From the Huffington Post today: “President Barack Obama may have a problem with confrontation, but First Lady Michelle Obama certainly does not. Ellen Sturtz, 56, a lesbian activist protesting President Obama’s delay in signing an anti-discrimination executive order, paid $500…at a private...
leadership
‘No’ Is a Complete Sentence. (Anne Lamott)
Say "no" to make your "yes's" mean more. It's that simple. - Dana Theus. What happens when you imagine saying ‘no’ to someone? Does your chest tighten or your stomach knot up? Do emotions arise? Anxiety, perhaps, or even panic? How do you react mentally? Maybe you get fuzzy-headed or think, “Oh, I...
Innovative Leadership 101: Develop a Perspective Protocol
Sometimes we have to accept the reality that innovation can’t always be planned, but when we find a pattern to help us increase the likelihood of spontaneity – why not try to learn it and bake it into the corporate culture? In their new book “Great by Choice,” Jim Collins and Morten Hansen have...
Five Steps to Start A Mentoring Circle
Did you know that according to this 2011 Linked In survey of 1,000 women professionals, while 80% said having a mentor was important, only 20% actually had a mentor? In my work as an executive coach and speaker, I notice how easy it is for many women to second-guess ourselves. We tend to focus...
Feedback Coaching: How to Get Results with “Tough Love”
While many feedback coaching tips expound on the benefits of empathy in providing difficult-to-hear messages, there is a limit to empathy’s effectiveness in feedback situations. Don’t misunderstand me, I do believe empathy is a critical element of all feedback sessions. However, one thing I notice...
Living and Leading in the Covid-19 Economy
One thing is clear listening to the news these days, whether we get back to normal sooner or later, “normal” won’t be normal for a while. Scott Gotlieb, former FDA Commissioner captured for me what to prepare for: the 80% economy. In the 80% Covid-19 economy, there will be no massively packed...
My Wish List for Senior Executives
What key skill should every senior executive (and anyone aspiring to be one someday) master? The art of listening. John helps us understand why this is so important. How can you improve your listening skills this week? (We all can!) - InPower Editors Several people asked me recently what the most...
4 Key Leadership Lessons From Top Female Executives
What leadership lessons do you wish you'd known earlier in your career? Which ones would you like to learn the easy way instead of the hard way? Recent studies have revealed something that many savvy women have known all along: women are good for business. With so many women-run startups...
Business Leaders – What Don’t Your Employees Tell You?
Bosses, Do you know what’s really going on in your organizations? According to the Speak Truth to Power Survey I fielded last month, no. You’re often not hearing what your people really think. According to my unscientific-but-interesting poll, almost half your potential workforce (48%) indicated...
Women Leaders: Communicate With Grit And Grace
“I know what I want to say, but HOW do I say it without getting ignored or killed?” In my experience as an executive coach, this question stymies women leaders as much as any other issue. Why? Because organizations often require women to operate within a painfully narrow stylistic range: nice, but...