Most of us have experienced this; the company retreat or off-site where a portion of the time is spent learning about ourselves, our teammates and a new way of looking at our relationships. Communication skills, building trust, leadership through XYZ or a nature or wilderness experience designed to teach us more about ourselves and working together. Perhaps you are asked to take an assessment prior to the gathering to understand your colors, a letter that …
Can execution or “getting things done” look different for each person? When you think about executing, what image comes to mind? A check box checked? A project completed? Clothes folded and put away? Trash emptied? How could executing look different? Gallup® in their work through the CliftonStrengths® assessment and the research behind it, has discovered certain similarities in talent themes and developed Leadership Domains to define these. One of those Domains is Executing and is …
Do you know your leadership style? Do you understand why others follow you? Are you looking to become a leader? We have all heard the platitude that we are all leaders in some form or another. If we accept the generality of that statement then we accept that leadership is a talent we all possess. Yet is it that generic? If we all have the ability to lead why are some better than others? Or …
What if… What if you focused on fixing everything that is a deficiency for you? What if you vowed to overcome each area in your life where you are weak? What would the outcome be? At a recent conference, I had the opportunity to share what I do; help business owners maximize their teams and people power. One of the attendees shared a story with me about an acquaintance who took the opposite approach. Instead …
Working as a strengths coach I help leaders and teams understand what they do best and develop a game plan for driving performance. We start at the top, working with the Top 5 talent themes from the CliftonStrengths® assessment for each individual. Given the human tendency to focus on weaknesses, starting with the Top 5 ensures that the concept of doing what you do best is embraced and understood. In most workshops a participant will …
Engagement is the new buzzword. Not only for employees but you will hear it used for customers as well. What does it mean to engage? As defined by Merriam-Webster engagement is: an arrangement to meet or be present at a specified time and place a job or period of employment especially as a performer emotional involvement or commitment betrothal the state of being in gear a hostile encounter between military forces We will disregard the …
On a recent flight, I had the opportunity to visit with my indirect seatmate. We connected quickly, while the middle seat person took a personal break. This new acquaintance shared his excitement about the company he was launching. With 5 people already on board, he was quickly finding himself involved in the “people” side of things. Confessing that he is much more comfortable with the tactical side of the business, he wanted to make sure …
What does it take to have an engaged workforce? Is it a Ping-Pong table in the breakroom and unlimited vacation and sick pay? Is it a flexible work environment allowing employees to set their own schedules? If your eyes were rolling and you were wondering just how you were going to make that happen, worry no more. According to research conducted by Gallup®, these types of fringe benefits are not what make an engaged workforce. …
Did you know that over 70% of employees are disengaged from their workplace? Did you know that this disengagement results in billions of dollars of lost economic production every year? How many of your employees are disengaged and how much is that costing you? The statistics above come from surveys conducted by Gallup®. Gallup® also provides us with the definitions around this term “engagement.” See if you can identify each of your team members’ level …
The coolest thing about the work I do is that my vision and purpose align with my strengths and passion. The vision that pulls me forward is to provide tools, knowledge and support to those who want to create a greater version of life. To do this, I need to reach as many people as possible through speaking, writing, coaching and team building. My Maximizer strength leads and is all about becoming greater. Strategic allows …
I am often asked if my coaching client base is predominantly women. I am not sure what prompts this question but the answer is usually surprising to the asker. It is no. I have coached more men than women by a small but meaningful margin. The sobering statistic that I have noticed from my unscientific, but based on real-life observations research, is that women fail to take the steps necessary to prepare and promote themselves. …
I’ve been writing a lot about confidence over the past few months. There is a reason for that. I believe it is the key to success for anyone for anything they want to achieve. For most of my life, that is the gift I have wanted to give people, the gift of confidence. The thing is, that is not a gift I can give anyone. It is a gift you give yourself. The closest I can …
It takes a lot of courage and confidence to pick yourself. Most of us don’t do it. Comfortable where we are, it is too much to risk to put our hand up or poke our head out. We wait for someone else to say you are ready, step up, you can do it. While it is great to have supporters, or the buzzword today, a sponsor, it still only comes down to one person…you. So …
How can you increase your confidence? Is there a book or course “How to Increase Confidence in 30 Days?” More than likely there is, yet I challenge you to set your own course for increasing confidence. As a young person, and still to this day, I would love to have the ability to give the gift of confidence to people. Yet that is not possible. I cannot bestow on anyone that level of faith in …
This question came from a participant in one of my strengths workshops. “Are certain strengths or characteristics common in leaders?” Many questions along this same line have been asked about leadership over the years. What do you think the answer is? Are leaders born or made? What are the characteristics of great leaders? Can you learn to become a better leader? These are all versions of the same question and a natural one to ask. …
The final key to mastery from George Leonard’s book Mastery is The Edge. Thus far we have reviewed the following: Instruction – the coach and other forms, reading, video, etc. Practice – the verb and the noun Surrender – to the instruction and demands of the discipline and of your own proficiency at times Intentionality – visualization and holding the vision The Edge is a willingness, a boldness to challenge previous limits and take a …
Have you seen it? Do you know where I left my copy? Can I borrow yours or have they made it an e-book yet? You haven’t heard of this book? Why it is one of the greatest reads and I can’t believe I misplaced mine! If only it were that easy! In our early years in life, instruction books are provided. They come in the form of textbooks and curriculums, progress reports and reports cards …
With the recent discussion of mastery in these messages, you need to know about the book of the same title written by George Leonard. I was first introduced to this little gem of a book and the keys to mastery in 2011 when I took a “master class” on coaching. In the book, Mr. Leonard identifies the Five Master Keys to Mastery: Instruction – the coach and other forms of instructions such as reading, video, …
The Masters golf tournament provides a great example of talent in action. The name of the tournament represents what it means to the sport of golf and its participants. What does it mean to be a master of something? How do we get to that state of Mastery? Perhaps a better understanding comes from looking at the stages to Mastery. Edit TALENT STRENGTH MASTERY Natural ability or aptitude State of being strong-physical power …
Highlight, underline, highlight, underline, dog-ear, dog-ear, dog-ear. Now, Discover Your Strengths is the most demarcated book in my bookshelves. Here’s why: my most commonly occurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior is that focusing on strengths is the way to stimulate personal and group excellence. Nothing is more powerful for me than to witness the transformation of something, and especially someone, from strong to superb. It takes just as much effort to take something from …