Delegation and control are common topics with my coaching clients. They recognize the importance of delegation and how it can serve them, but some still struggle with letting go. In order to free up space to be more strategic, have a greater impact, be more efficient, and achieve work/life balance, delegating appropriate tasks to others…
Dear Madeleine, I started my career in marketing and had some great jobs, but I really became interested in the people side of things after being trained in communication and working in teams. My graduate studies were in Organizational Development. I am still at the first job I was offered—in HR as a trainer—but I…
In his seminal 1973 book, The Nature of Managerial Work, Henry Mintzberg proposed ten roles that define the day-to-day activities of a manager. They are: Figurehead, Leader, Liaison, Monitor, Disseminator, Spokesperson, Entrepreneur, Disturbance Handler, Resource Allocator, and Negotiator. These roles are still referenced in modern articles about management and in training courses for managers. The…
The new, completely updated, third edition of Ken Blanchard’s perennial bestseller, Leading at a Higher Level, was released just last month. The first edition came out in 2006 and featured the best thinking from 18 different authors, summarizing the key concepts from all the Blanchard programs at the time. The new edition continues that tradition.…
In this exciting episode, Peter Bregman shares his thoughts about leadership and the importance of showing up with confidence, being connected to others, and being committed to a purpose in a way that inspires others to follow. He explains that the most successful leaders not only know what to say and do, but are willing…
Dear Madeleine, I work in a professional services firm and we have an open-space concept. Almost everyone is on the phone all day or reading complicated documents. We have one assistant who supports a whole bunch of the senior people, and she sits right near me. She is an idiot, and loud to boot. Every…
As we wrap up season one of the LeaderChat Podcast, Ken Blanchard and Chad Gordon revisit some of their favorite episodes. They share new thoughts about the important messages from our guests and invite you to send questions you would like Ken to answer in future episodes. Just send your questions to podcast@kenblanchard.com. Enjoy this…
Dear Madeleine, What is your opinion about New Year’s resolutions? I have a list of goals as long as my arm for the New Year, and I realize I am probably overdoing it. How do I know how much is enough, and how much is too much? Feeling Ambitious ________________________________________________________________________ Dear Feeling Ambitious, There is…
Dear Madeleine, I always get a little overwhelmed during the holiday season, but this year I am at the brink. I have a big team at work and I usually try to create some kind of fun event for us—but this year it just isn’t happening. There is a massive problem with our technology and…
As we wrap up season one of the LeaderChat Podcast, Ken Blanchard and Chad Gordon revisit some of their favorite episodes. They share new thoughts about the important messages from our guests and invite you to send questions you would like Ken to answer in future episodes. Just send your questions to podcast@kenblanchard.com. Enjoy this…
Dear Madeleine, I have a good relationship with my boss. We communicate well and I admire him a lot. Over the last two years, he’s the one who has helped me learn the job and tackle problems. This great connection has caused all kinds of issues I hadn’t anticipated, however. My coworkers seem to think…
Dear Madeleine, My problem is that my people—not all of them, but enough—are extremely needy. They come to talk to me and they take up hours of my time. They talk about their kids, their lives, and their problems and seem to expect that I’m fine with listening to all of this. I’m not. I…
One of the biggest challenges leadership, learning, and talent development professionals face when they propose a new training and development program is convincing senior executives of the positive financial impact of the proposed initiative. Without a compelling presentation from L&D managers, it is easy for executive leaders to dismiss a new proposal as being too…
When you are a coach who works with leaders from all walks of life, you begin to notice patterns. One pattern I’ve noticed is that about one-third of the leaders I work with consider connecting and building relationships a part of their job, while the other two-thirds do not. This second group of leaders generally…
Hi Madeleine, Earlier this year I joined a consulting firm that works with companies in my previous industry. I had taken a break to get a management degree and got a taste of consulting doing an internship that was part of my program. I believed consulting would be a different world where I would learn…
