We were recently asked if, as coaches and consultants, we could go in and “fix” an organization. It is an interesting question because while we make a significant impact on an organization and we support organizational success, we don’t “fix” the organization as much as we teach the individuals in the organization to step into their power and create an organization that they value and respect. Think of it this way – There are painters, called pointillists, who…
One question we often receive about communication is, “How do I get people to communicate with me one-on-one?” Many people are confident in their ability to facilitate communication in meetings, but in one-on-one meetings they struggle to shift from a “talking to” conversation to a “talking with” conversation. Many leaders fall into this dilemma, believing it is their job to be the authority, know the “truth,” and have all the answers. Therefore, they often have little practice genuinely engaging with…
One of the most frequent things that clients bring into coaching is frustration with a colleague who they believe feels totally confident in their perspective and will not bend to create collaboration or innovation. And sometimes, that’s true. But most of the time, the person who seems so difficult, so obstructionist, so cocky, is actually acting out their fear rather than their confidence. We know this seem counter-intuitive but it makes sense if you really think about it. One way…
While many of us are committed to ongoing personal and professional growth, often when we learn something new or become aware of new ways of moving in the world, there is a bit of sadness. Over and over, we have heard people say with a longing or even an anger toward themselves, “Gee, I wish I had known this 20 years ago!” or “What is wrong with me, I should have known this already!” We have had that feeling as…
As consultants we have been in and observed more meetings than we can probably count and can say without hesitation that the best meetings always, always have a good agenda. The businessperson’s relationship with agenda’s has not been consistent over the years. In the 90’s, many agenda’s went overboard and became dictatorial – they were rigid, tedious and drained all life or spontaneity from meetings. They were born of a zealous need to use those new computer programs to organize…
The process of shifting a team to engage them fully in solving a problem, looking for opportunities, or challenging the cultural norms takes practice but can be successfully started using a simple discussion framework that we call Benefits, Concerns & Suggestions. The Benefits / Concerns / Suggestions framework is an easy to use discussion process that will shift the way your team works. To use the framework, take the following steps: Use this format to foster engagement and communication. Always…
Last week we wrote a post entitled, Stop Talking! Now, Communicate and we received many responses from leaders who were having success connecting in new and much deeper ways with the people in their organizations as they stopped talking and started listening. Through listening, they were beginning to see a level of engagement and commitment to solving organizational problems that they had not realized was “out there.” We also received quite a number of inquiries asking us how to get…
As executive coaches and management consultants, we have worked with hundreds of individuals and organizations in our combined 35+ years of experience. As such, people often ask us what makes some organizations successful and others less so—despite similar conditions. We recently sat down to mull this one over—and came back to what we have seen over and over again. The secret to success comes down to one thing: a leader’s willingness to influence and to be influenced by every member…
Last week’s post was a look at NW Nice, an ailment which is affecting business professionals in the NW corner of the country. Well, we heard from many of you across the U.S. letting us know that this plague is common in all parts of the nation, but it is known by different names depending on geography. We also heard from people who saw themselves in the post and asked us to comment on managers and leaders who shut…
There is something of an epidemic plaguing businesses in the Pacific Northwest called Northwest Nice (NW Nice). NW Nice is an affliction whereby a business professional will smile and speak collaboratively about an issue or a person in a public forum but later, will attack and/or undermine the very same issue or person behind closed doors. The problem with this disease is that the afflicted rarely believe they have the ailment. They deny their behaviors and imply that “others”…
We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders, teams, and individuals who are passionate about growing in their leadership and in their ability to create cultures of psychological safety and engagement.
Carpenter Smith Consulting is a Women Business Enterprise, Oregon Cert ID 7047.
