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...
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...
How to build a culture where people do their best work
Front and center on my website I say “Great leaders are human and results-oriented.” Occasionally I get the question “What does this really mean, beyond a nice sounding tagline? What exactly sits at the intersection of being human and results-oriented?” There are many...
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...
Executive Presence Series: The Power of Conviction
Executive presence is not necessarily about being the loudest in the room (*caveat below). I think we all know loud people who do not make the right impression, just how we can all think of quieter, yet compelling leaders. Different people can still have executive...
How to get mentorship, if mentors are rare
Mentorship is a hot topic. A mentor will share their wisdom when you get stuck on a problem, build you up when you get discouraged, and ultimately accelerate your career. My coachees constantly ask me "how do I find a mentor?" It's a great thing to have; it's also...
When you drown in work, try stepping back, *not* pushing through
As any lifeguard will tell you, if you unexpectedly fall into a cold body of water, the best thing to do is to float or gently tread water, staying calm and conserving resources while the cold shock goes away. This is actually much easier said than done: if you are...
Lead with your values
I was recently doing an interview-based 360 for a leader who is looking to get promoted and the feedback he got was "I don't get the feeling he really wants this." And it's a very valid question. Do you want this*? *[where "this" means promotion x, or job y, or move...