Coaching News
What’s in a Name?
-- A rose by any other name… Synonyms. Don’t you just love ‘em? Some examples: Word Synonym Bossy controlling Fair unbiased Honest trustworthy Handsome kevin Intelligent smart Mean ...
Leaders Wanted! … Bosses Need Not Apply
Based on the way I read the latest engagement surveys, the number of bosses missing the opportunities their leadership positions are providing is almost mind-numbing. It certainly appears to be numbing the minds of the people working for them. The storyline doesn’t...
Weaknesses aren’t Kryptonite, they just aren’t strengths…
Not too long ago, I worked with a group of executives for a fast-growing client. Two things struck me as interesting, and somewhat of a paradox: First, they were all reasonably successful in their jobs (and their jobs were substantially the same, just different...
Leaders Develop Leaders… If you won’t do it, find someone who will!
Like many consultants, I sometimes struggle to follow the great advice I give other people. Okay, more than sometimes. The whole ‘physician, heal thyself’ thing comes along like a spiritual two-by-four upside my head pretty often. But the situation where ‘do as I say,...
It’s Real Leadership We Need Today, Not “New” Leadership
“Leadership is dead! Long live leadership!” This should be our modern-day mantra, allowing for every fad, survey, or new statistic loudly proclaiming that leadership as we know it is “dead” and that something new should immediately follow it. Let’s unpack this idea a...
HELP!
The Beatles had it right: “Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help! You know I need someone, help!” The conversation starts with: “Can I do something to help?” And the reply is usually: “No thanks; I’ve got it.” Sound familiar? At the office? At home? Yes,...
Inspired or Not, Here You Come!
“Leadership is about influence and inspiration.” – Everyone Who Knows Anything Who has the most influence on the mood in your workplace? If you’re part of the leadership – formal or informal – you do. Especially if your mood reveals your anxieties about the...
Turnover…?
The most critical skill for managers today is finding, hiring, and keeping highly competent talent. But frankly, we need to a significant amount of “weeding out” when we don’t make that perfect hire. Welch and GE received dubious press for their “forced rankings”...
“Men Don’t Follow Titles…
…they follow courage.” Braveheart Are you a courageous leader? Is that why people follow you? Okay, some of you might think it’s a stretch to call what corporate and government leaders do courageous. Like former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s admission that he colluded...
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign…
I frequently am asked about an employee’s refusal to sign some document: a written warning, a performance review, a job description, etc. What to do? What do you do when the employee looks you squarely in the eye and says “no,” when asked/directed to sign? Many will...
Come together, right now… over me!
-- The people side of merger integration Ok, so maybe the Beatles reference was a bit much... We were two companies, someone decided merger was a good thing... then just one big, happy family… right?? Bain Capital. McKinsey. Deloitte... don’t take just my...
Today’s Myth: Being the Best is the Best
q A common narrative today tells us that everyone should strive to be the BEST at whatever they’re pursuing. Number One, the “go to” guy or gal, the Subject Matter Expert (SME for you acronym lovers). After all, who wants to be known as Number Two? My decades in the...
Performance Appraisals: Pain in the ass, or panacea??
Oh, crap! Another performance review… How many times have we heard–or uttered ourselves–this common lament? I’m guessing “lots” is a fairly accurate response. The better answer, however, is “way too often.” The performance management process (of which some variation...
