Executive coaching has become an explosive field. I’ve seen examples of highly successful coaching and also witnessed extremely poor practice. Making an investment in executive coaching requires significant time and resources for any individual or organization. Given that investment, here are some thoughts that will help maximize your coaching benefits. Start With The Right Assessment […]
posted on July 17, 2019 by
Do You Serve Or Lead?
You finally obtained your dream job. Your title might be CEO, vice-president, head coach, orchestra conductor or school principal. Regardless of your craft, now your success depends on your ability to motivate, develop and coach those you lead. As a senior leader, you’ll be evaluated on the performance of others rather than your own direct […]
posted on May 17, 2019 by
What Does Success Mean to You?
Most of us seek success. Is there anything wrong with that? Let’s face it, success is better than failure. Winning is better than losing. But high performers can also seek success for the wrong reasons. In addition to creating plans and goals to achieve success, I believe it’s important for high performers to understand why […]
posted on March 8, 2019 by
Creating a Development Culture
Culture is an often used yet poorly understood concept in the workplace. You can immediately feel the atmosphere culture creates when you walk into an office, meeting or locker room. The factors that define culture are complex, but some of the most important ones are commitment, energy, loyalty, integrity and execution. Culture is established by […]
posted on November 16, 2018 by
Can You REALLY Let Go of the Outcome?
I’ve written before about the concept of process versus outcome in achieving sustainable excellence (see Understanding Process & Outcome). For a leader, coach, or performer, the basic concept is simple: Focus on the task at hand and let the outcomes take care of themselves. I’ve spoken with countless clients about this over the years. But […]
posted on July 31, 2018 by
What Motivates You?
You’ve seen the familiar headlines. A professional athlete destroys his locker after a loss…or complains that he isn’t getting the ball enough…or gripes about other teammates to the press rather than behind closed doors. The executive lavishly refurbishes his office with shareholder money, as if to create a personal shrine…or allows the company to lose […]
posted on May 26, 2018 by
Can Confidence and Humility Coexist in a Leader?
A Lesson in the Airport The other day I was in an airport lounge preparing for my latest consulting trip. The lounge was filled with the usual business types chatting on their cell phones, having drinks and generally conveying an air of self-importance. An employee came by to clean up my area, collecting glasses and […]
posted on March 27, 2018 by
What We Can Learn From Adversity
Adversity originates from many sources. It could follow the loss of a big game, failure to get a promotion, a bombed presentation, or losing a business deal to a competitor. More seriously, adversity may result from being fired, significant financial difficulty, the end of a relationship, or serious illness. Regardless of the source, we can […]
posted on August 3, 2017 by
5 Steps To Resiliency
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Wharton professor Adam Grant have recently released a new book on resilience. Sandberg lost her husband suddenly in 2015. As she struggled to adjust to life without her mate she became interested in resiliency and how she could demonstrate this quality in response to her own personal tragedy. As I came across […]
posted on June 28, 2017 by
Transparency: Corporate Buzzword or Leadership Necessity?
Our world these days is filled with jargon and nowhere is that more apparent than in the realm of leadership. Every few years another term takes hold that is often used mindlessly in an attempt to motivate and inspire. In reality, these terms are often dismissed by experienced team members as the latest flavor of […]