Prioritizing Outcomes When Defining Coaching
I’m critical of the definition touted by the International Coach Federation’s (ICF) – what some consider the credentialing agency for coaching. The ICF defines coaching as: Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. I take issue with this definition because it is vague […]
Fortune Telling: Perils in the C-Suite
Among the executives with whom I coach, collaborate with, and call friends, the most common source of frustration, anxiety, and grief is the distortion referred to as fortune telling. Fortune telling is one of several thought distortions that I’ve referred to in the past. Thought distortions are false beliefs and narratives that automatically appear in […]
Why Old Habits Die Hard
Have you ever wanted to make a significant behavior change but struggled to break through? Of course, you have – we’ve all been there! Heck, I have several I seem to always be working on. For this blog, let me use a common example. At some time, we (or someone we know well) have set […]
What Are Your Values?
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about values. Personal values, company values, how they show up at work, and what it means for us to truly live them out in all arenas that we enter. When I work with leadership teams to help them uncover the personal values that each team member has and […]
Secrets to Effective Communication
Effective communication secrets revealed Over the summer, my coaching practice has been busy with requests to help leaders improve communication and build relationships. Historically, communication and building relationships are not “unique” coaching topics. However, the context behind the requests has shifted. As leaders are relying more on technology to connect to their remote team (and […]
Mental Health’s Return to Work
We are one year removed from the onset of the global pandemic. Over the last year, when I began writing these letters, wellness has been a dominant theme. So, it will not surprise you that I’m doubling down in 2021. Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, a new stressor is emerging. […]
The Death of Management
What do you anticipate will change in the aftermath of COVID? It is a question on the minds and mouths of everyone. Although old habits die hard, I contend that management (in its original intent) is drawing in its final breaths. 2021 will bring on the death of management. Management, as Frederick Winslow Taylor defined […]
Making Better Decisions
Judgment and decision-making – we are questioning a lot in 2020. Global pandemic, race relations, and politics have created a lot of fear and uncertainty. Fear and uncertainty complicate and interfere with good decisions. Those feelings, along with most negative feelings, engage our “system one” thinking – the limbic system. When the midbrain is in […]
Six Ways to Refuel Your Energy
It has been 21 weeks since many of us began working from home. 21 weeks – wow! Take a deep breath, you probably deserve it. Most leaders and employees have experienced the stages of coping multiple times over (remember DABDA – Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance?). And it is not over – not close. Over […]
Affirmative Action Plans: Your Powerful Diversity Tool
Affirmative Action Plans are a first, and an important, step in outlining an organization’s initiatives and strategies to achieve equal employment opportunities. When you look at your business, do you know the rate at which women and people of color are hired (recruited, promoted, or brought in for an in-person interview) compared to white counterparts? […]
