Articles

Coaching in Today's Economy

According to the American Management Association's Global Study of Successful Practices, 79% of survey respondents use internal coaching to improve individual performance and productivity. Read why coaching works!

Divorce, Recovery and a New Life

A divorce is extremely painful. What seems at the time to be a sorrowful end with no recovery possible can be viewed in time as the death that needed to occur so that you may have life, in all spheres of life. I would not trade anything for what I have gained from my divorce. Read why!

Executive coaching, personal issues and change that sticks!

According to a Harvard Business Review article on coaching, while the vast majority of executive coaching relationships begin with a business focus, over 75% of coaching clients end up addressing personal issues. Why is that?

How to Execute and Effective Job Search

Losing a job can generate a range of emotions, often painful. I know. I was severed after 24 years with a large regional financial services firm. While very unsettling, the job loss became an opportunity to assess my life and vocation and consider how I wanted to live the rest of my life. This time of personal discovery and renewal was the seed for a powerful new beginning!

Case Studies

Feeling the Pressure of an Acquisition? Put First Things First

How do you start off on the right foot when you are faced with a new job following an acquisition, yet you are unfamiliar with the new company, the new job functions and all eyes are on YOU?

Foundational Pillars for Achieving Business Success

What are the five key activities necessary to ensure optimal implementation of your business vision?

Helping an Inexperienced Manager Out of a Deep Hole Toward Success

Jack was a high potential associate with an MBA and was a recent graduate of the company’s internal management training program.  Little in his background prepared him for his first significant management assignment in his mid 20’s.   Thrust immediately into the spotlight, he was responsible for a three shift operations department of over 100 people and was expected to create a weekend shift, effectively managing a 7 x 24 production environment.

Powerful Performance Appraisals

What are the benefits of a truthful well delivered performance appraisal?

Protecting and Restoring Talent in the face of Adversity

How do you save a valuable leader (and not lose her heart commitment to your organization) when you are under the gun to fire her in the face of a potential loss of over 1 million?

Supporting an Inexperienced High Potential Leader

How do you affirm and encourage an inexperienced high potential leader when doubt, overwhelm and self-imposed pressure are reigning supreme?

Supporting an Inexperienced Project Manager

How do you support an inexperienced project manager in the early stages of a highly visible assignment through doubt and fear when your background is not project management?

Successful Integration of a Business Unit

How do you integrate a fairly independent business unit into the larger more structured operating company ensuring long term success?

Teamwork within Outsourcing - Importance and 8 Practical Steps

Outsourcing is a reality for many companies with limited capital and the need to reduce costs and/or focus more on core competencies. Gaining the support from the key stakeholders of both the buyers and providers of out-sourced functions is paramount. Read 8 steps that produce support, increase business results and develop teams that know how to work collaboratively with all internal and external constituencies.

Coaching Stories

Changing from obsession to freedom around money - and the fruits of the change

John came for coaching because he was stressed, unfulfilled and was experiencing conflict with his family. He was also very concerned about the negative impact his approach to money was having on him and on the people he loved.

Moving from anxiety to freedom

When Mike came for coaching he was in a serious state of anxiety because he was in a temporary job and the end was near. Mike is now in a new role leveraging his in-born capabilities to the fullest for the good of his organization, all its constituents and society in general! How did that happen?

Nurturing Yourself and Others

Jim came to coaching feeling significant stress because he could not say no to what seemed like unending requests for help from his friends, family, co-workers and others at a time that his own work-load was getting heavier. During the initial coaching session Jim confessed a sense of anger and resentment that “others were taking advantage of his good nature.”

Management and Leadership Concepts that Work

Basic Management Operations Document

These time tested management operations remain the foundational pillars to achieving business success. Use this simple document to quickly assess how well your organization’s objectives and goals, organization structures, motivation and communication practices, measurement tools and processes, and people and self development activities are aligned to achieve the mission of your business. Use it also to determine what needs your attention NOW and … later.

Delegation Readiness

In today’s challenging business climate, delegation is critical to achieving higher business results. It is also a key way to develop your people. Both goals are best accomplished when as the leader (agent) you have assessed the readiness of your associate (target) to assume responsibility for a given task. You can use the stages of readiness for delegation described below to assess your target’s readiness to assume responsibility for a task and to be clear about your role as the agent. You will be glad you did because you will achieve greater business success and you will be helping your people develop the skills needed to grow to their fullest potential!

Positive Change Curve

All change affects people often in unexpected ways. Even positive change, like a new job that is also a great fit, will always produce a range of thoughts and feelings in the person going through the change. These will typically follow a pattern that includes optimism, pessimism, a desire to check out, hope, and optimism again. I can tell you from experience that you and your associates can count on this pattern showing up during any positive change. As the manager and agent of change you might want to be aware of this to help prepare your associate (target) on what to expect and to help you guide your associate to a successful completion of the change. Practicing these simple but powerful responses to positive change will ensure you achieve higher business results and ongoing growth and development for your people.