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PDFGuest post by David A. Buczek, President DB&A
Dr. Charles Czeisler from Harvard University, one of the foremost authorities on sleep research, recalls the time when he encountered 
a woman in a remote village in South America where there was no electricity. In her humble home there were no lamps and just a few tiny candles. Czeisler asked through an interpreter how she managed to move about her home at night, in case one of her children needed assistance, for example. It took several minutes of translated dialogue to understand the woman’s dismay with the question. Her response was simply that her children, and she and her husband for that matter, never were awake at night. When the sun went down, they wound down their day and went to sleep. When the sun came up, the roused and went about their day, fully rested.
This anecdote points to a sharp contrast between how agrarian societies in the past managed their sleep, and how different we view sleep today. The invention of the electric light bulb a century ago was a huge achievement. It meant people could be more productive by lengthening their day. It also had a down side as well in that we began trading sleep for activity. Today, the competition for our attention is enormous and relentless. No matter the time of day we have options for staying in constant conversations with friends, being entertained, or working away the hours.
Statistics show that in 1959 the average reported daily sleep duration among Americans was 8.5 hours. In 2007 that plummeted to 6.7 hours. Also in 1959 only 2% of people reported receiving less than 6 hours of sleep. In 2007 that number reached 20%! All humans, with rare exceptions, need between 7 and 9 hours of good sleep each night to function properly. Without proper rest our brains cannot consolidate learning from the day before, and our bodies cannot recharge and recuperate. In short, sleep deprived people are less able to be fully productive. That means that while we think we are being more productive sacrificing sleep for work, we may actually be less productive in the long run.
Leaders need to be aware of the pressures that they place on themselves and their employees; pressures related to long work hours and limited time for rest and recuperation. Adequate time for sleep, rest breaks, and even naps can improve the cognitive reserves of our employees, and that means fewer errors, happier workers, and increased productivity and profits. To learn even more about the importance of sleep, breaks and naps, be sure to attend the webinar Effective Leadership Requires Effective People to be held on June 12th. Register here: http://msbcoach.com/effective-leadership-requires-effective-people
About David A. Buczek
The President and Co-Founder of DB&A, Dave Buczek is a proven leader with diverse experience in the professional services industry.
Mr. Buczek co-founded DB&A in 2002 and has led the development and growth of the firm since its inception. Prior to starting DB&A, Mr. Buczek led the Digital Business Strategy practice for Healthcare, Government and Not-for-Profit clients for Sapient, a premier internet consulting firm. Before that he was a senior level consultant and practice manager at American Management Systems and Xerox Integrated Systems. He began his professional career at MITRE, C3I Division, in McLean, Virginia.
In addition to his consulting work, Mr. Buczek has also taught graduate level courses in the MBA program at The American University, and in the Masters in Technology Management and MBA programs at George Mason University. In addition, he was the co-developer of a program of study in IT Portfolio Management for Georgetown University. Mr. Buczek is currently developing a sequential program of study for George Mason University, Center for Infrastructure Protection, in Fatigue Risk Management.
Guest post by Susan J. Thomas, Ph.D. of IBM Global Business Services
This is a question that we hear more often than we’d like. When we are building proposals for large transformations, some clients look
for ways to streamline the work to cut expenses. This is particularly true for technology transformations where the focus is on the IT infrastructure with so many decisions focused on system selection and integration. A recent study by a colleague found a direct and strong relationship between the inclusion of a robust change management plan and success with the technology project.
So we did some exploring and uncovered several issues relating to managing change.
Communication
- Failure to communicate when a change occurs or is about to occur. If processes, procedures, management, or even the redesigning of a workspace is never communicated to employees or staff, you will indeed face anger and resistance. No matter how large or small a change may be, if employees are left out or are never aware of the change, it can be disruptive
- Providing communications – but inadvertently leaving out some employees, especially those a few layers ‘down’ from management
- Implementing a large change all at once rather than through phases.Lack of training
- One of the most common – and challenging – issues. An organization may have a communication plan in place to provide information about the change, but no specific training to enable employees to use the new technology.
Underestimating the impact of change
- Implementing new technology typically focuses on getting the system up and running. Typically there are many other changes – including new processes, new roles and responsibilities, and often new timeframes in which activities must be completed. It’s only when the new system has gone live do many of these issues surface, often resulting is very frustrated employees and less than optimal use of the new technology
Involving too many people in the change process
- Involving a ‘cast of thousands’ in planning for the change may cause as many challenges as not having a change management plan! If there are many people involved in the planning, consider the amount of time to gather all the input, get consensus on the plan to move forward, and actually get ready to execute. Remember the adage… “too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth”
Lack of follow through on the change management plan
- A change management plan is only as good as its implementation. The many components of a change management plan – identifying change impacts, development a business readiness plan, identifying and managing stakeholders – takes time – a lot of time! When change fatigue sets in, there’s suddenly no time to attend meetings and continue work on the variety of change activities.
So how do we share the vision and value for change management?
Stories or brief case studies typically resonate with clients and that focus on what works and what could have been done better. And these stories show how all the pieces fit together beginning with the change impacts – a topic about which most clients have not considered.
A second approach is to provide an overview of the elements of change management and focus on the value. I’ve also tied in a discussion of change management with plans for value realization activities – with a focus on what’s required within the implementation phase for the client to gain or ‘realize’ the value of their new system.
Join MSBCoach and Susan Thomas for the upcoming webinar Leading Change to Support a Large Scale Technology Transformation on May 15, 2013. Register here: http://msbcoach.com/leading-change-to-support-a-large-scale-technology-transformation
About Susan Thomas
Susan J. Thomas is Managing Consultant with IBM Business Consulting Services, Human Capital Solutions. She works with a variety of clients and companies to provide consulting services in the areas of skills competency analysis (which includes different types of questionnaires), certification test development and skills assessment, questionnaire development (both paper-based and Web-based), and training evaluation. She also assists clients with data-based decision making by helping them design question-naires and by performing statistical analysis and data mining to help them make recommendations and create action plans. Prior to joining the IBM Corporation, she was a measurement statistician and test development specialist with the Educational Testing Service. She was also an adjunct professor at Rider University, where she taught graduate courses in research methods (including questionnaire design), testing and measurement for teachers, basic statistics, and authentic assessment.
Previously, she was a faculty member at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Florida State University, where she taught courses in measurement, research design, and various areas of educational and developmental psychology. She has directed numerous funded research projects, has presented extensively at the annual meetings of the American Educational Research Association and the National Council for Measurement in Education, and has served as a Divisional Vice President of the American Educational Research Association. She has published several journal articles, as well as Evaluation Without Fear with coauthor Roger Kaufman, and Designing Surveys That Work!, a predecessor to the current book. She conducts workshops for teachers on topics related to assessment and has developed many training guides for these workshops. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and received her Ph.D. from Purdue University.
Pam Clark, Coach and Trainer Specializing in Mediation, MSBCoach
Authentic leaders align their leadership style with their personal purpose and values, and that is what helps them inspire and perform consistently.
So how exactly do you go about creating this style? You can start with the exploration of your values, assumptions and beliefs about yourself.
Answer these 4 questions:
- What are your reasons for being a leader and how are you influencing people today?
- What results are you getting, both positive and negative?
- Who specifically are you leading today?
- How does your leadership impact the relationships of those you are leading? Note again both the positive and negative effects.
Then consider the following 4 desirable outcomes:
- How can your personal values (e.g. integrity) affect your leadership, and what does your leadership look like after it has been affected by these values?
- What can you do to develop your team’s skills and competencies and enable each member to deliver on performance?
- What can you do to inspire your team to focus on their skills and create consistent performance?
- What measurements will you use to evaluate your leadership style and the relationships that you have with each of your team members?
After considering these 8 questions, try to create a deliverable leadership statement of your style, philosophy, values and intentions.
Then deliver it!
How can you keep building on your effective leadership style? If you feel that you can profit from our business coaching assistance in the matter of business leadership, please contact us at MSBCoach by calling us today at 804-502-4319, or by visiting our website at http://msbcoach.com/.
About Pam
Coach and Trainer Specializing in Mediation, MSBCoach. Pam Clark brings experience from a variety of environments. Her earlier career in the UK was spent in the healthcare profession where she worked in Radiation Oncology as a Radiation Therapist for over fifteen years and then in Pharmaceutical Sales with Pfizer UK. During her time working in the London teaching hospitals she taught students; advocated for professional development; validated courses; contributed to raising quality standards with ISO9000; was an outside assessor at interviews for top level positions and for overseas candidates applying to work in the UK. She also gave presentations at conferences as well as continuing her own career development, where she gained a graduate Health Service Management certification.
Prior to leaving the profession she took a key role in the commissioning team for a state-of- the -art cancer centre. Her transition into Pharmaceutical Sales meant further training with professional boards. As she continued working in the healthcare environment she loved, she learned and developed her sales skills. In 2004, Pam moved to the USA with her family. After her arrival, she continued to merge her love of health and training by becoming a Pilates Instructor and Trainer at ACAC Health Club in Charlottesville, VA. Pam is now currently working as an Associate Mediator with Positive Solutions Group, LLC where she is a certified with the Supreme Court of Virginia and is their Training Program Director. She mediates family, business, employer/employee, contract and any other disputes that require resolution. She believes strongly in adapting to change and environments and loves to help others achieve this too.
12 steps to better manage your energy 
Michelle Braden, CEO MSBCoach
We have all seen the messages that pop up on our dying phones – “low battery”, “20% battery life left”, “10% battery life left”, or likewise when our vehicles’ low fuel light comes on. When we see these “warnings” we know that we have to get to an energy source, such as a wall outlet, or a gas station. Have you ever found it odd that we are better at managing the energy of our phones and the fuel in our vehicles than we are at managing our lives?
If your phone battery dies, you do not try to continue to use the phone. To do so would be silly and futile. Yet somehow, we are not as aware of the “warning” signs for ourselves. When we become tired and overwhelmed, we often continue to push to the point of poor performance and physical exhaustion.
Becoming aware of the warning signs is different for each of us. Yet if we are attune to our own bodies and our mental and emotional states, we can find these warning signs within ourselves. I encourage you to get in tune with yourself and know your warning signs. Below are some questions that can help you stay energized:
1. What are the tasks that give you energy?
• For example: Do you get more energy from being around people or from being alone?
2. What are the tasks that drain your energy?
3. How do you manage to balance your energy between the things that give you energy and the things that devour your energy at a time when it is necessary to perform some of the latter?
4. How many hours of sleep do you need a night?
5. What do you do when you are not getting enough sleep?
6. How often do you do something that you enjoy… just for fun?
7. What are your physical responses when you don’t have enough energy?
• For example: I make more mistakes and cannot think clearly.
8. What are your emotional responses when you don’t have enough energy?
• For example: I get irritable with those I care about the most.
9. What is one step you can take today that will make a difference in the way you manage your energy?
10. What is one step you can take today to listen to your physical and emotional signals?
11. Who can help hold you accountable for your own energy management?
12. On a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest), how self-aware are you? (If you scored low or lower than you would like, these steps are just a few that will help you become more self-aware).
I encourage you to be as smart with yourself as you are with your Smartphone and your vehicle. Don’t you deserve more attention than these items? If you would like information about using a business coaching partner to help you get started on this journey, then contact us today for information about our coaching services at http://msbcoach.com/coaching. And if you have suggestions on how you manage your energy, we would love to hear from you… please share your comments with us below.
About Michelle Braden
Michelle Braden is the CEO of MSBCoach, an ICF certified business. Michelle is an ICF and TED certified coach and received her Advanced Human Behavior Certification and Wellness Coaching certification from the Leadership Institute of America. She is an advanced certified associate of Emergenetics, Int. and advanced trainer for DiSC. Michelle has worked with notables from Morgan Keegan, Capital One, the University of Virginia, General Dynamics, LexisNexis, and the City of Charlottesville, and has served in leadership, coaching and training positions for corporations such as Robert Half International and Retirement Unlimited Incorporated. She has written two leadership training manuals for The Church of God International and is a freelance writer for Thought Leaders Blog, Lead Change Blog, Leadership Courseware Blog, The Business Networker, and Forward/Adelante magazine.
Are you an MSBCoach Partner? Sign up today to receive insightful blog posts like this by email. You’ll also receive exclusive updates about MSBCoach events, including the Authentic Leadership Summit! Enjoy around-the-clock access to a world-class leadership community, sharing ideas, information and resources that will enhance your leadership experience.
5 questions to see if you are in leadership alignment 
by Michelle Braden, CEO MSBCoach
April 14, 2013
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony”, Mahatma Gandhi. This is a meaningful quote and one I find to be true. I have worked in leadership and with leaders for over 20 years and I am still surprised (although I should not be) when I work with a smart, experienced, and a well read (in leadership) leader who knows all the right things to say, yet does not practice what they preach. For a leader’s credibility and influence, it is invaluable that their words and behaviors align. Nothing will destroy trust in the leader and the organization faster than this lack of alignment.
Several years ago I had a colleague who worked with an organization that was having many challenges. This colleague worked for several years trying to get to the root of the problem. She slowly peeled the onion, building trust and uncovering the source of the “cancer”. Eventually the true root was revealed. The CEO constantly spoke of honesty, integrity, and family values, and how important all of these things were to him and the organization, and all the while he was having an affair with a subordinate within the organization. His lack of alignment was not hidden, even though he thought it was… and even when people do not know exactly “why”, they can usually discern when sincerity is not “real”.
This is one extreme example of words and actions not aligning. However, misalignment shows up in many forms, such as respecting people, valuing time, being dependable, not gossiping, taking care of your mental and physical health… just to name a few. The truth is that none of us are 100% perfect at leadership alignment, but we should always be striving to be as close to perfection as possible.
Are there any places in your personal or professional leadership that are out of alignment? Are there things (even the smallest things) that you do not want others to know about? If so, I challenge and encourage you to ask yourself “why? “ Remember the quote we opened with: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony”. You will not only be a better leader when you are in alignment, but you will also sleep better at night, be healthier, and enjoy more meaningful work and personal relationships. To thine own self be true first.
Below are 5 questions for the “thought leaders” to ask themselves:
- What are your values?
- How do your leadership behaviors reflect these values?
- When have you been out of alignment?
- Are you usually in alignment?
- If I asked your team members, colleagues, bosses, friends and family members this question, would they give the same answer that you did?
If you would like an accountability partner to work with you on your leadership alignment, contact us today to find out more at http://msbcoach.com/what-we-do or info@msbcoach.com. Having a leadership coach is a meaningful way to begin or enhance this journey, and “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, Lao-tzu.
On September 30th, we are excited to have countless regional and international business leaders converge in Charlottesville, Virginia to network and learn new ways to ignite employee engagement and increase productivity within their respective organizations.
At this year’s Summit, business leaders will be able to choose from three different Tracks, each comprising of three sessions. Track 1 (Employee Engagement) focuses on Employee Engagement and is led by MSBCoach’s own Rick Albee and Pam Clark. The first session of Track 1 is entitled “Employee Engagement: What Is It?” and covers all the components of employee engagement in order to emphasize the positive effect that engaged employees have on organizational success. Session 2, “Employee Engagement: The Critical Leadership Connection” sheds light on the role that leadership plays in preventing and addressing employee disengagement. Lastly, Session 3’s “Employee Engagement: Best Practices” details how inspired leadership can ignite employee engagement, and explores the do’s and don’ts in areas such as recruiting, leadership, culture, policies, and reward.
Track 2 (The Engaged Leader) will emphasize your role as a leader. Session 1, “Your Personal Leadership Brand” will be led by Cindy Calhoun of Elevate Training and Development as she discusses the ways to create an effective personal brand statement, and ways to manage your brand through social media. In Session 2’s “Leading Through Adversity”, Cynthia Murray, Senior Business Management Professional, will be examining the ways an organization can “survive and thrive” through leadership’s ability to recognize and resolve problems of a personal, group, or community nature. Session 3 will be anchored by Jim Roman, founder and CEO of Business Owners Institute. He will reveal the ways to motivate people and have your business excel in any economy in “Leadership Blind Spots & the 4 Drivers to Leading an Organization’s Success”.
Michelle Braden, MSBCoach’s own CEO, will kick off Track 3 (Power Leadership) with her session on “Power Thinking” to examine the thinking skills that make up an outstanding leader. Session 2 of this Track will be led by Kelly Chamberlain, Director of National College, in his extremely interactive discussion on “Building and Maintaining Trust as You Lead Change”. Joel Andrews, noted developer of leadership development programs, will wrap up this Track on an introspective note with Session 3’s “How Will You Measure Your Life? Building and Leading your Leadership Legacy Now!”
We hope that you can pick the Track that best suits your needs! For more details, please see http://
Please don’t forget to take advantage of our Early Bird and 10+ Registration discounts at http://
by Rick Albee
Vice President, MSBCoach
I wish I had a nickel for every time in my career that someone pointed to “more training” as the solution to either overcome a performance shortfall or to develop professionally. I might be just as rich if I had only a penny for every time training didn’t work and failed to produce the desired outcomes. Let me assure you that the people being trained were just as smart and capable as anyone else. There was absolutely no good reason why the training did not “take,” or so it seemed.
This is where it is vital to understand the difference between “learning” and “behaving.” Clearly, learning is a critical first step. But once something is learned, it now takes a different set of circumstances to put the learned knowledge or skill to work.
Case in point: How many people today over the age of three know that a) your risk of dying prematurely is higher if you smoke cigarettes, and b) your risk of dying in a car accident is greater if you do not wear a seatbelt? If your answer to those questions is “everyone”, you would not be far from the truth. If you don’t believe me, do some informal research by asking a sample of people a few non-leading questions on these two subjects.
Nevertheless, I can barely go a day (or hour) without seeing someone smoking a cigarette. Nor can I go a week without opening the local newspaper (yes, I still read one) and reading an account of the now-dead accident victim who was not wearing a seatbelt. My purpose here is not to climb on a soapbox and preach about the risks of smoking or not wearing seatbelts. People are free to make choices, despite information that would suggest that behaving differently would produce a better outcome.
Which is entirely my point. If some people choose to smoke cigarettes and not wear seatbelts, despite knowing the potentially grave dangers associated with such behaviors, does it make any sense to continue “training” or educating them? Most of these folks will even admit the error of their own ways. Maybe a few will ultimately “get it” and change, but more than likely they’ll roll their eyes (yet again) at you, or tell you to buzz off, or rationalize their behavior, or whatever. Changing behaviors takes more than just “knowing.”
So many things affect people’s actual behavior choices, and knowledge is just the first step. After that, we have to consider a variety of factors, from values, to constraints, to motivations, to rules, to incentives, and a host of others. Someone who really wants to change often needs a coach or accountability partner to help them through what is often a difficult process of changing.
Make no mistake, organizations need to keep on training their employees. But learning is not enough. Once knowledge is gained, other considerations are needed to help make it “stick”. When training doesn’t seem to have worked, organizations must be open to other ambiguous or conflicting factors that are preventing people from implementing learned skills and knowledge.
New approaches take time to implement, longer to establish as a habit, and even longer to perfect. Failure is inevitable early on, so patience and persistence are an absolute must. That’s where coaches, mentors, and accountability partners can be a huge help. Someone in that role can provide positive reinforcement and help the individual gain confidence and hold herself accountable for making the change.
What’s your experience with training that felt right when it happened, but fell short of expectations?
Great leadership isn’t just a good idea – just ask an engaged and productive employee. At MSBCoach, our experienced coaches help good managers turn into more effective and dynamic leaders. Contact us today.
About Rick Albee
Rick Albee joined MSBCoach in September of 2012 following a prominent career as a business leader, executive coach, organizational development professional, and human resources leader. The companies he has served through the years include Hamilton Beach Brands, Reynolds Metals Company, Philip Morris USA, Dominion Virginia Power and The Boomer Project. He began his career in such diverse capacities as environmental engineer, lobbyist, and area business manager before finding his “calling” in organizational development and human resources. Rick holds BS and MS degrees in engineering as well as an MBA degree. He is a fervent believer in people as the primary source of an organization’s competitive advantage.
Rick has earned executive/leadership coaching certifications from the following:
- Center for Executive Coaching, Osprey, Florida [an ICF-designated Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP)]
- MSBCoaching Institute, Charlottesville, Virginia
In addition, Rick has earned certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and as a Certified Compensation Professional (CCP).
Other affiliations and specialized areas of expertise and certification include:
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® practitioner
- Master Trainer, Development Dimensions International (DDI)
- Managing Personal Growth (MPG) Facilitator, Blessing-White
- Change management
- Shady Grove YMCA Board of Management (currently vice chair)
- SHRM
- Richmond SHRM (currently VP of member development)
- International Coach Federation, Greater Richmond Chapter
- WHIMBY – Richmond
Today, April 2, 2013 is National Reconciliation Day. You may be wondering what National Reconciliation Day has to do with Leadership. To “reconcile” means to settle or resolve, or to further elaborate, reconciliation is the act of getting two things to become compatible with one another (vocabulary.com). As leaders, it is our responsibility to create unity, even in the midst of chaos, to work with our teams, customers and vendor so that we can create a culture of compatibility. Read the full article here.
Pam Clark, Coach and Trainer Specializing in Mediation, MSBCoach
That’s a good thing ….. if you are an authentic leader…
About a year ago, Schaumberg and Flynn from the Stanford Graduate School of Business revealed that leaders can lead better and gain more respect from their employees when they have feelings of guilt.
Why ?
Because guilt prone people carry a strong sense of responsibility.
It is important to note that there is a distinct difference between “shame” and “guilt”, however. When someone feels guilty, they feel bad about a specific mistake and will want to make amends. If they feel ashamed of a mistake, they feel bad about themselves and usually shrink away from the error, preferring not to take action.
Schaumberg and Flynn’s research reveals that guilt proneness is an even better predictor of emerging leadership than extraversion, which is a well-known mark of leadership.
Although guilt is seen as a negative emotion, and leadership skills are generally positive, guilt is the exception to this rule. And although it feels unpleasant, guilt can motivate leaders to do the right thing for themselves and other people.
Schaumberg explains that there are many ways to respond to mistakes and other problems, which include blaming others and blaming yourself. But the most constructive response, and the one people seem to recognize as a sign of leadership, is to feel guilty enough to want to fix the problem. He states, “When thinking about what traits are important for leaders to possess, there tends to be a focus on what people do well. But we know that people make mistakes and mess up, and it’s important to look at how people respond to those mistakes because that’s a clue to who they are.”
So ask yourself this, “what am I feeling guilty about today?” Has guilt helped you to acknowledge feelings about issues that you would have otherwise continued to ignore? Has this acknowledgment helped you to take action? We would love to hear your stories about how feeling guilty has helped you as a leader. The people on our MSBCoach leadership team are experts at building upon their feelings to construct positive motivations. Please contact us at MSBCoach today to help you increase motivation and productivity in your workplace.
About Pam
Coach and Trainer Specializing in Mediation, MSBCoach. Pam Clark brings experience from a variety of environments. Her earlier career in the UK was spent in the healthcare profession where she worked in Radiation Oncology as a Radiation Therapist for over fifteen years and then in Pharmaceutical Sales with Pfizer UK. During her time working in the London teaching hospitals she taught students; advocated for professional development; validated courses; contributed to raising quality standards with ISO9000; was an outside assessor at interviews for top level positions and for overseas candidates applying to work in the UK. She also gave presentations at conferences as well as continuing her own career development, where she gained a graduate Health Service Management certification.
Prior to leaving the profession she took a key role in the commissioning team for a state-of- the -art cancer centre. Her transition into Pharmaceutical Sales meant further training with professional boards. As she continued working in the healthcare environment she loved, she learned and developed her sales skills. In 2004, Pam moved to the USA with her family. After her arrival, she continued to merge her love of health and training by becoming a Pilates Instructor and Trainer at ACAC Health Club in Charlottesville, VA. Pam is now currently working as an Associate Mediator with Positive Solutions Group, LLC where she is a certified with the Supreme Court of Virginia and is their Training Program Director. She mediates family, business, employer/employee, contract and any other disputes that require resolution. She believes strongly in adapting to change and environments and loves to help others achieve this too.
Michelle Braden, CEO MSBCoach
I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that made me think, “how ignorant”…. The bumper sticker said, “I’m against the next war too”. I am sure your first instinct is to wonder if I am “pro- war”… that is not the point at all. The point of this blog is not about war, it is about making broad-stroke statements without all the right information. How can you declare that you are not for the next war when you have no idea what the next war may or may not be about?
As a leader, have you ever made an emphatic statement based upon past experience (good or bad) and have no idea what exactly the future holds? I have heard leaders say, “we will NEVER do that”… (whatever “that” is to you). How do you know you will never do that? A better statement would be, “unless something changes…”, or, “unless I have better understanding, we do not plan to do…” I have also heard leaders say, “This worked so well; we will do it this way from now on…..”. Another way you might say this is, “This worked really well, let’s implement this approach and continue to evaluate it moving forward.” When a leader uses either of the extremes mentioned above, they may run the risk of boxing themselves in, or worse yet, they may discredit themselves. As a leader, I encourage you to think before you speak and guard not only what you say but how you say it.
Have you ever made an extreme, emphatic statement and later regretted it? If so, we want to hear about it. If you have never worked with a coach or it has been a while, we encourage you to contact us today. A coach can help you navigate through leadership blind spots and enhance your leadership presence.
About Michelle Braden
Michelle Braden is the CEO of MSBCoach, an ICF certified business. Michelle is an ICF and TED certified coach and received her Advanced Human Behavior Certification and Wellness Coaching certification from the Leadership Institute of America. She is an advanced certified associate of Emergenetics, Int. and advanced trainer for DiSC. Michelle has worked with notables from Morgan Keegan, Capital One, the University of Virginia, General Dynamics, LexisNexis, and the City of Charlottesville, and has served in leadership, coaching and training positions for corporations such as Robert Half International and Retirement Unlimited Incorporated. She has written two leadership training manuals for The Church of God International and is a freelance writer for Thought Leaders Blog, Lead Change Blog, Leadership Courseware Blog, The Business Networker, and Forward/Adelante magazine.
Are you an MSBCoach Partner? Sign up today to receive insightful blog posts like this by email. You’ll also receive exclusive updates about MSBCoach events, including the Authentic Leadership Summit! Enjoy around-the-clock access to a world-class leadership community, sharing ideas, information and resources that will enhance your leadership experience.