Here’s what we’re thinking about
Why Successful Leaders Fail in a Highly Collaborative Culture
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen it: a senior leader is brought into a Fortune 100 company. They come in with a great track record of success in the past. Then, a few quarters later, they are gone.
To Perform At Your Best, Rest More
Feel like you’re walking through molasses every day? Most leaders I work with struggle to be productive. Some even say that they, or their organizations, are at 60-80% of “normal.”
Social Butterfly? What to Do When Video Isn’t Enough
Humans are social creatures, but some are uniquely so. These people—let’s call them “social butterflies”—are hurting badly in the time of social distancing.
“Leading in Place” During the Covid-19 Crisis
Leaders are experiencing the Covid crisis in a variety of ways. Some are overwhelmed with skyrocketing workload and fire drills, some are pinched between full-time child care and working from home. Some are isolated and anxious. Others are actually happier than before. A recent HBR article on grief seems to have hit a chord—many are […]
To Ease Conflict, See to Everyone’s Needs
Sometimes when people don’t get what they need, they fight. Take Monique and Anil, cross functional peers in a global technology company. When Anil was hired, Monique thought he would report to her. But a month later Anil ended up working for her boss. This created a rift, partly because Monique was hoping for a […]
To Ease Conflict, Give and Receive Honest Feedback
Conflict is a norm in corporate life–whether it’s a peer, a boss or a direct report. It can also be painful and time consuming. But many leaders dread conflict so much they will do almost anything to avoid it. As trust erodes, people in conflict tend to pull back from communicating. Usually that hurts everyone. […]
How Coaching Works
Often a new client asks me: So, how does this work? What they’re really asking is: What is coaching going to be like? How are we going to spend our time? How will this be structured? What should I expect? Here’s an overview of what we’ll do: Talk about your context. I’ll want to learn […]
How to be a Collaborative Member of the C-Suite
One of the biggest challenges for C-level leaders is collaborating with peers. A driving factor is that for most organizations, senior leaders’ interests are not fully aligned. They may be competing for resources, the CEO’s attention, or opportunities. Also, senior executives are extremely busy, making constant tradeoffs with their time. This makes it hard to […]
Truths About Public Speaking
In my former career as a minister, I used to speak every week to hundreds of people. In the past decade as an executive coach, I’ve helped leaders prepare for mission-critical presentations with billions of dollars at stake. Through these experiences, a few crucial truths have emerged about public speaking. First, it’s important for every […]