If you’re looking to advance your career, more than likely, you’ll need experience as a manager of people and projects. Let your boss, mentor and sponsor know of your interest in developing these skills. Ask them to tap you for opportunities, and, if necessary, when opportunities pop up, nominate yourself to take the lead. For […]
Read More →Growing up, did you hear the adage, “You’ve got work hard to get ahead?” Today, we know hard work is important; and we know it isn’t enough to create and sustain success. In fact, hard work can trap you, causing you to keep your nose so close to the […]
Read More →Coaching is no longer a perk, exclusive to the domain of senior executives. In a survey of 18,800 workers, the International Coach Federation reports that 35% of respondents between the ages of 25 and 34 say they have already utilized the services of a coach. Today, from millennials to […]
Read More →The skills and behaviors we refer to as “soft” are the hard core of what drives success. The Carnegie Institute of Technology reports that 85% of success in business comes from your ability to communicate, negotiate and lead. Only 15% is attributable to technical knowledge. Soft skills, also referred […]
Read More →Is there a person on your team you KNOW you can rely on to get things done promptly and correctly? When you delegate to her, without question, you’re certain the task will be handled. No need to give it a second thought, just wait for the perfect end product to […]
Read More →Want to do a better job with your next presentation, the next meeting you host, the next project you lead, the next difficult-to-motivate person you coach? All you have to do is identify and alter your self-limiting beliefs and behavior concerning your ability to perform the specific task well. While […]
Read More →Is there someone in your workplace who you feel is exactly your opposite? Perhaps, a bit of a thorn in your side. You don’t understand her thought process or agree with how he operates. He’s annoying. She’s difficult to deal with. Well, news flash: this person may be just the thorn in your side you […]
Read More →When you’re Top, the person responsible for making a project, team, division or company function effectively – you face the complexity of seeing the individual parts that make up the whole, as well as seeing the whole, and communicating that picture in a clear and compelling way. While others may tend to be in siloed in focus and […]
Read More →Ever noticed that one of the keys to success in just about every sport is “watch the ball.” “Keep your eye on the ball. Focus on the ball.” I’ve heard it during my efforts to learn to play tennis, golf, softball, Ping-Pong and basketball. Watch the ball a simple and wise instruction. It makes sense. If […]
Read More →While facilitating a strategic alignment retreat with a CEO and his senior team, they struggled to identify exactly what to do to change the culture. Finally, having nothing that felt like a good idea, I convinced them to involve the next level down. They agreed. In the meeting with the broader leadership team – the […]
Read More →Frequently, when conducting data gathering interviews for qualitative 360s, I’ve noticed raters self-reflecting and assessing their own behavior. The conversation makes them think. In a recent interview, the boss was describing the person he was rating as “easily distracted.” All the while, the boss’ computer was dinging, signaling the arrival of email. Each time it […]
Read More →Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg, in her best-selling book, a TED Talk and her women’s empowerment movement tells women to “Lean In.” Sam Horn, author, keynote speaker and intrigue expert, takes it a step further. She says, “step up.” Be less demur. Speak up. Value what you have to contribute. Take a bold, brave step […]
Read More →Dear Teressa, My boss is an excellent manager and a very inspirational leader. However, I have a colleague, who I think is a good person, but who seems to very much resent this boss. This colleague is also very good friends with my boss’s boss. The colleague is now making life very difficult and […]
Read More →Experts say the reason people throw temper tantrums into adulthood is because they work. This frightening behavior gets the tantrum thrower exactly what they want – even if it is at the cost of co-workers or workplace civility. The first step to taking the sting out of another’s workplace tantrum – whether it’s your employee, […]
Read More →I meet a fair number of business leaders who say they are empathy-challenged. Empathy is the ability to recognize and identify the emotions being experienced by another person. It’s one of the five components of Emotional Intelligence. Because it enables others to feel like you connect with them, it is an important skill set for […]
Read More →Dear Teressa, Any advice on how I can get more people to speak up in my meetings? ~John V. John, I’m glad to hear that you’re a leader who wants more voices in the conversation – more people engaged and contributing. Here are several strategies that have worked for a number of my clients. […]
Read More →When I walked into his office, Will’s head was down, his brow looked furrowed, his chest was noticeably rising and falling, indicative of deep breathing, and he was writing furious. I waited until he finished and asked, “What are you working on?” “I’m writing out my rage!” He smiled, pushed his pad aside and explained, […]
Read More →Every week, the content of my Office Talk Report is based on a real-life scenarios – ones I’ve experienced as a facilitator, executive and personal growth coach, keynote speaker, as well as a manager and leader. Unresolved challenges at work and in life often get in the way of productivity and personal satisfaction. They cause us to question ourselves and the value of contributions we make. Issues at […]
Read More →To get clear about the best way to effectively address a specific performance or behavior problem, the first step is asking yourself which course of action the problem calls for? Is feedback sufficient? You simply describe the person’s behavior and its impact. Is coaching more appropriate? You work to strengthen performance through teaching, training and […]
Read More →Are you more tenured with many more years of experience than the person to whom you report? Is your manager the same age or younger than your children? These days, it’s not all that unusual for older people to report to those who are much younger. According to a 2012 CareerBuilder survey, “One third (34 […]
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