This is Linda writing to you today about something that recently happened with me. Last week, I shared with the executive assistant at a client’s office that, “This morning, I hate everyone!” The EA’s response? “I do too, this morning!” As I was sharing this experience with the team at CSC, I laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t hate you guys . . . yet.” Again, we all laughed but recognized that there are days when…
In the USA it’s Labor Day, a time each year when we, as a country, recognize the contributions that workers have made to the success, strength, and well-being of our country. Our last few posts have been focused on the challenges people face when working. Last week, we offered some coaching in “It’s All About Teamwork”. Since that post we’ve heard from a number of you asking what the word teamwork even means in our current work world. So today, we…
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about leadership, and how to handle a situation if you become labeled the problem, and then how to stay engaged and not take others’ actions and reactions personally. Today, we’d like to continue the conversation with some thoughts about the importance of teamwork. While personal talents and individual contributions are vital elements of organizational success, your ability to engage collaboratively on a team, and contribute to a successful team outcome is…
Last week, we talked about how to handle a situation if you become labeled the problem. We heard from many of you that similar scenarios had played out in your lives and that you were hurt by the experience. So today, we’re expanding last week’s post to talk more about this issue. We know it doesn’t feel this way, but it’s important to remember that most of the time other people’s actions and reactions are not personal to you. Other…
As coaches for over 20 years, in businesses of all varieties, we’ve seen many examples of people who have concerns about someone else’s behavior; and yet, they themselves are seen and experienced as “the problem” in the office. How can that be? Let’s take a look at Janet. Janet is a confident and competent businesswoman who came to us on the brink of being let go. She was distressed and angry, and she was looking for an ally to figure…
“As humans, we know who we are by looking at the mirrors of others’ eyes. For that reason, it’s important that you choose your mirrors wisely.” ~ Dr. Linda Carpenter To be a successful, powerful leader, it’s critical that you regularly reflect on who you are, what matters to you, and how you want to engage others in your life and your work. It’s equally important that you’re willing to understand your impact on others, the way they…
This week, we want to share with you an article that we read recently. The article is written by Carl Richards and appeared in the New York Times. We’ve pasted the article in the body of the post, but you can also click to read the article here. As you’ll see, the article is about empathy, and understanding that all of us will–at some time–be dealing with something that rocks us to our core. The trouble is that for most…
If you toss a group a grenade…they will run for cover. Starting a conversation with accusations or anger is akin to tossing a grenade into a room and expecting people to want to play “catch.” No matter how valuable your insight or how accurate your concern, the act of grenade tossing will result in people not hearing you because they’re consumed with ducking for cover. In talking to a client about his accusatory behavior he stated, “But the grenade isn’t…
As coaches, we get hired because people – despite the best of intentions – are struggling to change the things that are getting in the way of their success. Our goal is to help you recognize and overcome those habitual reactions that keep the changes you’re working toward from taking hold. The key behind the work that we do is helping people manage their reactivity, and to do that we teach them something we designed called, the Fundamental PAUSE. The…
Motivation of self and others is a hot topic in business precisely because it can be quite a challenge. What motivates people over the years has changed in large part because how we work has changed. Never in the history of time have so many people held jobs where their contribution is based on their knowledge or building on the knowledge of others. Motivated employees are more successful, more committed, more upbeat, and more engaged—as are kids and community members. …