In our coaching practice we often coach leaders who are dealing with change in their organizations. One universal coaching truth we share with our clients is change starts with you. What do you need to say and do differently for your team to believe change is real? How do you demonstrate your commitment to achieving…
“Thank you for your transparency!” These words came at the end of a presentation I gave where I shared a new strategy—a strategy that would require change, including new roles and some sacrifice, from everyone. I wasn’t sure how everyone would respond but I knew I would have my best chance of successfully leading the…
Change is inevitable for most organizations—especially in today’s dynamic business environment. For individuals, change may result in new responsibilities, new roles, or new leaders. When coaching clients through organizational change, we see many concerns surface due to people’s feelings of uncertainty as well as the added stress brought about by the change process. So what…
L&D professionals have a unique role to play in supporting senior executive vision—but only if they are fully equipped to operate in the same high level of executive space. Generally speaking, training is a fixed and tactical instructional event. As a result, the challenge for L&D professionals is how to have the mindset, as much…
When your organization and people are challenged with impending doom—I mean, impending change—leaders often stick their heads in the sand and hope it passes. Yes, it will pass, but your organization can take advantage of the transition using the science of motivation and what we know about the way people experience change. People go through…
Each year the American Customer Satisfaction Index compiles the results of 70,000 random customer interviews to identify customer satisfaction in 43 industries and 10 economic sectors. The top industries for service: Televisions & Video Players (score 86), Credit Unions (score 85), Internet Retail, Internet Brokerage, Full-Service Restaurants, Automobiles & Light Vehicles, Personal Care & Cleaning Products, and Soft…
In his new book, The Culture Engine: A Framework for Driving Results, Inspiring Your Employees, and Transforming Your Workplace, author Chris Edmonds identifies a common problem that keeps many leaders from addressing potentially dysfunctional corporate cultures—they aren’t aware of how bad it really is! In Edmonds’ experience, leaders—especially senior leaders at the highest levels in…
What’s the bigger challenge—coming up with good plans or executing those plans? That’s the question I was looking to answer when I asked 700 webinar participants what they experienced most often in their organizations. I showed them a 2×2 grid with Plan along one axis and Execution along the other. I asked the participants to…
Organizations around the world have been forced to change the way they do business. The worldwide recession, downsized workforces, and value-conscious customers have created a new set of expectations. A just-released white paper from The Ken Blanchard Companies identifies key strategies for leaders. Here are four of my favorites to get you started on positioning…
In an article for Strategy + Business entitled The Promise (and Perils) of Open Collaboration, author Andrea Gabor identifies the challenges organizations face when they choose to adopt a collaborative work environment. According to Gabor, the biggest obstacle for an organization is the deep change required in the way knowledge is controlled and shared —…