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…
“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.” ~ Mark Twain We love this quote from Mark Twain as it reminds us of a core truth – one must listen fully and completely to gain wisdom and perspective. And, wisdom and perspective can help us create more meaningful lives, more success in our service to others and to our work, and more impact in our worlds. Unfortunately, listening isn’t as natural…
Last week brought the stunning loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain by suicide. We know that there is pain in everyone’s life – some more visible than others. So we want to take a moment to remind you that, You matter in this world. Take a moment to think about your life and how you treat yourself as you go through your moments, days, weeks, and months. You matter because you are YOU. Your moments matter and…
We recently had a conversation with a client who was feeling disheartened at work. He had a long history with his organization and had, for many years, loved working there. He was invested in their mission and wanted to contribute to business success. He had a great deal of respect for the leadership team and felt valued and appreciated for his contributions. Then it all changed. About six months ago the organization hired a new COO (who our client reported…
In the United States of America, the last Monday in May is Memorial Day. While many of us consider Memorial Day the beginning of summer, it’s actually a Federal holiday to honor those who have died in military service. We hope you’ll take some time today to remember the men and women who have died in service of our country. These soldiers were also parents and children and sisters and brothers and friends and colleagues as well. We’re grateful to…
One of the most powerful skills we see in successful clients, colleagues, and friends, is the ability to pause. When you pause and determine how to respond instead of reacting to, pretty much, ANY situation that you face, you’re more likely to succeed. Pausing is an important aspect of Resilience. Being resilient is an advantage – in your work, your family, and your life. As you know, life throws us changes, pressures, and stressors that can be debilitating if you…
Last month we began a series on how to ACT with POWER, the third step in our Leader in You Framework. Within our ACT with POWER framework, there are 5 critical actions that powerful leaders do to move forward on important issues and initiatives. Over the past 5 weeks, we’ve talked about: P = Possibility Mindset. You consider and engage your team in exploring the Possibilities inherent in the obstacles and challenges you face. O = Ownership and…
Last month we began a series on how to ACT with POWER, the third step in our Leader in You Framework. Within our ACT with POWER framework, there are 5 critical actions that powerful leaders do to move forward on important issues and initiatives. Over the past 4 weeks, we’ve talked about: P = You consider and engage your team in exploring the Possibilities inherent in the obstacles and challenges you face. O = You take Ownership…
A few weeks ago, we began a series on how to ACT with POWER. Within our ACT with POWER framework, there are 5 critical actions that powerful leaders must do to move forward on important issues and initiatives. Last week we looked at creating a shared vision with the W of the acronym POWER which stands for We-Focused Goal Setting and today we’re covering the E which stands for Enabling Action. It’s interesting to think about the word “leader” because at its base is the word “lead,” which is…