While today’s career world for many is about something other than “The Climb,” my coaching ranks and workshop programs are filled with individuals striving to scale their impact and, for many, gain a seat at the executive table. If you are motivated to grow your responsibilities and engage at a senior management level, you must cultivate your knowledge and skills in five critical areas. In part one of this series, I focus on developing as a strategist.
The Leadership Caffeine Blog
How to create focus in your work (and personal) life to stimulate success
But, creating and maintaining focus is a battle. I often fail until I remind myself yet again of what’s important and then take action to cut out the noise and distractions. Here are some ideas to help you create focus on your path to success:
Leadership Development is Indeed Failing Us—Time for a New Approach
When it came to leadership development investments, as an executive, it grew frustrating to send people to name-brand organizations and have them return with a “nice experience,” a big bill, and no visible strengthened abilities or sustained changes.
Senior Leaders: Your New Manager Development Efforts are Failing Your Firm
Unfortunately, many (read: most) organizations are mired in a broken model for new manager development, emphasizing one-and-done training and avoiding longer-range sustained development that blends coaching, mentoring, cohort collaboration, and even executive sponsorship.As a result, too many new managers are left to flail and, if not fail, at least under-perform, wreaking havoc on performance, engagement, and retention.
It’s That Time of Year for Managers—Don’t Make These Mistakes with Your Performance Evaluations
The real work of getting performance evaluations starts long before you reach the time to write and discuss them. Nonetheless, you’re at the 11th hour. Here are some tips you can use at this late date to help you do your best for your team members.
Tired of the drama storm? Effective managers write the rules of the road with their teams
In my informal survey of coaching clients, workplace drama is all too prevalent and distracting. Managers are tired of officiating the he said/she said/they didn’t/I can’t work with… issues that creep up in daily work. They are looking for a solution—something that places responsibility where it belongs. I teach my managers to write the Rules of the Road with their team members to solve this problem.
Special Open Enrollment Workshop—Nine Reasons to Join the Feedback Skills Boot Camp
Join me for a powerful, practical professional development experience on 11/16 from noon to 3 p.m. Central for the latest Feedback Skills Boot Camp. Three hours and an amazing price (because it’s a group) to strengthen skills that will serve you for a career.
Toward a Better Model for Leader Development
Our traditional methods for developing leadership talent in our organizations, including check-box training, loose mentoring, and limited access to coaching, need to be changed for a world where all organizations need to field talent able to help align, execute, and renew at the speed of change. We need a different model for leader development.
Seven Big Insights from the Latest Manager Development Program Cohort
One of my pleasures as an executive and emerging leader coach comes from the time spent in session with the cohort groups in my various programs. I am inspired by their passion for their work and hunger to learn and exhilarated by some of their perspectives. Here are seven big insights from the recent Manager Development Program cohort:
Be the Example and Lead Yourself First in Challenging Workplace Moments
The world of work is filled with challenging moments, unexpected events, and unanticipated reactions. Learning to lead yourself first is critical for survival and seizing any possibility of success in these stressful moments. Here are three techniques to help:









