In my last post I shared the dysfunctional relationship pattern between leaders and direct reports as part of what author Barry Oshry describes as “Dance of the Blind Reflex” in his book Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life. Continuing this theme, another primary dance we may find our clients in is between someone…
The first step in becoming a great leader is to understand who you are. Unfortunately, most leaders don’t realize that this first step, knowing yourself, should never end. Why? Because as you grow and develop as a human being and as a leader, aspects of you will inevitably change—as is the nature of growth and…
I’m working with an organization that, like many, is going through change. During coaching sessions I’ve become aware of some dysfunctional patterns of behavior that can prevent both leaders and individual contributors from moving through change as smoothly as they otherwise could. It’s a phenomenon that is quite common in many organizations—one that business author…
Dear Madeleine, I am in my early 30s, new to management but with 11 years’ experience in high profile financial roles—private equity, investment banking—coupled with an MBA from a top school. I work for a midsized nonprofit as executive director of their affordable housing division comprising two functions. I run one function and a director…
There’s currently some fantastic technology out there, from wearables and self-lacing shoes (yes, like the ones in Back to the Future) to VR and spectacular advances in science that will someday make it to consumer products. But what about beyond the current advances? And what about tech that can help us become better leaders? Currently,…
As we grow and learn as human beings we come across things in life which make us wonder how different things could have been if we knew then, what we know now. Working for a leadership company now, I often think about my first time manager role and how I really wasn’t as good of a manager as…
This Coaching Tuesday guest post is by Lynn McCreery. For many of us, true leadership is about being purpose and values driven and putting the needs of those we lead above our own. We want the heart of a servant leader to be at the core of how we live our lives. Sometimes it is…
It sounds odd, right? Why would pain have any connection to coaching? There are a number of definitions for the word pain. For our purpose, let us consider the Old French verb pener, which means “to strive for or endeavor.” At its most basic purpose, pain is an indicator—a messenger, if you will—from the body…
“Perfectionist” pəˈfɛkʃ(ə)nɪst noun 1. a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection, e.g. “he was a perfectionist who worked slowly” adjective 2. refusing to accept any standard short of perfection — I am a perfectionist. I mean, I’m not obsessive. The volume on the radio can be odd or even – that…
Ever been in a really bad mood , you air some frustration and everyone wants to give you advice? You don’t want to hear about what ‘they would have done ‘or ‘in their experience’. Sometimes you just want to vent and be heard. Not sure whether it is because I am an extrovert or that I love…