Avoid Scapegoating to Improve Results

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“When you inspire others to achieve intended results, you do not need to create scapegoats.” Jeannette Seibly

Remember a time when you were blamed for a poor result, interaction, or situation? It happens to all of us.

  • How did you feel?
  • How did your attitude and behavior change?
  • What did you do next?

Unfortunately, some bosses and leaders resort to scapegoating. It hurts results and relationships. Team members lose trust in leadership.

Being scapegoated humiliates and diminishes a person’s feeling of value to the team and company. (Note: Humiliating anyone is rarely forgotten nor forgiven!) The team or team members withdraw, stop being innovative, and avoid accountability! They adopt a mindset of “going along to get along” until they find a better boss and employer.

When a leader or boss feels the need to blame others and designate scapegoats, it creates a toxic workplace culture of mistrust and distrust – sabotaging results now and in the future.

What is Scapegoating? In a business context, a scapegoat is an individual or group unfairly blamed for problems, failures, or negative outcomes within a company.

Scapegoating is one of the most destructive actions bosses and leaders can take. It can be individually targeted or systemic, where entire departments or roles are unfairly targeted.

When leaders fall into the malicious trap of scapegoating, it’s to avoid feeling like a failure. They attempt to deflect accountability from themselves and deflect focus from the true issue(s). This is especially prevalent during crises, the loss of major clients, or team failures to achieve intended results.

And, beyond team morale, scapegoating can lead to costly turnover, reputational damage, and even legal exposure.

By understanding when and how scapegoating occurs, leaders can foster a more transparent, accountable, and supportive work environment.

How to Stop Scapegoating

  • Hold Yourself Accountable: As a boss/leader, you need to hold yourself accountable for your team’s results. Conduct a deep dive into “What Worked?” and “What Didn’t Work?” to create an objective overview. Ask open-ended questions of the team, co-workers, and executive management to explore what changes could have been made or what issues were ignored.
  • Be an Effective Communicator: When you own your mistakes, it sets the tone for the team and company. Honest communication and straight talk encourage innovation, agility, and profitability, where everyone is engaged and not fearful of becoming a scapegoat.
  • Focus on Resolving Conflict: Resolving conflicts requires your involvement to ensure people are asking open-ended questions and actively listening. When scapegoating occurs, it’s time to stop so you don’t overlook the core cause of the issue or conflict. Ensure team training is provided (e.g., project management, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, etc.) for ALL team members (including you).
  • Build Ongoing Trust: Mistrust and distrust are rampant in a toxic environment where everyone blames everyone else. To build trust, talk straight. Acknowledge every team member’s contribution to the results. Leaders need to make this a daily practice to build and maintain trust with their teams.

What will you do today to foster accountability and eliminate scapegoating in your workplace?

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Being the Driver Is Required to Achieve Results

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“Navigating results from the driver’s seat is more effective than passively riding along.” Jeannette Seibly

We’re upset that change is happening too soon, too often, or not fast enough. The problem? External changes happen due to many factors beyond our control. However, team changes are determined by your ability to move from the passenger seat into the driver’s seat.

I’ve led many new projects or projects requiring new results (e.g., increasing attendance, financial revenues, etc.). Every time, there were many bumps along the way in the form of naysayers, economic challenges, and team conflict. But I learned how to stay in the driver’s seat, even though there were times I wanted to bail! Instead, I worked through my discomfort, relied on team counsel, and kept everyone on the same page. The accomplishment? We did it! We won! We celebrated!

A question I received from a reader was, “How do I put myself in the driver’s seat?” This is a great question that needs to be asked more often!

The answer: Being the driver requires a conscious decision and commitment regardless of the external changes and internal company changes – it sets you and your team up to win!

How Do You Avoid Being Pushed into the Passenger Seat?

Be Uncomfortable. The good news? You’re moving forward. The not-so-good news. You want to stop and feel comfortable again. Allow the doubt, fear, and upset to hang around. Don’t use it as an excuse to get off the road required to achieve your goal. When you give up the driver’s seat, you miss the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to win, succeed, and be a great leader! When you can work through the discomforts, you become resilient, proficient, and achieve unprecedented results.

How can you use these “uncomfortable” times to build a strong team and outcome?

Be Willing to Participate. Being an observer and swooping in when the team seems stuck is not participating. You need to get involved in the creation process, manage differing opinions, and guide your team through the ups and downs. Remember, once you’ve given up the driver’s seat, it’s difficult to get it back and steer towards the intended results!

Find Counsel. Ask for help. Don’t seek advice on social media. While AI may offer an interesting perspective, your answers will come from talking with one or two confidants. Hire an experienced executive coach – think of the person as AAA or GPS — who provides counsel by listening and guiding. Just because you’re in the driver’s seat doesn’t mean you won’t have vehicle or road issues to navigate.

Think as the Driver. How do you keep your passengers (team members) engaged and allow them to periodically drive?

  • Share your experiences of having worked through past challenges.
  • Speak with the result in mind and keep it brief and on point.
  • Be open to brainstorming new ideas when the current ones are not working, but beware of unnecessary detours.
  • Acknowledge initiatives and steps taken by team members, individually and as a group.
  • Be authentic, and know you don’t have all the answers!

Celebrate! Too many drivers fail to honor their team members individually and as a group. It’s called the “rules of the road.” Many are unwritten. Being aware is how you win! Remember that lessons can be learned when experiencing failures. Resilience is reinforced by telling the truth and making appropriate corrections on the map. Conduct a group debrief of what worked and what didn’t work? Celebrate achievements and lessons learned. Create brags! The process honors you as the driver and your team members, too!

©Jeannette Seibly 2024-2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

How to Hire for Job Fit, Not Just Fill the Job

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“Research proves good job fit boosts retention, productivity, and morale—yet we still fail to hire the right people.” Jeannette Seibly

Has your company ever had this experience: In the past five years, one position cycled through three different hires? Each departure brought disruption, lost momentum, and a fresh scramble to refill the role. Yet, despite the clear pattern, the company continued to recruit, onboard, and manage the position exactly as it always had—expecting different results from the same approach. This is a true story for many companies and organizations.

We hire for perceived job skills, but fire for poor job fit. Jeannette Seibly

This isn’t just a case of bad luck. It’s a symptom of deeper issues: misaligned expectations, outdated hiring criteria, unrealistic job descriptions, poor role clarity, and a reluctance to make “real” changes. (We rely on the band-aid approach!)

42% of employee turnover is preventable but often ignored. (Gallup 2025 Workplace Report)

When turnover becomes the norm, it’s no longer about hiring and recruiting—it’s about fixing the same failure over and over again. In other words, it’s a strategic failure.

The cost of replacing a salaried employee can range from 50% to 250% of their annual salary. (SHRM)

What would it take to break this vicious cycle?

Same Job, Same Mistakes: Why the Turnover Keeps Happening

  • We hire candidates we like, but who lack appropriate people skills.
  • We hire applicants with perceived technical skills, but do not make good team players.
  • We hire without objective data, relying on false intuition/gut reactions.
  • We allow an emotional attachment to what we’ve always done, or fear that any change doesn’t guarantee improved results, so we fail to ask for help from an expert.
  • We are blind to the loss of money, talent, reputation, and clients.
  • We use the excuse “our turnover is lower than industry stats,” and fail to understand the financial, operational, and system costs!

I recall a company experiencing over 40% turnover of its management team years ago. Every year! Yet, each year, they told themselves they had it handled!!

Something is off! But are you willing to hear the truth?

Hiring the same way and hoping for better results isn’t a strategy—it’s wishful thinking. It’s time to look deeper, get honest, and make changes that stick.

When Maya started her new job, she was excited. The role sounded like a great fit, and the team seemed welcoming. She didn’t realize her performance plan required handling 60+ accounts solo, after only a one-hour Zoom onboarding meeting. Six months later, she was burned out, confused, and ready to leave. She wasn’t the first. Two others had held the same position in the past three years—and they had left for similar reasons.

Still, the company kept hiring the same way. Using the same job description and interview questions. Employing the same onboarding plan. And each time, they were surprised when top talent left!

Newsflash! If a position keeps turning over, it means that something deeper needs attention. It’s important to understand that addressing the “real reasons” you experience turnover can save time, money, and customers!

It’s to be brave!

Here’s what to do:

Balance the Selection Triad. In the practical guide Hire Amazing Employees, the Selection Triad offers a more balanced approach to hiring decisions—equal weight is given to interviews, assessments, and due diligence, with each contributing one-third to the final decision. Unfortunately, we often base 90% of our hiring choices on the interview alone.

Qualified job fit tools. Not all assessments meet scientific and legal requirements for pre-employment use. In fact, of the 3,000+ assessments on the market, very few actually comply with DOL, EEO, ADA, and other federal, state, and local hiring laws. Ask for a Technical Manual and stop relying on a letter from a law firm.

Use structured interview questions. This makes it easier to compare answers and makes the hiring manager and company seem like a credible employer. Many interviewees today are well-trained and will tell you what you want to hear! Get real. Don’t be afraid to delve deeper into someone’s answers by using the Rule of 3 to deep dive into their responses.

Rule of 3 Example: Instead of asking, “Are you a team player?”

 Ask:

  1. “Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict with a teammate.”
  2. “What was the outcome?”
  3. “What would you do differently?”

Get real about your biases. Yes, you have them – regardless of what you tell yourself. Ageism (older and younger), gender, racism, lifestyles, college degree or not (to name a few) have nothing to do with the candidates’ ability to do the job well and fit the job responsibilities. Your biases are causing you to overlook qualified people!

Example, dismissing candidates without a four-year degree—even when they’ve led successful teams—can eliminate top performers.

Follow a strategic selection job fit system. Yes, you need one! Follow it! Too many companies love to make exceptions, or excuses, only to find out that the person they believed was the ideal candidate wasn’t so great!

When you use a structured interview approach with qualified assessment tools and conduct your due diligence, you need to listen to the results, and stop mentally dismissing the objective data that you like or disagree with. When someone doesn’t fit the job, you cannot fix or change them into who you believe they should be! Stop with the excuses! They are negatively impacting your company’s results!

Hiring managers and leaders—are you ready to challenge your hiring norms? When all else fails, contact a talent advisor with experience. But why wait?

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

For those navigating the 55+ transition, goals aren’t just about productivity—they’re about rediscovery. Whether you’re refining your career path, relocating, or reimagining what fulfillment looks like, the right goal can act as a compass—guiding you toward clarity, confidence, and meaningful impact. Contact Jeannette now.

Are Your Employees Aligned for Business Today?

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“Aligning employees with today’s business needs is an ongoing effort for every leader.” Jeannette Seibly

A long-time employee asked his boss, “Do you even know what we’re doing anymore?”

This question revealed more than frustration—it exposed a leadership gap. When change happens but communication stays static, people lose their sense of purpose. External demands, shifting priorities, and unclear messaging breed confusion, erode engagement, and drain morale—even your best employees feel it.

What’s missing? Clarity. Connection. Strategic alignment. Being on the same page.

Why is alignment missing in business today?

  • Unclear priorities – too many external challenges
  • Siloed and factional communication – we impact others when making ad hoc changes
  • Change fatigue and disengagement – leads to mediocre quality of products and service

What You Can Do—Starting Now

Clarify Purpose and Performance. When teams are aligned, there are measurable improvements in productivity, retention, and customer satisfaction scores. These aren’t just numbers—they’re proof that clarity and consistency matter.

  • Remind people why their work matters and the difference the company makes for its customers.
  • Hold people accountable for following policies and procedures – this creates a foundation that employees can trust.
  • Communicate stats about the number of customers, increase in sales, safety, and other metrics that are meaningful to employees and the well-being of the company. 

Communicate with Impact. Lead with empathy by acknowledging that change is hard.

  • Ask employees how they’re doing—not just what they’re doing. This builds trust and keeps morale strong.
  • Talk straight by sharing goals, changes, and expectations clearly. Keep your comments short and on point!
  • Don’t make promises that you cannot keep.
  • Acknowledge team members individually and as a group. Do this frequently.

Delegate Work and Train Appropriately. This allows you to concentrate on resolving challenges and pursuing possibilities.

  • Encourage cross-team collaboration and don’t allow silos or factions to consume everyone’s time and energy.
  • Invite employees to lead mini-projects or suggest improvements – that way, alignment becomes a shared responsibility.
  • Offer training that aligns with new business needs. Make these online and onsite workshops available to anyone wishing to improve their job skills: communication, decision-making, AI experience, personal financial goals, etc.

Strategic Selection Based on Job Fit. Make hiring, promotions, and job transitions based on objective data, and stop relying on subjective rational. Too many times, employees say “yes” not fully comprehending the changes required (e.g., relocation, longer hours, or full-time in the office).

For example, if someone has a high interest and skill in working with financials, train them to take over budgeting or cost analysis duties.

How to Keep Moving Forward Together

As a leader:

  • Conduct regular check-ins with each and every employee
  • Provide feedback – 1:1 and in groups
  • Listen and get the facts — don’t make decisions based on assumptions or emotional reactions
  • Ask open-ended questions, and look for patterns in feedback that reveal deeper concerns or missed opportunities.
  • Remember, silence does not mean alignment!

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Final Thought

Aligning employees with today’s business needs is an ongoing effort. The question to ask is, “What am I doing today to make sure my team is truly aligned?”

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Empower with Confidence: Host the workshop: “Get Your Brag On!” to help your team articulate their value, align personal strengths with business goals, and boost morale. Several of my clients have hosted these brag sessions quarterly — these offered clarity, acknowledged contribution, and built confidence in times of change. When employees know how to articulate their value, they’re more likely to stay engaged during the process of change. Contact Jeannette for further information.

The Leadership Upgrade: Turning Blind Spots into Breakthroughs

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“Identifying your blind spots and overcoming these hurdles is critical to developing your savvy leadership.” —Jeannette Seibly

Leadership isn’t static—it’s a continuous upgrade. And the most powerful upgrades begin when you’re willing to confront what you haven’t yet seen.

🌟 Emerging Blind Spots in Today’s Leadership Landscape

As leaders, we’re navigating more than just team dynamics—we’re steering through shifting expectations, hybrid work environments, and the pressure to “always be on.” These changes have introduced new blind spots that weren’t on our radar five years ago. And if we’re not paying attention, they’ll quietly erode trust, impact, and results.

Here are a few blind spots noted by research that I’ve seen surface in recent coaching conversations:

Favoritism. With hybrid working options, are you unintentionally favoring the team members you see more often than others? Many publications have talked about the assumption that visibility equals productivity – but that’s a blind spot. (Harvard Business Review and Inc.com)

Leadership Upgrade: Build scheduled check-ins and recognition systems that include everyone, regardless of location.

Fixed Leadership Style. Studies show that 54% of managers default to a single leadership style (e.g., collaborative, directive, or hands-off) (Blanchard LeaderChat). This often leads to micromanaging or a lack of employee and team engagement.

Leadership Upgrade: Flex your style. Ask yourself: “What does this situation need from me right now?” Not “What do I usually do?”

Digital Perfectionism. In a world of polished Zoom calls and social media posts, attempting to hide behind a perfect image will often backfire when they meet you!

Leadership Upgrade: Leadership isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being real. (OurMental.Health and Arxiv Research) Sharing your process is just as important as sharing the results you’ve achieved. Let them see the truth of your leadership journey — it builds trust.

“Blind spots aren’t flaws—they’re invitations. When you’re willing to see what you’ve been missing, you unlock a deeper level of leadership.” —Jeannette Seibly

🔄 How to Flip Blind Spots into Savvy Leadership

Here’s how to turn blind spots into strengths that elevate your leadership:

  1. Use Assessments and 360-Degree Feedback. Leverage tools that reveal how you want to be seen, how you actually show up, and how others perceive you. These insights offer a powerful trifecta of clarity. But the real transformation begins when you partner with an executive coach to interpret the results, create a focused action plan, and engage in hands-on conversations over a period of time.
  2. Hire the Right Executive Coach—and Listen. Being coachable is key. A skilled and experienced coach helps you bypass trial-and-error and zero in on what truly needs attention. Avoid overanalyzing your blind spots—just listen, adjust, and implement. Your coach isn’t there to fix you—they’re there to help you see what’s been hiding in plain sight.
  3. Engage with an Industry Mentor. Mentors offer insider knowledge about your company, team dynamics, and industry politics. Together with your coach, they help you navigate complex situations and accelerate your growth. The key to effective mentorship is to show up, listen up, and do the work!
  4. Welcome Feedback from Your Team. Your team wants you to succeed—but you must create a safe space for honest feedback. Use structured 360 assessments to gather insights, then act on them with intention.
  5. Dial Up Your Humility. Participate in emotional intelligence workshops and leave your ego at the door. Mastery requires authentic practice, effective coaching when using the

skills, and a willingness to grow.

  1. Sharpen Your Communication Skills. Strong communication is non-negotiable. Take workshops to uncover biases and build confidence in how you write, speak, and connect with others.
  2. Identify Triggers and Biases. We all have them. Work with your coach—and if needed, a licensed therapist—to uncover subconscious patterns and develop healthier responses.

🚀 Ready to Lead Today with Impact?

Leadership upgrades don’t happen by accident. They happen when you choose to see, listen, and act with intention. What blind spot are you ready to transform today?

With over 32 years of experience, I’ve helped leaders get out of their own way and into focused action—transforming blind spots into stepping stones for savvy, results-driven leadership.

📩 Contact me to learn more about my one-on-one coaching programs and PXT Select® job-fit assessment tools.

© Jeannette Seibly, 2020–2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

When Is It Time to Adjust Your Goals?

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“Goals aren’t just tasks; they’re trust-building exercises with yourself.” — Jeannette Seibly

The end of July has come and gone. Less than five months remain in 2025. While many of us have written down goals, just as many are contemplating ways to ignore them—if we even remember that we had any.

Too often, goals are drafted, printed, and filed—never to be seen again until shredding day.

On a network call last week, I heard something familiar—yet still striking: the quiet detour people take from their goals. Several spoke of changing or setting them aside. While this isn’t new, it prompted deeper questions: Do we abandon the effort too quickly, missing what the process of working toward a goal could unlock? Or is it simply unfeasible this year due to shifts in life or business, like caregiving responsibilities, job changes, new company mandates, or health setbacks?

A goal isn’t just an endpoint. It’s a stretch. It asks us to reach beyond habit and into growth—where inner strength, clarity, and confidence can be revealed.

No doctrine says you can’t change a goal. No rulebook says you should. The difference? It’s personal. It depends on what your commitment to shift, create, or move forward—and how urgent it feels. (Example: If a boss asks you to join a team, you comply asap; if a doctor advises weight loss and exercise, you act with urgency—or face the consequences.)

Throughout the remainder of the year, opportunities will arise to abandon, postpone, or fully commit to your goals. The question that must be answered is: Are these goals designed to satisfy my boss, client, or family? Or, are they serving my deepest intentions: financial freedom, improved health, and stronger relationships? Then, what is the cost of waiting?

Every goal requires an evolving process to be fulfilled—you won’t be able to predict every twist, relationship shift, or unexpected circumstance. Yet the goal itself often remains the gateway to growth, and the confidence that emerges along the way is invaluable.

The key? It’s up to you.

🧭 Definitions to Anchor Your Focus

Review your goals and ensure these three keys are included. If not, consider rewriting and pursuing.

  • Goal: A desired result requiring purpose and action. Keep it under 10 words and assign a timeframe. → Achieve $10,000 pay increase by 12/31/2025 → Lose 10 pounds walking 3x daily by 9/30/2025
  • Intention: A clear commitment fueled by personal meaning and direction. It’s the “why” behind your goal—the energy that drives it. Again, 10 words or less.
  • Milestones: Measurable checkpoints that track progress (10 words or less). These build your confidence and remind you that success is unfolding, even when it’s not immediately visible.

My advice? Keep going. Only change your goal if it no longer aligns with your life’s direction. For example, if a job offer falls through, staying in your current role might be the best choice for now—but that doesn’t mean you stop exploring new opportunities. Choosing to stay isn’t a failure; it’s a moment of clarity and focus. It may also be the perfect time to set a new goal—one that genuinely excites and inspires you.

What will you proudly say you achieved in 2025? The next five months will fly by—and before you know it, it’ll be 2026. Make sure you can look back and say, “I did that.” The most meaningful wins often come from the goals that required you to stretch. (Congrats—early!) And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Lean on your coach, your team, and your circle of support. Trust yourself—and trust others to help you stretch.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

For those navigating the 55+ transition, goals aren’t just about productivity—they’re about rediscovery. This stage invites a deeper alignment between values, lifestyle, and legacy. Whether you’re refining your career path, relocating, or reimagining what fulfillment looks like, the right goal can act as a compass—guiding you toward clarity, confidence, and meaningful impact. Contact Jeannette now.

Change Management: The Biggest, Costliest Mistake Many Leaders Make

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“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

🔍 Due Diligence for Systems vs. People

Organizations routinely invest time and resources into vetting changes to systems, operations, technology, and financials. Yet when it comes to hiring, promoting, or transitioning employees, decisions are often made based on gut instinct, biased assumptions, or incomplete data—leading to costly missteps.

“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

💥 The Cost of a Misguided Promotion

A bank promoted a young man deemed a “future leader” by upper management. What did they fail to uncover? He lacked respect from both clients and colleagues. Within six weeks, he was fired. The fallout included lost trust, team disruption, and reputational damage.

This could have been avoided by using a strategic job fit selection system and a validated assessment to objectively measure leadership potential, decision-making style, and interpersonal effectiveness.

🧠 Hire with Eyes Wide Open

Promotion and transition errors are a hidden, costly drain on performance, trust, and compliance. The uncomfortable truth? Leaders often stumble for preventable reasons:

  • Gut over data. Nearly 62% of hiring decisions are influenced by managerial bias rather than objective performance indicators (Harvard Business Review, 2023).
  • Resumes are increasingly unreliable. With 45% of job seekers using AI tools (ResumeBuilder, 2024), the résumé is often a polished illusion.
  • Performance appraisals are broken. 66% of employees say reviews are unfair, and 95% of managers are dissatisfied with the process (Gallup, 2022). People are promoted due to politics, not performance.
  • Boomerang hires rely on memory, not metrics. Approximately 35% of new hires are returning employees, yet few organizations analyze the reasons for employee exits or their readiness for current roles (Workforce Institute, 2023).
  • Assessments must meet federal standards. The EEOC and DOL require pre-employment tests to be validated, job-related, and non-discriminatory. Many are not.

💸 Fact: 82% of companies promote the wrong person into management, leading to productivity loss, morale damage, and client attrition—costs that ripple far beyond salary figures (Dove Development).

📈 Promotion: Beyond Performance

Promoting someone based solely on past performance—like a top salesperson to a manager role—often backfires. Leadership demands empathy, communication, and delegation, not just technical skill.

Without proper evaluation and coaching, these transitions frequently lead to disengagement, increased turnover, and missed revenue targets. Objective tools give leaders clarity about who’s truly ready to step up.

🔄 Job Transitioning: A Strategic Imperative

When employees relocate, shift roles, or take on new responsibilities, success hinges on job fit. Often overlooked:

  • Career pathing offers a structured roadmap aligned with organizational needs and personal aspirations
  • Personalized development (mentoring, coaching, tailored skills-building) helps talent thrive
  • Onboarding plans bridge early gaps and reinforce role clarity and cultural alignment

Together, these elements form the backbone of a strategic job fit selection system that improves role transitions and strengthens succession planning.

💸 Fact: Poor promotions and misaligned job transitions can cost organizations up to 10x the employee’s annual salary, especially in leadership roles—making clarity and fit essential to long-term success (Lucent Global, HRMorning).

🚀 Call to Action: Elevate Your Leadership with Strategic People Decisions

The alternative isn’t guesswork—it’s strategy. Smart leaders don’t gamble—they build infrastructure that earns trust and delivers results. They implement a strategic job fit selection system that ensures every promotion and talent transition is intentional, data-informed, and compliant.

That includes:

✅ Validated job fit assessments to predict performance, leadership readiness, and interpersonal strengths

✅ Structured, compliant hiring and promotion processes—standardized interviews and role-specific decision criteria

✅ Manager training to reduce bias and support confident decision-making

✅ Intentional promotion and job transition planning to build trust, reduce turnover, and align talent with long-term success

Your systems are only as strong as the people running them. Let’s make sure you’ve got the right ones in the right roles.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

🔗 Ready to initiate your next chapter—or refine your role as a powerful contributor? Jeannette specializes in coaching leaders who are ready to build legacies, embrace reinvention, and lead with clarity.

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

🔗 Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about smart hiring, insightful promotions, and intentional transitions.

What Happens When You Make Assumptions?

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“Making assumptions hurts performance, effectiveness, and profitability.” Jeannette Seibly

“You think someone ignored your email. Turns out it landed in spam.”

“You believe someone is upset with you because they didn’t return your call. Turns out they didn’t get it.”

This common occurrence can limit your effectiveness as a leader, boss, influencer, or team contributor.

⚠️ What happens when you create false narratives:

  • You limit your ability to influence.
  • You allow the assumption to lead to misunderstandings and missed chances.
  • You erode trust and connection – your boss, co-workers, and clients no longer trust in your leadership.

🔄 Why We Do It

  • Your mind fills in the blanks quickly and you believe your perceptions to be the truth.
  • You base it on past experiences, not current facts.
  • You’re driven by emotion more than logic.

💬 What Can You Do Instead

  • Follow-up and ask instead of guessing.
  • If you called, send an email. If you sent an email, call. Leave a post it reminder.
  • Ask open-ended questions to learn the truth.

✅ Assumptions are normal—but unchecked, they cloud judgment. “Slow down. Ask. Understand. Clarity leads to better working relationships and results.”

🔗 Ready to initiate your next chapter—or refine your role as a powerful contributor? I specialize in coaching leaders who are ready to build legacies, embrace reinvention, and lead with clarity. Let’s talk about what’s next for you.

👉 Contact me for a confidential conversation.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, bosses, and leaders to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

🧭 How to Reduce the High Cost of a Poorly Designed Job Fit Selection System

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“Poor fit isn’t just inconvenient—it’s disruptive to morale, momentum, and mission.” Jeannette Seibly

Hiring isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about shaping the future of your organization. When leaders rely on outdated or misaligned selection systems, they invite costly consequences that echo across departments, customer relationships, and organizational culture. A poor fit isn’t just inconvenient—it’s disruptive to morale, momentum, and mission.

When organizations rely on flawed selection processes, the ripple effects extend far beyond hiring missteps:

  • 🚫 Overlooked Talent: Qualified candidates are often missed due to vague criteria or unconscious bias.
  • 📉 Lost Loyalty: Customers leave when service suffers from underqualified or mismatched employees.
  • 💸 Financial & Legal Risk: Frequent hiring and firing cycles damage reputation, increase turnover costs, and heighten liability concerns.
  • 🧠 Bias-Driven Choices: Selection decisions reflect unresolved beliefs and emotional residue, not data-driven clarity.

💡 How to Improve Hiring Precision and Integrity

To build a hiring process that honors both excellence and equity:

  • 🎯 Clarify the Role: Develop clear job specifications and descriptions to define success on the job—not just tasks, but traits and mindset.
  • 🛠️ Use Validated Tools: Employ legally compliant, scientifically sound assessments and structured interviews for hiring, promotions, and transitions.
  • 🔍 Treat Intuition as a Signal, Not the Verdict: Gut instincts offer clues, but they can’t answer who, what, where, when, or why. Let data and dialogue do the heavy lifting.
  • 📅 Prioritize Onboarding: Even returning employees (Boomerangs) need a fresh launch. A 180-Day Plan ensures integration, accountability, and cultural alignment. (See Hire Amazing Employees, Chapter 6 for practical tools.)

🧩 In Summary

A well-designed job fit system is a leadership imperative. When we align roles, tools, and onboarding strategies with clear standards and inclusive practices, we create space for true potential to emerge. The payoff? Stronger teams, greater customer trust, and a workplace built on confidence—not guesswork.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, bosses, and leaders to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Are You a Leader That Talks Too Much?

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“When you talk to talk, people stop listening!” Jeannette Seibly

I noticed after attending several meetings in one day, a clear pattern emerged—each session had one person who consistently monopolized the conversation. What’s worse: The people talking too much knew they were doing it and did it anyway. They were not present to the impact. The result? The other participants left feeling drained and disengaged because there had been little opportunity for meaningful dialogue.

🔍 Why Is This Important

True leadership isn’t about having the loudest voice or the longest airtime—it’s about ensuring all voices are heard. Unfortunately, many leaders fall into the habit of dominating discussions by talking too much. Even those with self-awareness may continue this behavior unchecked, leading to:

  • Reduced credibility
  • Missed opportunities to influence an outcome or decision
  • Confusion due to mixed messages
  • Disengaged peers and bosses who stop listening
  • Lack of respect and rapport
  • Overlooked ideas and creative solutions
  • Disempowered team members
  • Concern about your ability to handle confidential information

🚦Are You Talking Too Much?

Verbal overload often stems from these patterns:

  • Over-explaining: Mistaking length of explanation or providing too many details for clarity
  • Authority signaling: Leaving others feeling dismissed, unimportant, or simply tune out
  • Silence avoidance: Filling every pause, silence, or gap unnecessarily
  • Passion overload: Overshadowing others with enthusiasm and overconfidence
  • Editing while speaking: Rambling without a clear point
  • Enjoying your own stories too much: Everyone has a story – yours is not the only one (hint: They’ve already heard your story several times)

These communication habits erode trust, collaboration, and progress.

📊 How to Objectively Clarify Communication Challenges

PXT Select® is a valuable tool for identifying communication styles and behavioral tendencies. It helps leaders:

  • Distinguish between dominating and facilitating collaborative conversations
  • Understand how your thinking style affects clarity and engagement when talking
  • Identify traits that may hinder your team’s participation

Teams can also use it to:

  • Recognize individuals prone to over-talking
  • Empower quieter voices
  • Foster a culture of balanced contribution

The PXT Select® can objectively guide your communication by taking it from guesswork to data-driven insights.

🧭 Other Practical Ways to Talk Less While Saying More

  • Practice in Front of Mirror: Before a presentation or team meeting, talk with the person in the mirror
  • Start with the End in Mind: Start the conversation with the end goal in 20 words or less
  • Use Focused Language: Provide no more than three key points – brevity is key
  • Stay Away from Jargon:  Never assume everyone knows what you’re talking about
  • Expand Points: Keep it simple (e.g., choice of words) and engaging (brief, on-point stories work well)
  • Monitor engagement: Gauge energy and participation in real time through listening
  • Ask: Check to see if there are any questions and keep responses simple and consistent
  • Let silence do the work: Pause often to encourage reflection

🧘‍♂️ Coaching Talkative Team Members

Managing overly talkative individuals requires balance, not suppression:

  • Clarify the meeting’s goal to keep discussions focused
  • Use round-robin formats or written input to ensure everyone has a chance to speak up
  • Redirect constructively without discouraging enthusiasm
  • Offer actionable feedback to improve conversation dynamics

🌟 Final Thought

When you speak, talking less can positively influence results. By fostering awareness, using tools like PXT Select, and guiding conversations thoughtfully, you can create meetings where everyone is engaged and their voices resonate due to feeling heard.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, bosses, and leaders to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Are you 55+ and concern about what’s next in your career or life? Contact me for a confidential conversation that can clarify and empower your choices.