I had a boss, I’ll call him, Ted. Ted was very political and used his high emotional intelligence to play all sides of every issue just to make sure he was always covered. I heard him lie by fact and omission. So clever was the man that when opinions were asked, he was able to shift positions 180 degrees before the final vote, especially if he saw the tide going against him. He bragged about accomplishments that were fantasy and made commitments he never intended to keep, while espousing values he violated on a regular basis. Ted was smart enough, polished, experienced, and a very hard worker. [Read more…]
Isolation and Loneliness — Working in the Office or at Home
I am a bit worried. In so many ways we have come to accept the presence of the pandemic and all that came with it. The drama has settled down and the rhetoric has reduced.
The requirement we stay away from one another for quite some time was a necessary safety decision. Everyone went home to their kitchen table, or if you were lucky, their home office. We got the work done the best we could. It was a remarkable feat. [Read more…]
How to be More Strategic in the Workplace
Creating a strategy and being more strategic are phrases regularly applied to meetings, interviews, resumes, as well as seen in the news. I often encourage executive coaching clients to use the words when making a point because it is what many want to hear. The words are so frequently applied they risk becoming diluted or used incorrectly. People often say they are strategic when in fact what they are describing is tactical. Some confuse being strategic with problem solving. (Though problems can need a strategy.) [Read more…]
Should I Reject a Promotion I Don’t Want?
During my time in the corporate world, I came close to being promoted twice to a role I did not want. I was able to stop the process well in advance, earn a more appropriate promotion, and continue a path better suited to my skills and temperament. Another time I did not do it appropriately. I accepted a role and then backed out. Here’s what I learned from these three experiences. [Read more…]
Interviewing Skills for the Best Results
I have been thinking about the hiring process these past few months. Many of my executive coaching clients are either trying to hire top-notch employees or are somewhere in the interviewing process for themselves. Both are time consuming and, at times, stressful. [Read more…]
Five Love Languages — Showing Appreciation in the Workplace
Gary Smalley and John Trent are authors, speakers, and researchers who focus on relationships. They are best known for their creation and promotion of a work called, “The Five Love Languages.”
They contend people have different ways of expressing and accepting love. They break it down to five behaviors — words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. [Read more…]
Are You Holding Back Your Team (and Yourself)?
In the last two weeks three very successful, highly competent, senior leaders who are executive coaching clients of mine have complained their team members seem to be lacking the energy, interest, and hunger they had previously demonstrated.
We can blame post-pandemic fatigue, the robust job market that provides options to many, and maybe even the summer blues. Or we can look at ourselves as leaders who may be playing a role. [Read more…]
Words and Phrases That Can Sabotage Your Communications
“Mommy, can I eat this bag of M & Ms?” “No,” says the mother with a tone that says, “I mean it and I am the adult.” The kid puts the packet down and starts scheming to get what they want. The mother repeats “no.” [Read more…]
The Power of Aspirations
In our constant drive to achieve goals, execute and complete tasks, and develop strategies, we lose sight of our underlying passions and true interests. We’re distracted by the day-to-day hustle. We rarely stop to ask, “What do I really want?” and “Am I on a path that will allow me to be my authentic self?”. [Read more…]
Leader vs. Manager — Who Do You Want to Be and How?
I ask raters who are giving feedback for a colleague’s 360 — “Is (colleague) a leader, manager, or sole contributor?” Some people know the answer immediately. Others are not sure, while many have not given it much thought and look to me for the answer. [Read more…]
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