Change is hard. We all know that it’s inevitable, but most of us like the sense of safety and control that comes with a reasonable amount of sameness. Remember when we were hunters and gatherers? Predictability often meant a greater chance of survival, so change unnerves us—whether unplanned or planned. And, it often comes as a surprise to people that positive change can be as hard for us to embrace as a challenging change. As we move toward a positive…
Last week we talked about the Gallup poll that showed that 93% of the people surveyed have left their organization to find job growth opportunities elsewhere. We talked about being aware of the need to grow your teams and nurture your leadership pipeline to create ongoing success in your company. This week we’d like to get you thinking about what this same statistic means for you in your personal life and relationships. If this poll is even partially correct, it…
Did you know that a recent Gallup poll found that 93% of the people they surveyed have left their organization to find job growth opportunities elsewhere? Did they really have no opportunities where they were previously employed? Of course not. But it’s likely that no one had a career path discussion with them. So, in the absence of coaching and development, people go elsewhere. One of the most important activities an organization must do to secure their future is developing…
We have been struck lately by how many people in our world are doing incredibly courageous things in their lives. Courage is: Stepping outside your comfort zone to do something new Challenging the status quo Facing another day with a chronic illness Owning a mistake and cleaning up the fallout Acknowledging the toxic nature of your job and deciding to move on Realizing that your relationship isn’t working for you Going for a promotion at work Starting your own business…
Over the years, we’ve heard time and again that our clients aspire to do great things. And, that is something we deeply respect and value in the people we work with. Yet, what we’ve observed is that we can only do small things, consistently over time, with love and passion—and what we create, the impact that we have, and the impression that we leave is often quite great. As you think of your life and the things that you want…
In the past couple of months, we’ve had a number of clients describe the deterioration of their relationships with people that they love because of their work stress. For some, it’s with a spouse or partner, others with children, a few with parents, and some with friends. All described similar themes: Work is consuming and highly stressful They get home and have nothing left to give They are cranky and short-tempered when asked to give They don’t enjoy their connections…
One of the most challenging aspects of being a leader is having enough conviction to adhere to a decision and not be swayed by the opinions of others at the expense of what’s good for the organization. The leaders that can’t do this are described many ways: buffeted by the winds, spineless, and irresponsible. We imagine that some of you are saying, But isn’t that influence, and isn’t that part of leadership? Influence occurs when you’re presented with relevant data…
Everything is a communication… everything. — Carpenter Smith Consulting One of the things we see over and over again is that clients assume that what they say is the key to communication, and they don’t think about what their behavior is communicating. Fact: people respond to everything you do as a communication. Your behavior may be significantly influencing how other people see you and judge your success. We work with a client named Jim, who by all rights is a highly…
“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” — Ralph Nader We define leadership as a willingness to influence your world and be influenced by your world. It is a way of being in the world, not a role or title. Therefore, great leaders nurture the leadership of others. Sometimes when we talk about the importance of leadership and of claiming your power, people get concerned that power and leadership are often steeped in control and…
One of the things clients often complain about is that after an engaged and seemingly positive discussion, nothing will happen. Sometimes they are describing a great meeting at work and sometimes they are describing a conversation with a spouse or kid. In all cases, they are baffled that they can participate in this great discussion that seems to have identified some clear next steps, and then leave it only to have nothing happen. Here are 5 things you can do…