When we think about professional development and building skills to move our careers forward — or professional development for our organization’s emerging leaders — what comes to mind? Often, professional development that addresses important functional skills is readily available and easier to teach and measure. We don’t hesitate to sign […]
by Amanda Kathleen Zinke, MBA, MSOD, PCC Motivated by Appreciation A few weeks ago, one of my coaching clients was talking through her current work situation. She was ready for a next role and being very thoughtful about not only where she could add value and make an impact. My client […]
By Fran LaMattina, PCC Each of us is constantly faced with the need to say “No” to the good and say “Yes” to the best. This is not an easy challenge, since it rears its head at home, at work, in our relationships, with our finances, and, mostly, with our […]
Maurice had a handwritten to-do list covering two full pages. Full of circles, arrows, and stars, his list was a reflection of his demanding, complex work day. Diligently updating his list every evening, Maurice crossed out several completed items and add a few new ones. But he did not feel […]
By Barb McAllister, M.S., MCC When I worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Seattle, I had the opportunity to be the Project Managers for a large-scale transformational change process for our office of 600. Our Regional Administrator was the Change Leader, and I was the Change […]
President Harry Truman once said, “C-students run the world.” Truman was in many respects an average person who, through middle-age, possessed an unremarkable record of achievement. A reading of his biography, however, reveals a man with an astonishing reserve of persistence, focus, and resilience. In part, what Truman meant when […]
By Kevin Anthony Johnson, CPCC, PCC A non-profit executive—I’ll call her The Boss— joined an organization with wide eyes and an expansive vision full of possibilities. The organization was well funded, housed in a multi-million-dollar facility with state-of-the-art technologies and the board’s chair seemed quite eager to get her onboard. […]
“This year,” Nia promised, “I’m going to make some real changes! I’m going to be a more patient, attentive listener at work, and I’m going to get back in shape and go the gym.” She was excited and enthusiastic. Nia’s willpower was a force of nature to be reckoned with! […]
By Lilian Abrams, Ph.D., MBA, PCC One of the hardest things for any of us to see clearly are our own strengths and development areas. Yet it’s vital, especially for leaders, to know their own strengths. These are likely the foundation for how they got to where they are, […]
Several dynamics are critical to the development of a fully functioning high performance team. In “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team,” author Patrick Lencioni talks about a common team dysfunction — the fear of conflict — arguing that most organizations would benefit from more conflict. It sounds completely counter-intuitive, but […]
