I read recently that the average workweek is now 47 hours. Based on many of my clients’ experiences, that’s an understatement. For all the talk about work-life balance, the pressure on business leaders to be available 24x7 does not seem to be dissipating any time soon. And, all the ever-connected technologies at our fingertips don’t help the situation. Nonetheless, as a leader, your … [Read more...]
JELL-O Mold or JELL-O Mess
Even if you buy the need for strategy, it’s hugely time-consuming and taxing to get your team or organization on the same page. In short, it’s something that most people avoid. It’s much simpler to just get ‘er done….regardless if what you’re doing gets you closer to your goals. We’re busy, people! Yet, when we dodge the time and energy needed to flesh out sound strategies for how to … [Read more...]
What’s Your Story?
Most of us have enriching backstories that never make it to the front page because we fear it will show us in a less than favorable light. We tend to keep our introductions chronological, title-focused, and dare I say, sleep-inducing. A typical introduction goes something like this, “Hi, I’m Jane, the Senior Director of Marketing at XXX, with 25 + years of sales and marketing leadership … [Read more...]
SMART Goal-Setting Made Easy
Some people prefer to take each day as it comes and hope for the best. They thrive on the spontaneity of it all, and I respect that fully. Others stay clear of goal setting because they fear the possibility of failure. The gremlin inside their head whispers, “If I don’t set goals, then I don’t have to lament not achieving them.” While others aren’t necessarily opposed to … [Read more...]
How do you spend your most important asset?
24 hours a day, 168 hours a week, or 8,736 hours a year. That’s what we get. It’s the one resource we all have in common. The difference, of course, is how we each choose to spend this incredible gift of time. Off the top, most of us spend somewhere around 56 hours of each week sleeping. That leaves 112 waking hours a week. Then, if you take the “normal” workweek of … [Read more...]
Business Dashboard Smarts
You wouldn’t drive a car without a dashboard, right? Well, technically, you could get somewhere. But, without a dashboard, you might: Exceed the speed limit Run out of gas Get lost (if your dash includes a GPS) And, while none are dire consequences, each take you off-course and prevent you from getting to your destination in an efficient manner. The same goes … [Read more...]
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…
When’s the last time you looked in the mirror? I don’t mean that last minute look in the mirror for something green between our teeth after a lunch meeting. Actually, I’m asking figuratively, about your business and your personal leadership capabilities. In other words, have you taken stock recently of your: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats? Or, in acronym … [Read more...]
How Does Your Leadership Wheel Roll?
There is a lot written about leadership. I mean A LOT! If you search for leadership books on Amazon, 21,907 hardback books come up. Must be a pretty important topic, or a lot of trees are sacrificing their lives for nothing. And, yet, leadership can be an amorphous topic and always easier to see than describe. It’s not one attribute or skill that defines leadership, it’s a … [Read more...]
The Value of Values as Your Compass
What do you value? Initially, you may have thought this an easy question to answer. Usually, we respond with some of the top of mind choices, like family, relationships, and health. All of which, of course, are important and critical. I invite you, however, to drill a little deeper and think about the values behind the values, if you will. For instance, what is it … [Read more...]
Cel-e-brate good times, Come on!
Join me in celebrating the new Coach2Growth web site and blog! Heck, join me in celebrating my new coaching initiative, period! And, if you’ve come this far, then I celebrate your investment of time to learn more. And, there is much to celebrate. On the top of my list is making the conscious choice to get off the hamster wheel of life. While I learned and thrived working … [Read more...]