Dear Madeleine, I struggle with interrupting people—and I hate doing it. I usually realize it after it is done. What are some ways to help me overcome this habit and make personal improvements? Interrupter ___________________________________________________________________________ Dear Interrupter, I applaud your self-awareness, which is always the first step to any kind of personal improvement. My first…
Madeleine Homan Blanchard is on holiday break this week and will return with new questions from readers beginning on January 7th. While on break—and as we move into the new year, Madeleine suggested this advice she offered a reader looking for some help succeeding with New Year’s resolutions. Use this link to see the original…
Dear Madeleine, I am at the end of my rope with all of the new software platforms my company expects me to use as part of my job. Every time I turn around, there is a new app introduced but never any training. Or, if the app itself does provide training, it takes time to…
A new year is upon us. For many people, this time of year represents “out with the old, in with the new”—a new start or a new opportunity. I believe right now is the best time for self-reflection toward creating goals and identifying behaviors you need to become the person you want to be in…
As a coach, the majority of my coaching sessions with clients focus on achieving mastery in some form. Some topics are very specific, such as delivering presentations or listening. Others are broad, such as being an effective leader, communicating, or managing emotions. What exactly does it take to achieve mastery? It begins with clarity. Identifying…
Let’s face it, performance coaching isn’t easy. In many organizations, if an employee’s performance is poor enough that a coach is called in, it means the manager is in a last ditch effort to save them. Emotions are running high, termination may be looming, and the relationship between boss and employee may have degraded into…
Coaches have a front row seat to the habits that get in our clients’ way. One small but insidious bad habit can cost so much more than we realize. The research shows that the best way to nip a bad habit is to replace it with something else. Here are 10 potential things to stop…
Think about the last time you attended a training session. If you are like me, you got excited about the content, fired up about changing things back at work based on what you learned, and ready to be a different and better leader. Then reality hits. Hundreds of emails, 22 meetings, and 17 “I just…
All over the world, leaders are using coaching to gain a competitive edge. But does coaching solve every problem one might encounter in the workplace? “No. It’s not a panacea,” says coaching expert Patricia Overland in an article for Chief Learning Officer. “Determining when coaching is a good investment can be challenging.” Overland shares a…
Do you remember a time when you left a training session full of valuable knowledge that you were just itching to apply? Unfortunately, when you got back to your workplace, there was a pile of catch-up work that immediately became your top priority. And time out of the office had caused your inbox to explode.…