Executive Coach and Executive Coaching Articles

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine." ~ Anthony J. D'Angela We all try to be brave, keep moving forward, and keep a stiff upper lip. Our parents and teachers encourage us in this direction. But sometimes, things just feel overwhelming and we want to wallow in self pity. That's when the Pity Party starts and it's okay, as long as you learn from doing it and don't stay in that mode for days without end.

Has someone IM’d you recently? I don’t mean someone down the street or in another region, I’m talking about the person sitting next to you. Is every “conversation” you have with your boss on e-mail? Gotten a text condolence note lately? (I did, no kidding, can’t say it was very consoling.) Have one-word answers been elevated from grunting to an acceptable reply? My favorite is the “yup” response to a 20-word question sent from an associate to a higher-ranking executive.

Setting up an office isn’t as hard as it is made out to be! Or is it? On the face of it, you think it couldn’t be much of a trouble because all you need to do is get hold of decent space, set up some furniture and workstations and get your guys in. But when you actually get around organizing it, you find it requires meticulous planning and budgeting to create just the right kind of set up required for your business. Let’s look at some essential points to keep in mind while setting up a new office for your small business.

Employee disengagement is a malaise that can strike any organization at any point of time and it is best to stem the rot at the inception rather than end up fire-fighting. In the first part of this series "The Warning Signals of Employee Disengagement", we looked at the factors that incite employee disengagement. Let's take a quick recap: 1. Performance graph of an enthusiastic, efficient employee dipsr This is a warning sign. Take remedial measures before it is too late. 2. Proactive employees become reactiver

The job market in many parts of the United States and the world is shifting for the better. I have a number of clients and colleagues who are voluntarily choosing to make a move, often for more money and a better title. It should put all of us who work with and for others on constant alert. It always amazes me when people say they had “no idea” when a valued employee informs them they are leaving the organization. Here are some tried and true indicators. In the next issue I will discuss some potential rescue remedies.

The annual performance review has become a dinosaur because it has failed to change and evolve much in the last 50 years, while everything around it in business has. 50 years ago we had secretarial pools, carbon paper and mimeograph machines for making copies. Everything was sent “snail mail” and the Fax machine hadn’t been invented.

In my business consulting practice there has been quite the uptick recently of business owners struggling to find the right talent. It sure is tough to start the new year off with a charge when you’re so completely frustrated from the paltry results of your people. It is a painful feeling to see that you have poured so much of your time, money and energy trying to improve the performance of employees who you now realize just aren’t the right fit. If this is you: RESIST the urge to throw in the towel only to revert to being the one-man show (or one- woman-show).

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato I don’t believe there is a human being alive today who isn’t interested in maintaining a healthy, shapely physique, but one of the areas where all of us struggle is getting up early in the morning to do those early morning workouts. Here are a few tips that can help you to “rise and shine.” • Think about how good you always feel after your workout. Use that feeling as your motivation.r

What Exactly Is A Social Entrepreneur, Anyway?nnThe concept of “entrepreneurialism” was developed in French economics and has always been related to developing new markets and economic progress within a capitalistic framework. A successful entrepreneur of the traditional, capitalistic ilk refers to one who has the ability to take a business to the point at which it can sustain itself financially and operate with minimal supervision. nnWhile the jury is still out with resp

Ah the struggle. Certainly we have all, at one time or another experienced “the struggle”. Regardless of age, race, sex, religion or socio-economic status, everyone has experienced “the struggle”. Like good and bad angels on either shoulder pulling us in opposite directions, we are torn. Many ...

The statistics speak. Most people spend more time at work than in any other activity; more than hours with their family, eating, sleeping, or interacting with friends. That said, wouldn’t it seem logical that we would spend an hour and some effort making our workspace as conducive to the job at hand and our temperament and personality? But no, we have the biggest and the best TVs, golf clubs, cars, whatever, while our office furniture, cubicle, office vehicle is less than pristine, barely functional, and probably downright ugly.

Matthew was promoted to CEO of his biotech company one year ago today. He thought he had won the lottery, and looking from the lens of business success, he did. When he was able to hold the brass ring of personal fame high over his head he decided he had “made it” and no longer needed executive coaching. He had learned everything he needed to get where he wanted to go. He was, he told me, “happy and ready to run with all he had learned.”

Becoming a thought leader will radically improve the trajectory of your career and business. By definition, thought leaders are the ones people seek out for their insight and approaches. They are cited by others to prove their points, and their expertise inspires ideas and sparks fresh potential in others in your organization. My current favorites are Malcom Gladwell, who wrote The Tipping Point and Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt, who wrote Freakonomics.

You’ve heard people say again and again, “I learned more from my mistakes than my successes.” My reply is “I doubt it.” They’ll spend hours, days, and endless energy trying to correct (or worse defend) a mistake by analyzing and dissecting in post mortem, generally producing a patched up version of the mess they had. If you didn’t like model 101 what are the chances 201 will meet your needs any better? We see it in relationships all the time; people unsuccessfully date or hire the same type, over and over, hoping for something different and better. How often does that work out?

"Remember the guy who gave up? Neither does anybody else." ~ Anonymous It’s totally human to think that everybody out there is having an easier time of it than we are, that somehow we aren’t measuring up. You might be surprised to learn that they feel the same way you do. It takes having some years of experience to discover this and give yourself a little slack.

“Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch onto the affirmative.”rn~ Sam Cooke Counselors and psychologists now tout the very real effects of positive and negative intrapersonal and interpersonal exchanges. Without a doubt, everything we allow into the sanctity of our minds effects our well being, for better or worse, so it is only common sense to stand guard and use discrimination about what we decide may come in…or not.

Turnover, voluntary or forced, is part of the workplace cycle. As in nature, some changes take place a leaf at a time while in other instances a hurricane performs the serious pruning. This article addresses some things you should consider when an employee enters your office and says, “I quit!” Let’s start off with a bit of prevention.

Have you ever taken a careful look at the culture of your nonprofit organization? Is the culture positive or negative? Do people enjoy working there, or would they rather be somewhere else? The culture of an organization impacts staff retention, client satisfaction, and the organization's overall effectiveness and success. This article provides seven elements that need to be examined, to help your organization develop and retain a positive, healthy, and thriving culture. 1. Do you respect and trust your staff?

You just closed a huge deal; time to celebrate. Another buyer has decided that you da man. Time to cash the check and move on to the next opportunity.rn rnNot so fast, Mr./Ms. Wonderful! You've neglected Rule #1 in marketing: Customer expectations begin just as your attentiveness begins to subside. Said another way: Just when you thought you had the customer wrapped up, some interesting, unanticipated and generally irritating phenomena kick-in. Although a seller's infatuation

“Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” ~ Mark Twain Do you think of yourself as being ambitious? Is there a plan inside your mind hidden from everyone else that strives to supersede the achievements of all others? Is this driving force inside of you something you value? Does it bring you joy and a sense of satisfaction? Or does it leave you exhausted with a sense of “never going to be enough?” How do you define ambitious?

Your feeling is the period at the end of the sentence. It’s the result of what you thought to a conclusive state, and it is the only way things can manifest in your life. The way to gain control of your feelings is to return to your second position and re-think what you’ve thought there because your feeling is the automatic result of what you’ve thought deeply enough about to become convinced.

This is an excerpt from an essay Michelle contributed to the book, Winning Without Compromising Yourself.

I was raised by Grandparents who went through the Great-US Depression in the 1930s. So, I have a unique perspective about finances among my peers. Let me just say it. Getting a rein on our budgets is about common sense, effective stress management, as well as longer-term happiness and wellness.

Christmas is the time of year when we get into a celebratory mood. We bring out our best garments, our best recipes, our sincerest form of love. It's a time when we can say "I love you" through many different channels. Please think about your loved ones during this lovely season as you read this message: If I knew this would be our very last day together, I'd kiss you goodnight and ask God to bless you forever and ever.

Did you know that only 7% of our communication comes through speaking? The rest of communication comprehension relies on visual and energetic cues such as eye contact, facial expressions, body language, posture, touch and movement. With this in mind, it’s key to be conscious of what you’re communicating on ALL levels. How you show up in the first minute of meeting someone new, sets the stage for all your future interactions with this person. Good, bad, or otherwise… This takes raising your emotional intelligence through greater self-awareness. Is your body language giving you away?r

Executive coaching clients wanting to enhance their role and impact in their current workplace continuously ask me, “How do I get greater recognition?” “Make sure my boss doesn’t get all of the credit?” “What’s the best way to be found by potential employers and thought leaders in my field?” My answer is often “brand yourself.”

In almost every sales training seminar or book on selling ever written, there is inevitably a chapter on “overcoming objections.” They will tell you that these are buying signals or a marker that tells you the customer is really requesting more information. I’m here to tell you that is a farce. Nobody likes to be sold or persuaded. In the business environment of the last few years, their buying decisions carry an incredible amount of risk. One buying mistake and they could be out the door. Change? Risk? In 2012, that’s awfully scary stuff.

Sense and non-sense of exorbitant financial incentives. The annual performance reviews are behind us and many C-level executives, salespersons, accountants and senior managers have claimed their yearly bonus. What a waste of money! Research shows that there are at least three reasons why bonuses don’t produce the anticipated effect. 1. Bonuses have a negative effect on intrinsic motivation.

I came upon a survey by Universum, a global employer branding company. They asked more than 65,000 college students to list what they considered to be the top 250 employers. No surprise Google ranked #1. Consulting companies such as McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting were high on the list as were brand names such as Coca-Cola, Disney, and Proctor and Gamble. Just like workers in other age and education groups, the students rated job security and an ability to advance in their careers as very important.

So much to do -- so little time to do it all. I can't tell you how many times I have heard exasperated people lament that they just don't know how they will get it all done. That's part of the problem -- if our expectation is that we are supposed to get everything done that is on our to do list, our expectations are just plain unrealistic.

I recently had the opportunity to invite a friend and her grandchildren to a local fair. I’ve been going to the event for years and like the predictability and tradition; plus it supports a good cause. The carousel is always in front of the big house, the face painting under the elms, and you can count on the stampede to the rummage sale and vintage clothing tent. There is something remarkably calm about the entire experience and the kids, young and old, love it.

I have interviewed potential applicants for a variety of staff positions over the past 20 years. In the nonprofit field, I have found there are certain steps supervisors should take when interviewing potential candidates. My top seven items to consider during the interview process, to ensure you identify the most interested and qualified applicants, are as follows: 1. Once the closing date for accepting applications and/or cover letters and resumes has passed, decide who will review all application related materials.

Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream. ~ Charles Baxter I know every one of my readers has experienced the joy of eating ice cream only to be suddenly hit with a brain freeze, mind-numbing headache. Am I right? Well, let's look at what causes brain freeze and what you can do to make it go away.

"I am successful," "I am a wonderful person," "I will find love again," and many other similar phrases that students, the broken-hearted and unfulfilled employees may repeat to themselves over and over again, hoping to change their lives. Self-help books through the ages, from Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking all the way to the latest, The Secret, have encouraged people with low self-esteem to make positive self-statements or affirmations. New research suggests it may do more harm than good to many people. Canadian researcher, Dr.

Research on how the human brain can affect behaviors--called neuroscience, or the popular term, brain science--has yet to be fully appreciated by leaders of organizations. That knowledge could have a significant impact on how leaders are trained and what they do. In the past few decades, scientists have gained new and more accurate scientific views of human behavior, studying the human brain.

According to Wikipedia, “Customer satisfaction is defined as the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." Customer satisfaction is a great indicator of customer response to your products and services and your brand identity. While figures pertaining to sales or market share reflect company’s current performance in the market, the level of customer satisfaction defines the sustainability of your brand in the market.

The Hallmark of great companies is their ability to consistently make and execute good decisions. Companies that succeed in developing their ability to “decide and deliver” not only turn in better financial results, but also cultivate more engaged and motivated employees. In short, they make decision effectiveness a source of lasting competitive advantage.rnIn ‘Decide and Deliver’, the authors draw on Bain & Company's extensive research and detailed case studies from

93 percent of large enterprises had a security breach in 2012 while 87 percent of small businesses faced a security breach in the same year which is up by 11% over the last year, says a UK-based PwC survey. This article discusses the ways in which you can protect your database from hackers. Businesses these days can’t do without Internet. From business promotion to employing cloud services for online transactions, Internet is an essential element of information, data handling and operational infrastructure.

Feel like you’re on a treadmill that will never stop? Too much to do? Too much to get done? Just as with how the overlap between our work and our home lives has become blurred, and technology has connected us to people and tasks around the clock, we could all be working 24/7 and still feel overwhelmed. How can we get it all done? You’re not alone. Millions of Americans are frustrated with their growing to do lists, their constant connectivity, in their seeming inability to get anything accomplished. On top of that, a lot of us try to do everything for everyone else. We care.

Money is tight everywhere. Even people doing well are feeling the impact of local, national, and global slowdowns in the economy. That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean no one is getting merit increases, promotions, and salary adjustments. Whether you work for a company that has a very structured compensation review process or are employed in a more entrepreneurial setting where salaries are handled in a less formal manner, you have to have a strategy and approach to making sure you are getting what you have rightfully earned without jeopardizing what you have.

Companies could do a lot more to remove the triggers that bring patterns forward for most people. Stress is subjective. Performance evaluations, for instance, inspire a tremendous amount of dread. Although honest feedback is both healthy and helpful, evaluations are usually structured such that the person being evaluated hears too much criticism or none at all. There are employees who will balk at any consideration that they must improve. They will become underhanded to “kill the messenger”, that is whoever is the bearer of the performance evaluation “bad news”.

When we think of the brain, many of us imagine this elegant, fine tuned machine with electrical currents firing rapidly as our senses take in and process thousands of pieces of information. Not so much.

The annual meeting of the International Coach Federation is a great time to connect with my colleagues from around the world and spend time with friends who I respect so much that I’m always pleasantly amazed and grateful that I can contribute to them!

As a woman, you may have experienced at least once or twice in your life, someone who has tried to make you feel small and unworthy, as if you didn’t belong or were an outsider, just because you were a woman. Does this sound familiar? I know it’s happened to me, and a lot of other women on more than one occasion. You would think in this day and age, we would have moved beyond petty behaviors such as this. Sadly though, if you turn on the news you see it still happening around the world in many ways, shapes and forms.

Financial resources play a huge part in how well nonprofits can market their programs and services. Most nonprofits don't have sufficient funds to do everything they would like to, but it is important to use what funds are available to the fullest extent. Thus, nonprofits should attempt to use as many free services and programs as possible. This article provides some ideas that are free or may have a minimal fee attached.

In 1979, AT&T debuted its iconic “Reach Out and Touch Someone” ads on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Almost quaint by today’s standards, the emotion-driven campaign highlighted the power of picking up a phone and connecting with someone across the street or across the world. Though the tools may have changed — Skype, cell phones, Facebook, Twitter — the concept of “reaching out” and connecting with someone (or lots of someones!) on an emotional level remains just as vital for today’s high-stakes presenters.

Let's face it, everyone engages in an altercation or fight at some point in their life. It can be with a spouse, partner, parent, sibling, friend, or coworker. The important thing to remember is that no one wins in a fight. If people are yelling at each other, they are not listening to each other. Here are some tips to prevent a fight or ensure that once one starts, it doesn't escalate into a full-blown screaming match.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia Are you so busy with the things you merely do, that you find yourself not actively listening to the folks around you? Have there been communication breakdowns between you and them? If you’d like to increase the fluidity of the relationship between you, have you ever thought that paying attention to them through listening could be one of the best methods?

s I see it, there are really three places you can exist in your career--Comfort, Growth, or Fear zones. Let’s assess where you are. Think of a work issue, your current status, or even take a bird’s eye view of the recent past. Ask yourself “Where am I?” “Am I operating mostly in my comfort zone?” You know the comfort zone—the place where there are no surprises, few challenges, not too much pressure, and a tolerable pace. Before you scream “I wish!” Think about it as a day-in, day-out routine.

It’s quite simple to stay busy. For most of us, if we did nothing but respond to our email we could remain occupied all day long. But being busy doesn’t equal being productive.