Executive Presence Series: Where can I buy myself some confidence?
A few weeks ago I was watching from the back as a leader facilitated a session with about 30 people. As I see this person present—a petite, informally dressed man, slowly walking around the room, speaking in a measured, quiet voice, participants sometimes straining to...
Bridging the Gap: Jennifer Lynch on Relational Creativity
In my “Bridging the Gap” articles, I will interview people in academia who are researching leadership and organizational psychology, so that, as practitioners, we can learn from and apply their insights. Jennifer Lynch is a former McKinsey consultant who now...
When your strength becomes a liability
Tina is an excellent lawyer: smart, technically competent, and empathetic; clients love working with her. However, her tendency to put herself in the shoes of her juniors also means that she avoids providing tough feedback to them because it makes them feel...
Executive Presence Series: Connect with your audience
A couple of weeks ago I took a two-day class: it was one of those rare occurrences which, in a small yet important way, changed my life. The workshop—on “finding your voice”—was offered by the business arm of The Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts (RADA) and it was...
4 myths about networking you have to stop believing
“I hate networking.” I hear this phrase when working with clients all too frequently, and it’s usually accompanied by the person claiming they’re not good at networking and need to find a way around it, because it’s simply not going to work for them. I get it. I’ve...
Use these 4 steps to give difficult feedback
I will let you in on a secret: in all my years of leadership coaching, this little framework that I am about to share with you consistently gets the biggest positive reaction. These 4 steps hit a nerve because they simplify a workplace land mine: providing feedback to...
The art of saying NO
You might be surprised how much of my practice is spent talking to clients about how to say “no” when they are asked to do something. We live in a culture where high performers are rewarded for saying “yes” to all opportunities and requests, and enthusiastically, too;...
Executive Presence Series: Choose your words wisely
Impressive leaders choose their words deliberately: sometimes this means few words, other times many. One thing is certain: leaders who demand our attention rarely ramble aimlessly. And if they do, they are probably seen as leaders despite it, not because of it. In my...
Why LEADERSHIP 361°?
We often use 360-degree feedback in leadership development.
The +1? The executive coach—me.
This is my blog. My tips, musings, and point of view about leadership.
