Michelle Florendo
I teach professionals how to make decisions with less stress and more clarity.
The hidden power of not having the final say 💬
Reader What do you do when you're not the decision maker? This question came up during my recent presentation at Lawrence Berkeley Labs, and I've been thinking about it ever since. It's easily one of the most common challenges I hear from clients - that feeling of being affected by decisions but not having the authority to make them. Here's the reality: In most professional settings, you'll rarely be the sole decision-maker. More often, you're either: Part of a group making decisions...
This is what 15+ years of partnership has taught me about decision making... 💍
Reader, With Valentine's Day approaching, I've been reflecting on something… I’m surprised I get asked about this in my work as a decision engineer: relationship decisions. "Should I stay or leave?" "Should I move across the country for them?" "How do I know if they're the right one?" These questions always remind me of an important truth: The big decision to commit is just the beginning. What makes a relationship work isn't just about "making the right decision" - it's about "making that...
When my 5-year-old questioned my priorities... 😦
Reader Last Wednesday, as I was preparing for a work trip to Arizona, my five-year-old daughter gave me an unexpected lesson in decision-making. "Why do you need to go to Arizona?" she asked when I told her I'd be gone for a few days. I gave her my usual response about work and money – the one many working parents default to: "So we can have money to pay for the things we need." Her reply stopped me in my tracks: "I don't really care about money that much." When I asked her to tell me more,...
Starting 2025 With Clarity
Starting 2025 With Clarity A note from your Decision Engineer Reader What a start to 2025! While everyone was celebrating the holidays, our household was battling the most persistent flu - definitely not how I imagined spending the festive season. My kids didn’t feel well enough to open Christmas presents until January! Look at these kids, more engrossed by the wrapping than the present. I guess that's what happens when you've never seen a newspaper, much less Sunday comics spreads. 😅 Silver...
How I Facilitated an End-of-Life Retreat
Reader Exactly two years ago, I never imagined I’d be facilitating an “End-of-Life Retreat.” But that’s exactly what happened in November 2022 when my mother-in-law, Joyce—a vibrant fourth-degree black belt at 78—was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. It was devastating, and for my husband and me, it was the first time we had to face the mortality of a parent. Joyce wasn’t just my mother-in-law. She was a source of strength, a loving grandmother to my kids, and a cheerleader for...
big news! my podcast returns 🎙️ (+ why I almost didn't)
Reader, Have you every stayed up late sewing a Halloween costume, wondering if you're making the right choice with every stitch? (Ok, maybe that's just me...) That's exactly where I found myself last month, crafting costumes for my kids. And you know what? It reminded me of something crucial about decision-making: sometimes we overcomplicate the simplest choices, while rushing through the ones that deserve more thought. Fall has been a whirlwind, and I'm excited to share what's been...
What to do when it's hard to say "no"
Reader, Last week, in a session with one of my executive coaching clients, I asked what he thought would be his biggest challenge going forward. "Saying no," he said. "I get so many requests to help or get involved with so many different things, things that I'm absolutely interested in doing, but I can't say yes to all of them." That hit me right in my gut, because I feel that way all the time. It's the curse of being a very capable achiever. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should....
Water heater saga Part 2
Reader, If you read my last newsletter, you know that my water heater broke. So we got it replaced, and now everything should be fine, right? Not quite. My wonderful husband ran point on coordinating with the plumber to get the new water heater installed and have the old one taken away. Then I got this text. It's true. Every single time the plumber has come, he's commented on how old the pipes are in this house. (Our house was built over 100 years ago.) But how much money are we talking about...
Relief-Regret Analysis FTW
Reader "Do you really want to do that? Now?" I groaned. No. No I didn't. It was cold and dark outside. I was tired. The kids were asking to be cuddled to sleep. No, I didn't want to. But what if... I groaned again. "Let me do a quick relief-regret analysis," I replied. This was last Thursday night. It was after dinner, and we were shepherding kids through bedtime routines. My husband mentioned that the hot water pressure seemed low in the kitchen. Probably sediment buildup again in our 100+...
I teach professionals how to make decisions with less stress and more clarity.