An assistant quietly walks over to his boss whispering a message in her ear. The leader abruptly gets up and leaves the room in the middle of a crucial discussion. A cell phone rings. For whatever reason, it needs to be answered while an employee is courageously bringing up issues vital to the team’s success. …
Q & A: How Willing Are You To Close The Door To Outside Distractions? Read More »
With disbelief, I read and re-read something I wrote way too fast, frustration peppering my words, the ‘send’ key pressed too soon. I wasn’t proud of that e-mail, knowing I could have used a different turn of phrase, given the benefit of the doubt, rather than having jumped to conclusions. Not good. What made it worse …
Determined to compete for a position that no one thought she should even consider, she was going for it anyway. Before making that jump though, a little soul searching was in order. Admittedly, her opinion of her current boss and their work relationship was less than flattering. She wore her anger on her sleeve and …
I hear it often from clients: “Is there anything you can do to stop the complaining and venting that consumes so much energy at the team meetings?” “Can’t people just move on?” I totally understand the frustration leaders have with their team in times of change. As a coach, I also know that folks have to …
Managers often talk to me about that certain person on the team; the one who keeps holding up the process. The typical scenario goes something like this: Manager: We have regular meetings in my office. Every time I bring up the report he hasn’t finished, his answer usually is: “I’m working on it. A bit …
When An Individual Holds Up The Process: 3 Parts to Breaking Down the Problem Read More »
As the old adage goes: The only silly question is the one you don’t ask. Why? Because your question is also percolating in someone else’s head, and by voicing it not only are you expressing your concern, but you are encouraging someone else to express theirs. With this in mind, I wanted to share with you …
Q and A: How Do You Have A Genuine Conversation When You Don’t Feel Safe? Read More »
I remember my relief when hearing the words “Good Enough!” from a boss a long time ago. Previous bosses were often asking for more, getting upset when the product was delivered with minor errors, even when an impossible deadline was met. Ahhhhh! To err is human. What a relief to hear a leader acknowledge a …
“It’s Good Enough”: A Valuable Lesson In Leadership Read More »
In the throws of passion for an idea, you may find yourself in a monologue: Just one more point to convince him that approach X is by far the best! You’re now on a roll…and your listener is shutting down fast. If you’re the silent type, there’s no need to read on. A person of …
I don’t know if you’ve experienced the same phenomenon in your life, but I know that in mine, I can only see clearly when looking back. It’s only once out of Denial that I can actually see I was in Denial, and only once out of Resistance I can see I was resisting a particular change …
One of the hidden benefits of being a coach is that as we help others grow through their detours and bumps, we start questioning our own thought patterns and behaviours. Of course, during the coaching session, it’s important for me to turn the volume down on my own experience as I focus on my client, …
Is It Time to Get Off The Merry-Go-Round? Find Your Blind Spots First Read More »