Executive Coach and Executive Coaching Articles

What gets you out of bed in the morning? What motivates you to go to work every day – despite the challenges, despite the stress, despite all the other factors that come with being a teacher? There might be lots of reasons why you Wouldn’t want to be a teacher… - Long hours - Low pay - Screaming kids - Difficult parents Just to name a few… but you do get out of bed and you do go to work every day to be of service to those children. So what is it that motivates you to do this difficult work? What’s your Compelling WHY?

I talk to strangers all the time. Elevators, department stores, office buildings, Whole Foods and gas stations are some of my favorite places to engage people in conversation. I've actually met some really interesting people that way. I enjoy hearing people's "stories:" HOW they became WHO they became. It took me years as an executive, however, to really understand the power of my voice – the way the things I said and the way I said them – impacted people's days, sometime

I was working with an executive coaching client the other day developing a strategy for the next steps in her career. For reasons unclear to me, I thought our discussion was off course. Was I not asking the right questions? Not hearing the underlying comments or insights? Influencing her answers by showing some form of judgment or perspective? All were possible. The challenge was how to get to the meat of the issues. It dawned on me to make the problem visual.

“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.” ~ Aristotle, The Philosophy of Aristotle Starting out in the TV industry, I had a very distinct role model for completing a day of work.

Do you want to generate more profits in 2012? (Yes, who doesn’t?) As small business owners and Entrepreneurs you are acutely aware of keeping your eye on the bottom line. If you want to raise that number of what’s left over at the end of the year there’s 3 ways you can go about it. 1. Generate more clients 2. Raise your fees for your products and services and/or 3. Streamline your business to be leaner, tighter and cheaper. In this article I want to focus on #3 to give you some great ideas to help you achieve a leaner business.

The pressure was on, each candidate striving to deliver the knock-out punch that would leave a lasting impression, swaying undecided voters. Two evenly matched candidates, this debate felt like a tug-of-war … one moment one candidate winning until the rebuttal, when his opponent would take the lead. While I thought Obama was closer to his second-debate performance tha Romney was to his first round win, all in all I’d say it was a draw. Why? Quite different in their styles, both men projected the confidence, credibility and connection that is critical to presidential leadership.

Seal the Deal more Effectively! 4 Week Blog Suzi Pomerantz, Executive Coach and author of Seal the Deal, blogs about how sales people can short-circuit the sales process and be more efficient in closing sales. How do you coach sales reps to be more effective in closing sales? If by effective ...

The only thing that is constant is change - We’ve all heard that saying at one time or another, and are very aware at how resistant we are to change. But an even more interesting question is: How much time do we spend on our reasons for the change, and getting resources to adapt and “power up” for the change. I love reflecting on life, and the lessons that life is teaching me. When I moved house I decided to pull up and replant a beautiful plant from my garden. But the plant

Now that you have learned what your struggle is, and accept that you are dealing with it, it is time to take action to resolve, discover the solution for, or feel better about, your struggle. You can decide to take action, or not. Most of us want so much to be at peace that dealing with our ...

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” ~ Charles Spurgeon Motivational tips are everywhere, thanks to the internet. I cannot imagine how you could possibly remain glum with all the motivation out there. Any day on Facebook brings dozens of motivational ideas to your Timeline with inspiring memes and practical quotations.

Ever have a question lead you into a new way of living? A few years into coaching teachers in San Diego, I smashed head first into a cast iron question. Ouch! Is everyone meant to teach - especially children? It interrupted my thoughts, took refuge in my dreams and generally made for a bitter companion. (The answer by the way is “No”.) At the same time, I heard of a 3 day coach training event for experienced coaches in San Francisco. I read a book by the teacher/ founder

Did you miss this? If you are a business owner, sales professional or rainmaker in your firm, I hope by now you have a LinkedIn account and a basic profile set up. However, if that’s about all you have, then chances are that you’re not really attracting a steady flow of new clients on LinkedIn. In fact, if you’re not generating at least 6 figures in new business from LinkedIn, you need to learn the inside strategies on how to play the LinkedIn game. See, once you learn these strategies, tips and techniques, the game of LinkedIn becomes a lot of FUN!

How might you define a healthy person? And if you already know what it means, would you say that you are a healthy person? What do you think is most important in being healthy: a healthy mind or a healthy body? Or could it be that having both mind and body equally healthy is the key? What is health?

What’s your Energy Signature? Have you ever walked into a room and felt the mood of the room before anyone even said anything? You know that feeling… Whether you walked into a room with your loved one, or into a conference room full of colleagues – you can sense the energy of the room can’t you? You Know when your spouse or partner is upset, before they even open their mouth and say a word. Don’t you? Or when you walk into an important meeting – you can sense the excitement or the impending bad news. This is because we’re all big bundles of energy walking around.

"Genius is perseverance in disguise" ~ Mike Newlin A lot of people talk about the attitude of seeing a glass half full vs. half empty. Which do you most generally see? I'm sure you already know that you can change your attitude. If you generally see it half empty, you can change it to half full, and visa versa. It's a matter of how you view a life challenge. Is it an opportunity in disguise?

6 Powerful Leadership Principles to Bring Out the Best in Your People As a business growth coach I am often asked the question, “What’s your advice on achieving fast business growth?” My one line response, “Never try to do it alone.” Whether you are the CEO or a key manager, the quickest road to fast business growth is through having a team of committed people. Strong development is what will allow you to laser focus on your core areas of competencies and not fall into the trap of wearing too many hats, which will only slow you down.

Have you ever wondered why some individuals make great leaders yet, no matter what they do or how hard they try, others fail at leadership? Most likely, it’s because great leaders share a common set of attributes that inspire others to follow them. If you want to be a leader in your field but are not sure how to go about it, let’s explore what you can do to become an effective leader. Having been a leader and observing leaders over the years, the following is a list of those attributes I feel best exemplify true leaders. 1. Leaders possess charisma.

Build upon strengths, and weaknesses will gradually take care of themselves. ~ Joyce C. Lock If you have worked hard to make the people in your life happy, you feel rewarded if they thank you, if you see them smile. You want your desire for their wellness and satisfaction to be rewarded, and you are willing to work hard to see that happen.

Let's be clear. I have some serious 'tude this week! What follows is a channeling of my inner Andy Rooney. It's well and good to offer suggestions. Yet, a growing group of self-help profiteers do that and more. They claim to actually inspire and motivate as they collect their fees, sign books, and sell even more programs and products. I don't know about you, but how can they know what will or will not inspire and motivate me? Are they mind readers too?

I decided autumn was a great time to clean out the garage. Thought, while I was at it, to get rid of the things that had been replaced or whose time had come. The answer was clear—sell it at my first ever yard sale. Here’s what I learned and how I think we can all apply some of the lessons to other parts of our lives.

Are you living your life on Purpose? Or, are you simply living to get through each day? You are created for a specific Purpose. This Purpose is to be lived out each day. One step taken each day towards fulfilling this Purpose. Earl Nightengale once defined success as "The progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal." Using this definition, I would submit that taking one step towards fulfilling your Purpose each day is that success we all seek in life.

Don’t you just love the holiday feasts? There are very few things I enjoy more than eating and drinking with reckless abandon over the holidays. When wine is freely flowing and the air is pregnant with temptation, it feels great to grab that extra scoop of cheesy potatoes. Or eat apple pie for breakfast. Don’t you think it’s proper to fully absorb the loving spoonfuls prepared by people we love? It’s only once a year, right? Here’s a seldom quoted truism: once we get past the age of 30, the average American gains one pound per year through age 70.

You spent hours polishing your presentation, making sure it was clear, well organized and easy to follow. It even included an inspiring call to action. After delivering it, you thought it was a home run — only your audience didn’t hear much of what you said. In fact, it was as if your audience wasn’t even in the same room. How could that be? What distracted them? The question isn't so much “what” as it is “who” distracted them. And the answer just might be “you.”

There are times when you shouldn’t tell the truth. rnI value honesty and integrity. You do too! Yet there are times when you shouldn’t “tell the truth”. “Really?” you may ask. Yes, really! Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, coach, consultant or other leader, don’t get caught in the false belief that “speaking your truth” is your first response in every situation. It isn’t. Sometimes not speaking immediately builds integrity rather than destroying

"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living; the other helps you make a life" (Sandra Carey). So how did I release 6 sizes and about 90 plus pounds in 1.5 years? As difficult as it is for me to make myself this vulnerable, I decided to use this opportunity and share that experience. Literally, I move toward my preferred outcome one choice at a time. What do I mean?

Why does putting our feelings into words--such as talking with a therapist, counselor or coach, or even writing in a journal--help you feel better? A new brain imaging study by UCLA psychologists, as reported in Psychological Science, may give us the answer.

I had just joined a Fortune 200 company in an executive level job. In the past when joining a new company, I had always taken time and great pains to figure out the culture of the place. Then I moved deliberately but cautiously in integrating my approach to leadership, the culture of the organization, and the challenges that I faced. I saw no reason to change my approach in this instance. The company had a reputation for being somewhat bureaucratic. As people who have worked

As a leader of your organization or your team – you set the course, the tone and the motivation levels of the people you’re leading. In order to do this, it requires that you have a level of clarity within yourself. Research shows us that Emotional Intelligence is key predictor of success. Unfortunately, it also shows that the higher leaders rise in the ranks, the lower the EQ they seem to have! Don’t become a statistic. Here are 3 common mistakes made by leaders that you can easily avoid by increasing your Emotional Intelligence.

The modern dictionary defines success as: to gain wealth or fame. Early American leaders held a puritanical belief that success was a sign of God's favor. Ben Franklin wrote that "the pursuit of wealth was virtuous and would lead to success." Andrew Carnegie believed in the pursuit of success and the making of money much like Franklin, but added the dimension of making more money for the public good- "It becomes the duty of the millionaire to increase his revenues, the more he makes, the more the public gets."

The holiday season is looming, and we’re all getting ready to party, but while this time of year can be hazardous to our waistlines and our wallets, there’s one event in the social calendar that can be hazardous to our careers, too. The dreaded office party! Sure, they can be fun. They can be a great time to build relationships with your colleagues. However, they can also be a proverbial minefield of potential slip-ups and career-damaging disasters.

Goal Setting - Your Success Template - Part Two : Focus Without Stress If you have helped yourself by completing the first part of the exercise you may be faced with a laundry list of goals and things “ I must do “. Don’t stress yourself . The Next Step Is Focusr

During these economic times, when the unemployment rates are too high people opt for starting and running a small business, for various different reasons. Running a small business can be a profitable and successful endeavor. But you need appropriate skills and ideas to make it one, without which it can create a lot of hassle and can turn to be quite stressful. Doing business is about increasing sales and profitability and if you do not meet these goals, the business is not worth the effort.

Don't dig your grave with your own knife and fork. ~English Proverb Dieting can be both a boon and a blessing. Yes, you might lose weight, but you have to also look at what it’s costing you in your health. If a diet promises rapid weight loss, you are almost guaranteed when you go off the diet, rapid weight gain will happen. This is called yo-yo dieting and it’s not healthy for your body, your self-esteem, and your health. Yo-Yo Dieting vs Healthy Dieting

Bottom line … It can be lonely at the top ! Executive coaching gives you the opportunity to examine your choices as a leader in a confidential and candid setting. Imagine having an objective and committed partner to work through the issues that you are facing. The coaching process is not only about increasing or improving performance, it is also about shifting the way you see and interpret the world which allows you to choose new actions aligned with your goals. After all, we know you cannot continue to do the same things, over and over again, while expecting new results.

To survive and sustain in the midst of sky-rocketed competition, the biggest capital is human resources. This is the tool for long lasting performance and a business can’t run without it. According to experts, developing and motivating employees is money well-spent. By developing your human resource and recognizing the leaders within your organization, you can survive for longer and top the competition easily. Here is a step by step to do list to make your business long las

Alte ative Stress Solutions Seeking Silence: Antidote to Stress It is easy to become stressed. Financial demands, loss of employment, marital riffs, co-worker conflicts, demanding bosses, problems with children, and health issues can all combine to increase your stress levels. As we know, stress takes a terrible toll on our bodies with serious health consequences such as heart disease and high blood pressure.

Integrated action seals the deal. Want to fast-track results in a business development venture? Want to step up your rainmaking timeline? Want to leverage your sales skills, marketing know-how and networking panache? The secret to impacting your success in sealing multiple deals lies in your ...

I once was asked to teach a class called "Getting Paid What You're Worth." A lot of people signed up to take the class. They all felt that they were not making the kind of money they deserved to make; most told me they had NEVER done so! They were all women, all bright, articulate, feeling people. And not one of them felt she was earning what she was worth.

There are times in life when we get jolted out of our normal reality by events that seem harsh and hard to understand. Many times bad things appear to be random and there is no way to really know why they happen, such as the tragic death of a young person or someone near and dear to you. Sometimes, even in tragedy people find meaning and respond by trying to do something good in the world. There are other events that serve the purpose of waking us up so we pay attention to so

By the time you were probably in your third grade, you were asked the questio "What do you want to be when you grow up?" In our society, job titles have come to define who a person is. By defining yourself by what you do rather than by who are you can put yourself in emotional jeopardy. By ...

Everyone likes to think they’re a good listener. Do you think you are? Why do you think that? How often when you are listening are you actively taking in what is being said, and how often are you mentally forming your response and waiting for your turn to speak? From the opposite perspective, how often does someone interrupt you when you are speaking? How does it make you feel? What do you think about a person who interrupts you? Do you find them selfish? Irritating? Immature? Disrespectful?

Authenticity. You've seen it preached here countless times as a vital component to a home-run presentation. But what if the material you're delivering isn't your own? A colleague recently auditioned to become a certified trainer for a well-known sales guru, delivering customized versions of his popular seminars under a licensing arrangement.

This is one of my favorite business quotes: "Vision without execution is really hallucination." I know several people who have taken credit for originating that masterpiece. I may have even done that occasionally. As obvious as its truth is, however, many organizations with lofty visions and grandiose, abstract mission statements don't actually get the work done to bring their aspirations to fruition. Strategic plans then become credenza ornaments rather than providing a road

Effective communication is something that I study extensively as I suspect that how we speak and listen to one another makes or breaks our interactions. What I discovered is this. While we humans may not consistently verbalize or say what we mean, we humans seem to have communication patterns and desires. After taking American Sign Language, a herd of writing and communication-design courses, and supporting thousands of clients with behavior modification and mediation (conflict resolution), I finally feel ready to publish my observations about this as a list.

"As a presenter, how do you make sure you’re ready for the 'big leagues' and poised to make a positive impact in a high-stakes environment?"> This question came from Carolyn, a long-time client, as we were reviewing 100+ speakers at an annual trade show — a marquee event for this leading industry association.

Imagine your blood sugar worries gone…swept away in just a few weeks from today! Imagine your doctor telling you that you’re no longer diabetic . . . thus eliminating the need for insulin and medications! Imagine avoiding the pain, suffering and unnecessary expenses by naturally reversing the root cause of your diabetes now.

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." ~ Goethe Isaac Newton created three laws of motion. They are quite brilliant. Each one of them supposes there has been some action, action being the key. In this article, we'll be taking a look at this action to see why it is so important, and how taking action is the key to getting started. It's not only important, it is critical, because unless some action occurs, nothing happens. The ever-brilliant Einstein concurs. "Nothing happens until something moves."

My good friend Jay Niblick, founder of Innermetrix International, recently completed a study called The Genius Project. His study became the basis for his latest book, What’s Your Genius? The Genius Project grew out of a desire to better understand two things: 1. What was the cause of the ...

I was shopping for a new tennis racquet in a store in northern Montgomery County, Maryland. It had recently changed hands after the prior owner had declared bankruptcy. The new proprietor greeted me with a hearty "good morning." I inquired as to the details of the transfer of ownership. He informed me that he acquired the furniture, fixtures and stock from the prior owner for a very reasonable price and assumed the rental commitment.rn rnI told him what I did for a living and

Live Forgiver Choose Lifer Breathe in Joyr Buy a little less Let go of status quor Worry and stress can go Realign, recalibrate, reassignr Dig deep for your ultimate purpose Saviour desires placed in your heartr Nourish your mind, body and soulr Take time to unplug from noiser Plug into to higher self oftenr Act on meaningful goalsr Love yourself wholer Keep life simpler Exhale painr Let gor Live!