plants, and assemble funny grass masks, they learn to be environmentally friendly—absorbing information on recycling, reducing waste, and inspiring others to protect nature. Organized by the v
Lifehack •

15 Career Milestones To Celebrate (And How To Set New Ones) - LifeHack

When you look at your professional life in terms of career milestones, it can be very exciting and rewarding. By honoring your successes along your professional journey, you build your confidence, pride, and courage and open your eyes to new opportunities.

Career milestones happen every day. They may include completing a project, landing an interview, or getting kudos from the boss. Unfortunately, too often, smaller career milestones are discounted, with professionals focusing only on the big o

Monthly Company Articles, Newsletters, and Social Media – INSIGHT | Action Learning Group

“Do your conversations often turn in to arguments?” In these increasingly polarized times, I sometimes find myself engaging in conversations that quickly turn to unproductive verbal sparring matches. Inevitably, I regret my contribution to the scenario’s incivility, the lack of resulting insight, and the potential damage to the relationship. I often spend a fair amount of time reflecting... Read more

Why Leaders Should Be Storytellers: And How to Become One The art of storytelling can be traced
AchievementResources •

How Elite Leaders Find (and Keep) Good Talent

When elite leaders find productive help, they focus on recruiting the people who fit the culture of their organization and are prepared to contribute at high levels quickly, and sustain their addition of value. Take take the time and invest resources to identify people who are motivated, experienced, credentialed and possess unique transformational insights by virtue of having been in the business, field or profession for years or sometimes, decades.

Landing these gems requires onboarding with
Lifehack •

How to Find a Job that Aligns with Your Core Values - LifeHack

There are two integral items here in play—finding a job and finding one that fits what you value. What initially doesn’t seem to be covered in this article is how to find your dream career.

But here’s the thing: If you find a job that aligns with your core values, you are well on your way to developing your dream career.

Sure, there are plenty of factors that make up the perfect career, but jobs based on values are the only ones that evolve into an engaging and sustainable career. Why is that?
Lifehack •

How to Inspire Your Team to Achieve Better Results - LifeHack

Everyone’s needs are highly subjective. That fact does little to help you devise a one-and-done strategy for inspiring your team to achieve better results, but that’s okay.

If you’re a leader who prioritizes success and wants to achieve the best results for you, your team, and your organization, then you’re willing to employ several strategies to drive inspiration. As you experiment with them, you’ll need to test and measure the outcomes of each mechanism.

The results will help you unearth wha
THE PURCELL AGENCY •

How to Pick The Best Title for Your Book

Just like an intriguing book jacket, your book title should attract interest. And a good one is worth a thousand words, or dollars, or however you’d like to quantify it. Simply put, titles attract readers. And there are lots of opinions to what makes a good book title and why it will help you sell you book to a wider audience.

There are strong arguments that the shorter the title the better. That isn’t necessarily so. You certainly don’t want your title to be so long that it’s hard to share w
Lifehack •

How To Go Above And Beyond At Work For Career Success - LifeHack

Long days, short deadlines, and never-ending workplace demands will take their toll. And with the transition to remote work this past year, no doubt you’re feeling the impact. Still, with all that’s changing in the world of work, your career success depends on whether you go above and beyond or settle with mediocrity.

Let’s start with your “Why?” If you prioritize career success, you need to build career capital. This is what you exchange for the career of your dreams.

For example, if you want

Weaving a Psychological Safety Net – INSIGHT | Action Learning Group

A key element of emotional intelligence in Leadership is the ability to create a work environment that allows people to focus on their work… as opposed to protecting themselves. This means building a culture that fosters engagement and commitment as opposed to resentment and mere compliance.

Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson would call this a “Culture of Psychological Safety – An inclusive climate in which people are comfortable being themselves… where the work environment is safe

Five Ways to Become an Agile Learner – INSIGHT | Action Learning Group

Five Ways to Become an Agile Learner

“Learning Agility is about knowing how to learn — knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do. It’s about learning from experience and applying it in new ways, adapting to new circumstances and opportunities.” – Center for Creative

Today, learning happens at a lightning pace. Thanks to technology, scientific advancement, and evolution, humans are able to absorb, process, and apply information at an outstanding rate. While this transformation can posit
AchievementResources •

Own The Boardroom - Achievement Resources

At first glance, this might sound like I’m suggesting you dominate the space when meeting with peers, colleagues, teams, and board members. Not so. Rather, I’m suggesting owning your space. When it comes to your meeting presence, you need to own your confidence, clarity, and communication.

Confidence isn’t arrogance. It’s bearing. It’s certainty of your abilities and sharing how these gifts will benefit others. When you walk into the boardroom, or any meeting as a leader, you should have one go
Lifehack •

7 Tips on How to Plan Your Career Growth and Development

Welcome to one of the biggest career-changing climates in the history of employment. With the “Great Resignation” and the intensive search for the elusive qualified candidate, change is everywhere.

But knowing opportunities abound doesn’t mean you’ve got your next career change in the bag. Employers are hungry, not desperate. That’s why career growth and development are fundamental to your success.

You need to prove that whether your career change comes from an employment gap (your choice or o
Medium •

6 Questions to Consider Before Hiring an Executive Coach

Coaching is defined as a supportive and productive process that helps you achieve your most important career goals. Imagine having someone to partner with who is equally vested in helping you succeed in all that you do. But before you go out and hire the next coach that sends their “promises” to your inbox, consider the following six questions:
• Why Should I Hire a Coach? Change is never easy. Clarity, motivation, and accountability are
Training Industry •

Are You Buying Into These 4 Employee Engagement Myths?

“Employee engagement is overrated.”

This is one of the myths tied to the seemingly elusive connection between a happy workforce and a profitable organization. Many leaders don’t see engagement as a business priority, while others simply take it for granted. While the topic may occasionally surface during learning and development (L&D) and C-level meetings, typically little is done to measure and build employee engagement.

In fact, with the challenges employers are facing today, it might even be the last thing on leaders’ minds. W
Medium •

Offer-Generating Questions to Ask During the Interview

Offer-Generating Questions to Ask During the Interview

Even the most seasoned professionals struggle when asked, “What questions do you have for us?” in an interview.

Asking the interview panel questions that sounds intelligent, but not too self-serving, but still make a good impression are key. Even though it’s your job to “wow” them from the moment you pull in the parking lot until that final thank you note is received, you need to be “wowed” too.

That’s way it’s important to plan in your q
Lifehack •

How to Manage a Team Effectively as a New Manager

Whether you are new as a manager or entering a new role and inheriting a team, you want to strategize your plan for success. Learning how to manage a team effectively as a new manager isn’t about jumping in and hoping you get the same luck as before. This is a new group of people with new expectations and work styles. Therefore, you’ll need to adapt to flourish as a new manager. This isn’t difficult if you’re willing to do a little pre-planning before your first day.

Turning Your Inner Critic into Your Career Champion:Your Guide to Thoughtfully Managing Your Inner Voice and Releasing the Champion Within

If you're letting your inner critic dominate your thoughts, it will wreak havoc on your personal and professional life. But if managed correctly, this inner “voice” can ultimately drive positive change. Acknowledging why and where you get stuck and developing ways to initiate positive change will elevate your career confidence. In this book, you'll learn how to expose the inner critic’s fraudulent behavior and reframe this voice to boost confidence, motivation, and professional success.
AchievementResources •

Three Ways To Lead Your Team To Success

Sure, leaders find people who are credentialed, who have been in the business or industry for years, and in some instances, decades. They bring them onboard after a very rigorous, and expensive hiring processes. Then invariably they find that they are not performing to their expectations and to the levels the new hires had represented themselves as capable of delivering. It's a problem that wastes exorbitant amounts of time, money and resources. And it drains the emotional energy and focus of me
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