Your Leadership Coach

The phrase for the week is "Stand Firm.” Individuals with any measure of success are without question, engaged in some level of risk taking.   Not reckless risk, but strategic risk--supported by research, a strong network and faith.   For a business enterprise, these calculated risks result in increased market share, an innovative product design, and can distance the company further from their nearest competitor.   This week, identify a project, initiative or idea you’ve been considering.   Do the required research to support your position and the opposing points of view.   Be clear on how this can move the organization from point A to point B.   Be clear, be confident and stand firm. I do my research and I stand firm on my ideas and decisions.

The word for the week is "Communication” Communication is central to all aspects of life. It’s a critical skill for maintaining your personal as well as professional relationships. ·          Builds trust ·          Establishes credibility ·          Lays the foundation for great leadership Be aware of the nonverbal cues you receive when speaking your mind.   Silence does not automatically mean agreement. When communicating, ask don’t tell .   Being asked lights up “positive visioning areas” in the brain, associated with greater cognitive and perceptual openness.   Being told can activate “negative emotional attractor” areas of the brain, causing defensiveness. I communicate clearly and listen for clarity and understanding.

The phrase for the week is "Know When To Walk Away” You might be humming the Kenny Roger’s hit “The Gambler.”   It is so appropriate for this week’s affirmation.   We often hear, “hold on tight to your dreams,” “persevere,” “never give up.” It is so specific. So, if I let go of a dream, give up--am I a failure, a loser? How do we know when it may be time to sunset something that isn't working? When do you focus on what you've learned and move on? I’ve read a lot of self-help books over the years. Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud stayed with me for years and I’ve recommended it to countless friends and clients.   In it he states, “Getting to the next level always requires ending something, leaving it behind, and moving on. Growth demands that we move on. Without the ability to end things, people stay stuck, never becoming who they are meant to be, never accomplishing all that their talents and abilities should afford them.” Wow!   I was so relieved to consider th

The phrase for the week is "Contingency Planning” When I was growing up in Chicago, I loved to play chess.   What I loved most about the game was trying to predict what moves my opponent might make and what I would do in response.   I’m too impatient for chess now, but I have used those skills throughout my career and am confident it has been the foundation for much of my planning success stories.   I call it contingency planning but the formal term is scenario planning. It is so much a part of how I approach my personal and professional life, I rarely realize I’ve engaged this tool.   In order for this level of planning to work, you must be committed to the amount of time it takes to sift through all the possible outcomes or scenarios.   Often, a person will only plan for the outcome they want and when things go awry, they are back to square one--researching, planning, etc.   Often there is a mourning period before they are able to regroup to begin again.   Meanwhile, I