Leadership Blog
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Good Messaging for Q4 Crunchtime
During a recent coaching session, a long-time business owner and I reflected on his company's inevitable Q4 crunchtime and its impact on his people. He talked about the importance of checking in...
Think Like a College Coach
Recently, in many of my coaching sessions, I have been encouraging leaders to think of themselves like college coaches. The current trends and generational differences mean people aren't staying in...
Why you should journal
I'll admit that a daily practice of journaling is difficult for me. I have failed miserably at regular journaling, and I'm not giving up. (I am 2.5 years into my monthly gratitude spreadsheet, and...
Their feedback is because they’re biased!
You may have heard this before. Or you may have wondered, "Is this really true, or is this person operating on bias?" Getting tough feedback is challenging. It can be more so if you fall into the...
You’re one of the ones that stayed on the job
The organization has gone through massive downsizing. Or there have been lots of resignations. Or vacant positions just have not been filled. What do you do when you're facing huge overload and...
Staying calm in crisis: Tips from nurses
I can't think of anyone more well-versed in the art and science of remaining collected under pressure than nurses - those too-often unsung heroes working in a variety of medical settings. What can...
Conquering confidence
For some of my recent clients, confidence has been an issue. Often these talented humans excel at work, and still remain unsure of their abilities and potential. Having confidence at work does not...
What is your impact?
We are believers in the power of leadership development. That's our reason for getting out of bed in the morning. And we have also seen in our two-decades-plus of working with people that it's...
What is your North Star?
Organizations can be prone to misalignment and loss of focus toward what really matters. This happens when people - even with the best of intentions - concentrate on differing objectives. It is hard...
Monkey management: Effective delegation
Back in 1974, Oncken and Wass wrote a Harvard Business Review article called, "Who's Got the Monkey?" It used monkeys as metaphors for tasks or projects. It was well-received nearly 50 years ago,...
Holiday greetings
Wishing you warmth, peace and joy, now and always. From your friends at Humanergy. Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Accountability, authority and responsibility
The ABC Project is in trouble. Carmen is the leader of the area, and her direct reports are doing the heavy lifting to get the project off the ground. Carmen is frustrated that her boss, Celia,...
Change leadership: Effective influence
A major change initiative has been launched with a comprehensive communication plan. Key people have been involved in and informed of the change strategies and the execution schedule. The CEO feels...
7 tips for virtual feedback conversations
Delivering constructive feedback is not easy to do, even when you have opportunities to be face-to-face. Working virtually means few, if any in-person interactions, but that does not mean you're off...
Three habits of trusted people
Stephen R. Covey wrote in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational...
Need to ask more powerful questions?
Asking powerful questions is one of the key skills of a great leader and team member. In my client work, I see many reasons why this doesn't happen. Often the barriers to asking questions (versus...
Consequences at work
When we think of the word "consequences" a number of negative emotions can be triggered - shame, pain, deprivation or other unfavorable feelings. So do consequences always have to have a gloomy...
Unplugged: A true story of its benefits
I recently took a trip to Europe (fully vaccinated and masked) with my husband, who had some work there. I contemplated doing what I typically do - taking my computer so I could check email and do...
Learning while virtual
Kids do it. Grownups, too. Even when the pandemic is firmly in the rearview mirror, many people will continue to work and learn from home, either full-time or for part of the week. How does that...
Leaders: Do you understand people’s needs?
Plans are underway - or being implemented right now - for many employees to return to their offices "post"-COVID. We won't weigh in on the health and safety issues of a return to physical...
Letting failure go
You've made an error, a project has failed or another problem has reared its ugly head again. Is your first impulse to learn from it and move on, or do you habitually perseverate over your missteps?...