A free, searchable archive of Executive Coaching Tips to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want to be perceived.
Executive Coaching Tip
for August
Managing Bad Behavior
Managing Trauma
July 2018
Volumes of confusion
Marisol’s organization had rewarded her powerful performance as an individual contributor with the leadership of a small three-person team. They’d also given her a coach to help her begin her leadership journey. More
Taming the Wild Child
June 2018
“In Your Own Way”
Maxine was going to be a star – if she could just “get out of her own way.” Those were the words on the street about Maxine. They were even her words about herself.
During a coaching session, after she’d spoken the phrase once again, I asked her what it meant for her to “get in her own way.” More
Readiness in coaching
May 2018
Troubled history. Tough decision.
Darryl supported the decision I was making. We didn’t know what Grace would think of it.
I was withdrawing myself as the coach for one of Grace’s direct reports, a lawyer named Sterling.
Sterling, most agreed, created swirls of difficulty in every endeavor. His constant difficulties had prompted the company to get him coaching. But soon even the coaching had it’s own swirl of difficulties. More
360s: Weapons or Tools?
April 2018
Battling styles
Jenna had been my coaching client two years earlier. We’d enjoyed each other immensely and done meaningful work. She told people proudly that the coaching had helped her land her current role.
Now, the global non-profit where she worked was rolling out a new 360-degree feedback instrument. She’d been in the pilot cohort and had received her feedback report. She got in touch with me to sort through some questions. More
Influence
March 2018
Responsibilities without authority
Jared was pissed. And he was making no secret of it.
Assigned to a special projects team, he had responsibilities but no authority. He felt he spent all his time pleading with people for resources or work hours. But people had their own jobs and their own responsibilities. They said they wanted to help. They gladly put Jared on their “to do” list. But, with no authority, Jared just had to wait. More
The Sound of Leadership and of Management
February 2018
Barking management
Reiko and I were exploring the differences between leadership and management. During our conversation, she had wondered whether the two actually sound different.
I said to her, “You seem pretty comfortable in both camps, Reiko. Does your version of leadership sound different from your version of management?” More
Leadership versus Management
January 2018
Which is which?
Reiko had leapfrogged her colleagues. Now, while still leading her large group of accountants, she was going to become the CFO of a division as well. Her boss, a huge supporter, got her coaching so she could step boldly into her new role while still juggling the old one. More
The Conflict Conversation
December 2017
‘Conflict House’
Ashley wanted coaching on how to argue.
I had told her about a concept I call “Conflict House,” a place where people with conflicts have to go if they want to resolve their conflicts. Whether an argument is large or small, whether it goes well or is a disaster, every conflict happens inside Conflict House. More
Conflict
November 2017
A house with two doors
Ashley was fed up with two of her direct reports. A bubble of anger between the pair seemed in constant danger of exploding. Their conflict had impacted productivity and quality, and she wanted it to end.
I asked how each direct report approached conflict. More
