Have you ever known a leader who, with “vulnerable” self-awareness, acknowledges things about themselves that are not ideal, but never tries to improve them? I have. Working for that leader was frustrating, to say the least. It also made me wonder what was wrong with his superiors. Why was everyone OK with these behaviors? As…
Does being an empowering leader actually make a difference in your team? Let’s find out. Have you ever wondered how some leaders seem to effortlessly bring out the best in their teams, while others struggle to keep their teams intact? According to Gallup, “Employees who are fully confident in reaching their goals are twice as…
I might have a smart-phone addiction, Do you? I’ve been reading up on the brain-smart-phone addiction and I’m alarmed. Did you know having our smart phone near us at work reduces our accuracy and productivity? Yikes! 😱 We all know our phones can be distractions sometimes. Unfortunately, we may not be giving enough credence to…
Humble or arrogant? Picture this: A buzzing boardroom where ideas clash like thunderstorms, egos battle for supremacy, and voices vie for attention. In this chaos stands one leader, not with a booming voice or commanding presence, but with a quiet strength and unwavering humility. This leader listens more than they speak, values feedback over praise,…
As an executive coach, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of effective listening in leadership. I’m talking about more than just hearing; I mean understanding, empathy, and connection. This (often overlooked) skill drives collaboration, trust, and innovation within organizations, and is a key pillar for successful leadership. Did you know? Employees who feel heard are…
One executing coaching tip to deepen your leadership skills As an executive coach, having clients with great leadership skills is a common occurrence. The specifics of why they work with me varies, but each seeks to solve an issue or improve in some regard. You may find it interesting, the resolution or improvement they seek always…
Nine months after joining the company, this young woman was promoted. (Yay!) She was also exhausted, frustrated, and disillusioned. Sadly, in less than a year, she lost confidence and trust in the management she once admired. Despite the promotion, she was looking for another job.
Applications of empathy has been on my mind this week…Have you ever argued about the details of a project or situation, only to eventually realize you were missing the big picture? It’s easy to do. In fact, just last week I watched a distinguished group of leaders go through cycles of “not seeing the forest…
Ever been on a call with someone and realize they were only halfway listening? It happened to me this week in a virtual coaching session. I could hear my client typing away. His responses were delayed and hedgy, and his tone told me his attention was elsewhere. Candidly, I felt irritated, disrespected, and like I…
There is no doubt about it – in the absence of facts, humans make assumptions. What’s more, we assume the negative more often than not. Have you ever convinced yourself someone did something for a particular reason, only to find out you were completely wrong? I know I have. I remember the time I assumed a…
How often do you ask yourself “what’s within my control?” If you find yourself frustrated and stressed-out often, you might want to start asking yourself that question more routinely. As humans (and you can multiply this for leader-humans), we tend to spend a whole lot of time and energy focused on things beyond our control….
Authentic leadership. What does it really mean and why should you, as a business leader, care? Let’s start literally: According to my Webster’s dictionary, ‘authentic’ means genuine, credible, real. My favorite applicable definition of ‘leadership’ is guiding by influence. Put them together and we get guiding with genuine, credible, real, influence. These days we are bombarded by falsehoods, half-truths,…