I am working with a experienced client who just accepted a leadership position with an organization on the other side of the country. To displace his rumbling sense of guilt at his act of “disloyalty” – did he place his own career interests ahead of his allegiance to his current organization where he has been treated well for the past 13 years? – [...]
I am on vacation this week on Cape Cod. It has been a very hot summer, and I was looking forward to a pleasant week of relaxation, enjoying the warm sun, long walks on the miles of golden beaches, biking along the sand dunes and indulging in fresh seafood and summer ice cream cones as [...]
I am reading the novel Parrot and Olivier in America, by Peter Carey. It is based on the travels of a young French nobleman, Alexis de Tocqueville, who visited the United States in the early 1800s and wrote about the young country.
In preparation for an upcoming workshop I am conducting with a Board of Directors, I have been rereading the excellent book Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila Heen. The need for this workshop arose during the last Board Meeting I facilitated when it became clear that the work of the Board, and consequently of the organization, was hampered by poor communication.
People often adopt a myopic attitude at work. They focus on what they, themselves, need to do, lock themselves into their own universe and are often blissfully unaware of the impact they have on other team members or stakeholders. Communications are scattered via cyberspace, and electronic noise proliferates while human voices grow silent. Unity, community and alignment [...]
A client of mine was told that, in order to be promoted, she needs to demonstrate greater “Executive Presence”, which is the new buzz-word phrase in Leadership Development circles. But, she is puzzled about what exactly that means. It seems to be an elusive quality, and different people have different interpretations and opinions of what it actually is. This is my attempt to come up with a common framework for recognizing and developing “Executive Presence”.
Giving, gathering and receiving feedback is on my mind this week as I have conducted thirty six interviews with managers, peers and direct reports of six of my executive coaching clients, five of whom are ending a six month program and one of whom is at the start of hers. Indeed, feedback is on my mind! Feedback [...]
Search firms are useful job market intermediaries. They are used as brokerage firms and clearing houses between organizations and individuals. The experience and expertise of professionals in these firms in finding, filtering and evaluating candidates can be extremely useful. But, there are limitations to using such firms, and it is important to understand what those [...]
At times, organizational life by virtue of its structure has the capacity to stamp out the human spirit. It can shut down the spark of creativity, cramp boldness and individuality and perpetuate mediocrity. The result is a pitiful waste of human potential. Careers fail to flourish, learning dries up, and opportunities for positive change and growth wither [...]
Your career is a solitary journey, and leadership is a lonely business, so when you have the opportunity to work in a team or serve on a board, it can be an energizing and fulfilling experience. Though, it often isn’t. So what makes for a great experience and what doesn’t?
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