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What Do You Focus on as a Leader?

February 19, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Focusing on problems limits solutions. Focusing on new possibilities and ideas multiplies solutions.” Jeannette Seibly

We’ve all heard the saying, “What you focus on expands.” We nod, but are not clear about what that really means.

Most leaders and bosses focus on:

The problem at hand and various ways to fix it in that moment
Something someone said and allow it to be replayed over and over, usually perceived as negative
An upset with a neighbor or family member who is not behaving according to their standards and allow it to take up mental and emotional space

Yet, the problems persist because we continue to focus on them.

You mistakenly believe by continually replaying the problem in your mind, that you’ll find the answer and will uncover something new. But in truth, your awareness is only focused on right v. wrong, and not on solving the issue.

Why do you keep replaying problems?

The issue seems insurmountable and hopeless
You tried once and failed
The other person isn’t listening and is wrong in their point of view
Your boss or team got upset when the issue was mentioned
You consider yourself a firefighter, not a solution provider

These patterns keep you stuck in the problem instead of moving toward solutions.

How to Create Solutions

Recognizing the above listed patterns is the first step, and intentionally shifting your focus toward solutions is the next, with each step building on the others to move you from problem‑fixation to solution‑focused leadership.

Engage in Curiosity. Too often, you fail to look at an issue from someone else’s point of view. You don’t ask open‑ended questions and assume you know the answers.

A team member who continually arrives late causes everyone to start the meeting over. This can be very annoying. But when talking with him, you find out it’s a child‑care issue. If you scheduled the meeting a half hour later, he’d be there when it started. This is what focusing on solutions looks like … asking questions to shift from assumptions to understanding.

Address the Core Issue. Once curiosity opens the door, the next step is addressing what’s really going on. It seems easier to place a band‑aid on everything. You and others claim, “We fixed it.” You may have for the moment, but in the very near future, it’ll only get worse since the core issue wasn’t addressed. This costs the company time, money, and retention of employees and customers.

Customer service had to do double entry when a customer called in. The tech people shrugged their shoulders and said, “It is the way it is.” When talking with a testing company, they said, “Look for this core coding issue.” They did, and were able to solve the problem. Productivity and customer and employee satisfaction rose.

Participate in Brainstorming. Once the core issue is identified, brainstorming opens up new possibilities.

As a leader or boss, too often, the following get in the way of true brainstorming, and limits your ability to focus on broader possibilities:

You have a false belief you must know all the answers. This is nonsense and limits potential solutions.
You’re afraid of the time and energy required to brainstorm, or like most leaders, you lack the skills to be an effective facilitator.
When someone makes off‑the‑wall statements, you roll your eyes and shake your head. You just don’t have the patience to listen to another bad idea. After all, you think, “We should be focused on the problem.”
Your biases limit hearing what’s possible (e.g., the person offering the idea). This keeps you focused on the problem and leaves your team feeling disempowered to solve it.

Facilitation tips:

Consider creating five reasons why any idea could work.
Ask open‑ended questions to get people thinking outside the norm.
Don’t be afraid of silence. This will force people to offer ideas that they’re afraid to say.

A department was struggling with missed deadlines. During a brainstorming session, one team member suggested eliminating two long‑standing reports. The leader almost dismissed the idea as “ridiculous” since those reports had been required for years. But after asking for five reasons the idea could work, the team discovered no one actually used the reports anymore. Eliminating them freed up hours each week, reduced errors, and improved turnaround time. What looked like a “ridiculous idea” became the breakthrough solution.

Take Action Now. Brainstorming only works when followed by action. Now that you have a proposed solution, assign tasks and get into action. Thinking about or talking more about it only keeps the problem around longer. Yes, there will be fine‑tuning required and needed conversations that were previously overlooked (e.g., getting input from employees who are directly impacted).

As you move forward, be flexible while focused on the solution.

When a large company made a major change to their technology platform, they forgot to ask the users for their input fearing it would take too much time. The results were horrendous and expensive. It was the main reason it took years before another company would buy out their assets.

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 33 years of experience activating greatness in leaders and companies. She delivers practical coaching and solutions that elevate performance today, build legacies that stand the test of time, and support people empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

Ready to shift your focus from problems to solutions? When you take this simple but not easy step, your solutions expand and so does your impact as a leader. It may feel unclear at first, especially when old habits keep pulling your attention back to what’s wrong. Don’t let that stall your progress. Contact me to get into focused action and start now.

You’re Too Young to Be Complacent About Your Dreams and Ideas

February 12, 2026February 12, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“We all have ideas bouncing around in our heads. The time to unleash and release them is now, or forever regret it.” Jeannette Seibly

You’re too young, at any age, to be complacent about your dreams and ideas. Complacency is not your friend, especially when goals, desires, and unfinished projects are still waiting to be started or shared. Regrets don’t come from ideas pursued; they come from doing nothing with them. And those regrets last a lifetime.

We like to believe we have time to create and leave our legacy. But tomorrow, next year, or “someday” is not guaranteed. Five people in my life recently passed away, still young, still full of dreams. Time doesn’t wait.

So, what are you waiting for?

Many of us are waiting for:

Permission from people who are not going to give it
Signs from the universe that you’ve already missed, if they existed at all
Money or inheritance from a fictional ancestor
Motivation to get started

Now is the time to get into action by taking small steps forward.

Tips to Move Forward Now

Get it out of your head. We all have ideas and goals that have lived in our heads for a while. But dreams die if we don’t take action. Giving your idea or dreams to someone else may be the answer, but they won’t fulfill on them the same way you would, won’t have the same vision, or may not do anything at all since the idea wasn’t theirs.

Write it down, draw it, or code it. Do NOT edit or review while unloading your thoughts. Make notes about research to be done, but do NOT conduct the research yet.

Write that first terrible draft for a book or article. Don’t beat yourself up. It won’t be perfect or publishable. If you’re comparing yourself to published authors, remember: you’re looking at their finished book while you’re still on Chapter 1. They took the time to write, rewrite, and get help.
Draw the first schematic or outline the initial system for any technology or mechanical initiative.
Have conversations about the program, nonprofit, or project. Some people won’t agree or may want to take it in a different direction. Don’t overlook their input. When working with a group, it’s important to build alignment. Bigger and better ideas are often the result.

Walk away (1 hour or 1 day), then review. Conduct research. Rewrite or reconfigure. Also, check viability.

Here’s why:

When writing historical fiction, it’s easier to see the time period may not match the situation at hand.
When I sought funding for a 501(c)3, I was told it would take two years. Even though I got it done in three months without investors, it took conversations and openness to others’ input.

Beware of the “Boring Arena.” This is where many people give up and quit. It’s time to do the real work that produces results. Before you can launch an idea, the work or prototype must be completed. This is the real work.

During this time, new ideas will pop up. Put them in a file.
Shiny Object Syndrome will activate. Thank it for sharing. STAY FOCUSED.
It can be tedious writing a set number of words per day, redrafting to meet specs, finding more issues than solutions. STAY WITH IT.
Consider: Can you delegate or ask for help? Is there part of the process someone can take over? NOW, ASK.
Problems will seem insurmountable. Remember: every problem is an opportunity in disguise. But only if you look. Many times, these opportunities create “eureka moments!” TALK WITH YOUR COACH.

Example: I had many ideas and new characters show up while writing my first historical novel, The Old Wooden Rocker, The Illusion of Family: Book 1. But I stayed focused. Now Books 2 through 5 of The Illusion of Family series are being written.

Remember, not everyone, especially you, will be excited about this phase of the process. But the work must be done after the initial excitement has died.

Stay focused and honor your commitment. Results will happen!

Recently, my neighbor and I conducted a drive for items to donate to a homeless pets’ nonprofit. We didn’t belabor the idea. We agreed, got outside support, and made it happen (flyers, boxes, reminders). Then came the boring part: waiting. Some days, no one added anything to the boxes. Yet, when the drive ended, we had a lot of items to deliver.

Let others have the critical eye. When you’ve done what you can, share appropriately. Editors, bosses, or customers will have questions. Be prepared. If you don’t know the answer, say, “I don’t know yet. What are your thoughts?” Write them down. Conduct research.

Unless your project or book is only for friends and family, do NOT overlook getting outside help. Many books fail due to DIY poor editing, cover design, and formatting. They forget the book or project is for readers and recipients. Many book and projects get tabled because they don’t stand out from everything else on the market.

Other often-overlooked complacency considerations:

Use copyrights on all creative endeavors. Google “copyright” for more information. (Remember: unless otherwise agreed, any work done on company time is owned by the company.)
At one point, you will be uncomfortable. Your excuses will get louder. Ask yourself, “Am I more committed to my excuses or my commitment?” I ask myself when complacency sets in, “If I only had six months to live, would this be important?” If yes, I get busy.
You may give in to thinking this is not meant to be. Yes, publishing a book takes time and money. No, you likely won’t get a big-name publisher offering big bucks. Become resourceful. There are many ways to get a project, book, or idea funded. Talk with investors, objective people with nothing to gain, and your boss or team members.
When sharing an idea outside your employer (and sometimes inside), have an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) signed. I once told an inventor to get an NDA. He didn’t. The company he pitched to, violated their verbal promise and went to market faster than he could … they had the money, he lost out.

Your dreams, projects, and ideas are counting on you. Honor them. Start now. When complacency kicks in, take the next small step and keep going until the work is done.

Complacency happens frequently for many people with great ideas. Don’t let it get in the way of you achieving your dreams, goals, and purpose. Contact me to get into focused action and start now.

Communication Has Always Been Hard

February 5, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

Quote: “When we fail to take the time to learn the skills required to be effective, we make communication hard.” Jeannette Seibly

What’s hard about communication is that it requires courage, clarity, and care. It takes time, intention, and experience to teach us that communication is not just a skill, it is a responsibility. Legacy‑minded leaders understand that how they communicate today shapes the trust, stability, and direction others carry forward tomorrow.

Leaders who succeed take responsibility for both sides of communication. They ensure they are heard, and they take responsibility for how others hear them. They treat communication as a two‑way process, not a one‑way act. This is the mark of a leader who understands long‑term influence and impact.

The Communication Crisis

Today’s environment makes communication even more challenging:

AI, messaging systems, and lower reading levels have weakened clear expression.
Emotional reactivity makes people easily offended, afraid of the blow-back, or hesitant to tell the truth.
Social media distortions cause people to trust posts over people, even when the post is wrong.

After discovering an obvious online error, one employee asked, “Why would they write something that wasn’t true?” Errors happen for many reasons: multitasking, poor attention to detail, lack of verification, and failure to consider impact. Yet people still believe what fits their comfort zone.

This is why leaders must stay alert. If you weren’t there, you don’t know the facts. And yet people talk as if they do. Legacy‑minded leaders pause, verify, and respond with steadiness.

Common Communication Challenges and Solutions

The myth of “I’ve got it handled.” Effective communication is a lifelong process. If you think you’ve mastered it, you’re already behind. Everyone listens through filters and those filters shift with world changes. Remember, you don’t have it handled.

Leaders who rely on ego fail. “It’s up to them to understand me.” Leaders who continually improve their communication style succeed. Legacy leaders know mastery is never final; it is sustained through humility and practice.

Know your audience. People learn and process information differently. Your job is to keep it simple.

Use words that match the listener’s ability to understand
Avoid insider language (jargon)
Don’t speak to show your education; speak to create clarity
Use open‑ended questions to engage others

When leaders talk too much, offer no context, or make everything about themselves, people tune out.

Getting everyone on the same page takes responsibility and patience.
As one leader said during a listening exercise, “This listening stuff is too hard.” (It may be why he closed his company’s doors.)
Legacy leaders know listening is fundamental.

Use tools that help people understand. Legacy leaders use tools to illuminate, not impress. When someone struggles to understand you:

Use graphs
Use flowcharts
Use physical examples
And above all, keep it simple

Communication is more than words. Words are only a fraction of communication (research has shown only 7 percent). Over 90 percent relies on tone, gestures, impatience, and emotional expressions that can destroy your message. Legacy leaders understand that self‑awareness is a responsibility, not a luxury.

Brainstorming. Legacy leaders know great ideas often come from unexpected places so they create the conditions for those ideas to surface. Brainstorming generates ideas, solves problems, and elevates people’s sense of value. But it requires strong facilitation.

Use Round Robin input (go around more than once)
Value each person’s input, even when you disagree
Keep examples on point
Don’t dismiss off‑the‑wall ideas; they may hold insight
Use open‑ended questions to keep people talking and listening

Avoid communicating “I don’t value you.” Good leaders avoid behaviors that send the wrong message.

“I’m too busy.”
Multitasking (the brain cannot do two things at once)
Talking over someone
Having a ready answer before they finish talking
Unexamined biases, judgments, and attitudes
Dismissing or joking about others’ ideas or questions

Make the commitment to improve your communication style. It starts by hiring the right coach. Communication is often a leadership blind spot and is fixable. Legacy leaders develop and strengthen communication skills because they understand the long‑term negative impact of ignoring them.

Effective communication has always been hard and requires courage, clarity, and care. Also, it requires awareness, emotional intelligence, and the willingness to take responsibility for what you say and how you say it. Legacy leadership demands nothing less.

Leaders must stay alert. You have what it takes to make a difference. It starts with your ability to communicate effectively. Contact me to learn how.

Are You Feeling Restless and Not Clear About What You Need to Do?

January 29, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“If you’re feeling restless and have decreased job satisfaction, consider you don’t know what you really want to do.” Jeannette Seibly

There are many reasons you could be feeling restless in your career or job, and unsure what to do about it (pick one or two that resonate with you):

Poor job fit (you have the skills, but not the interest)
Plateau in career (hit a ceiling and need a new direction)
Doing the minimum work (lack of initiative)
Unable or unwilling to move forward (self-doubt)
Need more variety (boredom – your daily tasks or responsibilities haven’t evolved)
Time to expand (not clear how or what to do)
You’ve outgrown your current role or professional identity (your skills and capacity have expanded, but your job hasn’t)

Many times, when restlessness appears, there is a sense your current role isn’t matching your capacity or values. Or, another way of saying it, you may not be in the right job anymore. Yes, you have the skills, but the work doesn’t awaken your inner leader, or as others call it, your inner dharma or purpose.

Sometimes restlessness shows up when your professional identity has grown, but your current role hasn’t evolved to match it.

You may be bored because your boss fails to give you new projects, or because you fail to take initiative to ask for more or get involved in other opportunities.

You may have outgrown an old definition of yourself and your external world hasn’t caught up.

You blame your boss, company, or other external factors.

But … let’s look internally.

Here’s a quick self-check (a suggestion from AI):

“If I took a week away from work, would the restlessness disappear or still be there?”

If it disappears → it’s job fit or role design.
If it stays → it’s career direction or professional identity.
If it intensifies → you’re ready for a bigger role or new chapter.

What Can You Do?

Hire an Executive Coach. This is a smart step to ensure you’re clear about what you’ve done, what you want to do, and whether your current role is a true fit. Too many people stay in jobs that don’t fit them or try to mimic others’ careers and successes. This rarely works out well. Take the time. Get the coaching. Take the actions that actually move you forward.

An executive woman who had built her identity around being “a finance person” moved through several financial roles and clung tightly to that professional narrative. When a coach encouraged her to consider operations, which would have expanded her depth and breadth of career opportunities, she rejected the idea outright because it didn’t align with the vision she tightly held for herself. A couple of years later, she found herself once again searching for another finance position, illustrating how staying narrowly defined can limit growth rather than protect it.

This reflects how strongly people can resist paths that challenge their self‑concept, even when those paths might expand their long‑term opportunities and career fulfillment.

Complete a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. Again, job fit is key. Yes, I keep repeating this because so many people settle for a paycheck while doing work that either stresses them or bores them. Make sure you use a qualified job fit tool that focuses on interests, thinking style, and core behavioral traits. Most employers use assessments incorrectly, so it’s wise to work with an executive coach who uses the right tools.

Envision Your Career Future. Explore what exists beyond other people’s expectations, especially because many of us don’t actually know what we want. It’s easy to fall into imitation, apathy, or well‑meant advice that doesn’t match what we’re truly seeking. Unfortunately, it’s easier to stay in jobs that don’t fit simply because we like the people even while the work drains us.

Clarity becomes essential. If you’re not ready to branch into a more fulfilling role, you can still honor your interests by weaving them into your personal life. Whether that means taking a painting class, repairing bikes, or finding any outlet that reconnects you with what energizes you. This kind of personal expansion can then naturally morph into other areas of your life, including your job and career, opening doors you couldn’t see before.

Honor Yourself. It’s easy to give up and tell yourself that being stuck is for “the best.” Instead, take one small action step forward. Then, another. Keep steps small. For example, block one hour each week to explore roles, projects, or responsibilities that energize you now, not the ones you accepted years ago. Along the way, you will create clarity about what to pursue. Remember, talking about making changes over and over will NOT create a positive difference. Your actions create your motivation for what’s next.

Remember, restlessness is often the first sign that your career is ready for its next chapter.

Remember, restlessness is often the first sign that your career is ready for its next chapter. It doesn’t disappear by waiting. Contact me for a confidential conversation today to explore what’s next.

Use Self-Doubt to Build Self Confidence

January 22, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Self-doubt can be an indicator you are moving into something new. This is not the time to doubt yourself.” Jeannette Seibly

Self-doubt shows up in everyone’s career. Often it sounds like a “little voice in your head” insisting you’re not ready, not capable, or not enough. But that voice isn’t a stop sign. It’s a signal you’re stepping into growth. When you learn to use self-doubt instead of fighting it, you turn hesitation into confidence and momentum.

Have you ever heard the “little voice in your head” say:

“NO!”
“You’ll fail.”
“You can’t.”
“You’re not smart enough.”
“You’re too old.”
“You don’t have what it takes to succeed.”

You’re not alone. Everyone experiences self-doubt. It shows up when fear or uncertainty creeps in. It’s normal for anyone moving forward in their career or life. But don’t let it derail your goals, career choices, legacy, or leadership. Use it to build confidence by stepping into those moments of discomfort, uncertainty, and mental chatter.

Confidence is an inside job. It’s trusting yourself and recognizing that self-doubt often signals progress.

7 Ways to Use Self-Doubt to Build Confidence

Self-Talk with Your Brags. Internal chatter can derail you, especially when trying something new. Complete the Brag! exercises in Get Your Brag On! Focus on what you’ve already achieved because you’ve achieved a lot and doing so turns self-doubt into confidence.
Replace Fear. Repeat “I am enough!” at least 50 times in the mirror. (I know this sounds like too much but it works.) Many people experience Imposter Syndrome, especially women, because they don’t feel like they are enough or have enough … regardless of credentials or awards. When self-doubt appears, talk it out with your executive coach. Identify the real source of the fear (e.g., seeking approval, working with a difficult team member, making the right hiring decisions).
Learn Something New. Everyone started their career not knowing something. Return to the basics and learn from the ground up. It builds confidence and influence because you understand how things work and where to adjust. When you set aside your ego, you learn faster and are more effective in achieving results.
Perfection Isn’t Perfect. Perfectionism creates stress, conflict, and missed milestones. Even when we do a good job, there will be mistakes made along the way. Relax, trust the process, and ask for help when needed. More importantly, learn from your mistakes.
Make the Best Decision You Can. Identify three must‑haves for your project, new vehicle, or next job. Then get three quotes or proposals. When selecting a book editor, I reviewed three viable candidates and chose the one that met my criteria. The cheapest or most expensive isn’t always the best.
Accept All Feedback Graciously. When receiving negative feedback, don’t let self-doubt take over. Get specifics. Be open to hearing what’s being said. It’s how you improve. Ask, “What is your most specific concern, and why is it important to you?” Listen, learn, and incorporate what’s appropriate. If you refuse to learn from feedback, self-doubt wins.
Trust and Believe in Yourself. Everyone fails at times. If you’re unwilling to work past your self-doubt and take focused action, you rarely achieve intended results. Work with your executive coach to explore options. For example, if you dislike selling, becoming a financial planner won’t be a successful career choice today.

Use your self-doubt as a guide, not a barrier. Lean into the discomfort, apply these seven practices, and take the next step forward … no matter how small. Confidence grows through action, reflection, and consistency. Start today.

For success in 2026, leaders must use their self-doubt to learn about themselves and how to be unstoppable. Contact me to learn how.

Conversations That Create Solutions

January 15, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Many issues can be worked out through effective communication.” Jeannette Seibly

As we move through different seasons of life and leadership, we often notice issues in how systems work, how departments communicate, or how some employees do just enough to get by. We can join the complaining. Or we can choose conversations that create clarity, collaboration, and solutions.

Practical approaches to turning problems into progress:

Have preliminary conversations. Ask trusted people, mentors, or your coach, what they believe the problem is. What others inside the company share is rarely the whole story, so stay curious rather than believing the first explanation as the truth. Also, don’t keep having these types of conversations without forward moving progress.
Ask what they would do to resolve it. When someone says, “It is what it is,” invite them to think outside the box: “Give me three possible solutions.” Then pause. Silence allows people to think. Write the ideas down even if you don’t agree with them. As you build a solution, keep them handy.
Pull together only those involved to build a solution. Avoid calling in an entire team or department when the issue involves one or two people. Meet with the true influencers, title or not, and gather their insights. If it is a department- or team-wide issue, bring everyone together.
Send out an agenda so everyone knows the purpose and discussion points. At the start, ask if anything else needs to be added. Also, ensure effective meeting protocols are followed (e.g., turn off electronic devices, listen, etc.).
Conduct a psychologically safe meeting where every voice is heard and respected. Beware of your own biases or that of other leaders in the room that can shut down sharing and idea-generation.
Identify a solution. If more information is needed, document who will do what by when. Never skip this step. Write it down and include in minutes of the meeting. Send out minutes within 24 to 48 hours.
Follow up and follow through. Accountability and responsibility often solve the very issues that created the problem. Remember, you’re listening for resolution, inclusion of others, and current and future impact.
Send a positive group update and keep your own leader informed.
Start with a “debrief.” To bring teams together, have each person list a one thing that worked and one thing that did not work. Remember, this is sharing, a psychological safe space. Acknowledge everyone. Then share the issue that brought everyone together. You may find the issue resolved through this exercise.
Use a job‑fit assessment with a qualified facilitator. This is a great way to bring team members together that are sniping or disparaging others. Then pair people to discuss differences. The relief and insights gained from the objective data can be remarkable.

For success in 2026, leaders must stop ignoring issues and create viable solutions. Having effective conversations is crucial. Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Your Inner Leadership Skills Determine the Quality of Your Results

January 8, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Inner leadership is the compass you rely on during your most meaningful years.” Jeannette Seibly

Are you rethinking what legacy truly means? It’s no longer just about career accomplishments or financial milestones. It’s about how you show up, the impact you make in your relationships and community, and the meaning you create in this next chapter of life. Yet too often, the focus remains on external roles, what you’ve done, who you’ve led, or the responsibilities you’ve carried.

What’s missing? To create a meaningful and fulfilling legacy, you must strengthen the inner leadership skills that guide how you think, respond, and influence others. These inner skills, often referred to as soft skills, include:

Self-awareness
Responsibility and accountability
Trust and integrity
Resilience and resourcefulness
Mindfulness and presence

Without developing these, your future legacy including your experiences, relationships, and contributions may feel incomplete or less satisfying than you hoped.

Here are the recommendations to develop before it’s too late.

Note: Life transitions, health changes, family dynamics, and unexpected opportunities can appear quickly. If you have not strengthened your inner leadership skills, you will often feel unprepared, overwhelmed, or unsure of your next steps. By the time these moments arrive, it’s too late to build the foundation you need in those moments.

Self-awareness. As you navigate building your legacy for the next chapter of your life, this is the most essential inner skill. Understanding your strengths, blind spots, triggers, and motivations helps you make choices that align with your values and desired legacy. Self-aware people build stronger relationships and experience greater peace and fulfillment.

Responsibility and accountability. At age 55+, owning your choices and outcomes becomes even more important. It allows you to resolve unfinished business, strengthen relationships, and move forward with clarity and confidence.

Trust and integrity. Trusting yourself and honoring your word shapes how others remember you. Integrity is a cornerstone of your legacy: how you treat people, how you follow through, and how consistently you live your values.

Resilience and resourcefulness. Life after 55 brings transitions, some expected, some not. Resilience helps you navigate change with composure, while resourcefulness helps you adapt, find solutions, and work with the people and use the tools around you effectively. Talking things through with an executive coach can help you gain clarity and determine your next best step.

Mindfulness and presence. Being fully present improves your relationships, your decision-making, and your sense of well-being. It helps you stay grounded, listen deeply, and remember what you’ve promised yourself and others.

Developing these skills requires reflection, coaching, and practices like journaling, meditation, or structured conversations that help you gain clarity, confidence, and commitment.

For 2026, make a promise to yourself, and honor that promise: Strengthen your inner leadership skills and create the legacy you truly want.

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 33 years of experience guiding leaders and people 55+ to create meaningful, purpose-driven next chapters. She delivers practical coaching and innovative solutions for personal leadership, life transitions, and legacy development. Successful people have coaches. Connect with Jeannette to elevate your next chapter in 2026.

What is your 55+ chapter calling you to do? If you want a more meaningful legacy and a more fulfilling season of life, it starts with strengthening your inner leadership skills. Don’t wait. Contact me to begin shaping the future you want now.

Are You Ready to Deliver Real Results that Contribute to Your Legacy?

December 25, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“If you want to deliver lasting results, focus on consistent and productive practices to get unstuck and move forward.” Jeannette Seibly

2026 is right around the corner. As you review your 2025 results, ask yourself: are you energized by progress, weighed down by fear, or clinging to excuses and hope?

Now is the moment to examine whether your practices are consistent, productive, and truly driving impact. Because by this time next year, you don’t just want to meet commitments, you want to exceed them and leave a legacy that endures.

Remember: supporting your vision is just as vital as achieving it.

7 Tips to Build a Legacy That Endures

Invest in the Right People. Your legacy is built through others. Choose team members who align with your values and mission.

Coach with Purpose. Go beyond performance fixes by asking open-ended questions that spark thinking. Help people grow into leaders who carry forward your vision. And don’t forget to hire your own coach, someone who keeps you out of the weeds and in action.

Use Technology Wisely. Technology is a powerful support tool, but it cannot create legacy on its own. Tools like AI can amplify your efforts, streamline processes, and provide valuable insights. Yet a lasting legacy is always built on engaging with people and building a positive culture first. When you prioritize relationships, values, and leadership practices, technology shifts from being a crutch to becoming a true multiplier of your impact.

Engage Your Community Regularly. Your legacy thrives when you stay connected. Quarterly conversations with stakeholders ensure relevance and build trust. Sometimes it may feel like you’re repeating yourself, and that’s okay. People have selective hearing and may not catch your message the first few times.

Create Daily Rituals. A personal morning structure matters (whether journaling, listening to a favorite influencer, or sitting in stillness). At work, quick huddles or intentional check-ins build consistency, accountability, and shared ownership of your vision.

Teach the Stories and Details. Legacy lives in the stories we tell. Train your team to understand the why behind the work you do, not just the what.

Celebrate Progress. Recognition sustains momentum. Acknowledge contributions, share wins, and reinforce the values you want carried forward. (Yes—get your brag on!)

Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author. For over 33 years, she has guided executives and leaders to achieve remarkable success. Her specialty is helping organizations design legacies of excellence, accountability, and impact.

Want objective practices to strengthen your legacy? Contact me today to make a lasting difference.

How Do You Listen Effectively?

December 18, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“If you’re listening to respond, cut people off, or have a ready answer, you’re not listening!” Jeannette Seibly

In creating our legacy and shaping our future, we must learn how to listen effectively. How you listen honors your legacy and the legacy of others. This is critical as you move forward in creating and fulfilling projects, supporting communities that are important to you, and supporting neighbors and family who enjoy being with you.

However, too often we listen through our own filters:

Biases, judgments, or assumptions about whether someone’s story “fits” what we already believe.
Listening to reply, not to understand.
Thinking of the next thing we want to say.
Making a quick decision that the person isn’t worth listening to.

The above are examples of not truly listening. In fact, if you have a response ready before the person finishes speaking, you’re not really listening!

Why Listening Matters for Your Legacy

Listening is more than a skill. It’s a way of honoring stories, discerning values, and building meaningful connections. For adults 55+, listening deeply allows us to:

Capture wisdom that might otherwise be lost.
Strengthen relationships by truly hearing what matters.
Shape our legacy by aligning words, actions, and values.
Create communities where every voice is valued, and every story has impact.

Other Considerations for Listening in Everyday Life

Attention to detail: Do you notice the pauses, memories, and details that reveal care and intention?
Reactionary or calm: Do they respond with patience, or with quick judgment? A calm tone reveals resilience. A reactionary tone indicates they are still dealing with their anger and the unfairness of the situation.
Community spirit: Are they positively contributing to family, friendships, or community events?
Openness to growth: Even later in life, are they willing to learn, adapt, or grow?

Listening Beyond Words

Consistency between words and actions: Do their stories match how they live? Listen for three examples or themes that reveal true values.
Ownership of mistakes and failures: Can they admit missteps and explain what they learned? That’s wisdom worth passing on.
Curiosity and initiative: Do they ask questions about others, the world, or legacy? Genuine curiosity signals engagement.
Values alignment: Notice whether their personal values resonate with the community you want to build. Do themes like autonomy, service, or sustainability keep surfacing?
Communication clarity: Can they share complex life lessons in ways others can understand and carry forward?

Practical Listening Habits to Build Your Legacy

Pause before responding. Silence often reveals more than a rushed answer.
Listen for patterns, not isolated statements. One polished story doesn’t equal consistency in how one lives life.
Note emotional tone. Calm confidence differs from rehearsed charm.
Separate impression from evidence. Write down what you heard versus what you felt. Then, compare. If it’s not consistent, ask yourself: Are they truly sharing, or just talking to talk? Or, do I need to “level up” my listening?

Remember, what you do to honor your legacy and the legacy of others begins and ends with the way you listen.

Jeannette Seibly is a legacy-driven Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Amazon Best-Selling Business Author. For over 33 years, she has empowered thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve sustainable success through strategic hiring, values-based coaching, and intentional leadership development. Her work blends clarity, accountability, and soulful impact—activating performance and purpose at every level.

Do you want to improve your listening? Do you journal? Contact me, and I’ll send you a complimentary copy of Journaling Prompts: Practicing Deep Listening.

The Three Main Saboteurs that Prevent Achieving Results

December 11, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“Your results will be sabotaged by doubt, fear, and negative talk. Transform them now before it’s too late.” Jeannette Seibly

While there can be many deterrents to achieving your goals or legacy, the biggest saboteurs are: Doubt, Fear, and Negative Talk.

Definitions:

Doubt: Questioning your ability or the possibility of success.
Fear: Anticipating negative outcomes that prevent action.
Negative Talk: Criticizing yourself or others, especially with self‑talk.

Examples:

“I doubt it will work.”
“I doubt I can get the funding or approval.”
“I’m afraid to talk with my boss, she is a naysayer.”
“I’m afraid to spend the money to invest in myself. What if I need the money later?”
“I’m a loser, a failure. Nobody likes me.”
“She’ll never succeed; why bother?”

Several years ago, Magda wanted to launch her own consulting practice. She had the skills, the network, and even a few clients waiting. But Magda kept saying, “I doubt I can make it work. What if I fail?” Fear stopped her from investing in a website, and negative self-talk convinced her she wasn’t “good enough.” Six months later, Magda watched Dina start a similar business and succeed with the very idea Magda had shelved. Magda had allowed her “saboteurs” to win.

Can you see yourself in this story? Many can, if you’re being honest. What are your usual saboteurs when mistakes threaten failure, or things are not working out as you believe they should?

Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall into these limiting traps whether it be family, work, or pursuing personal goals. It’s why you fail to achieve what you really, really, really want in life. You’ve allowed your saboteurs to determine the outcome of your results.

The good news is that these saboteurs don’t have to define you or your results. With simple shifts in perspectives and practices, you will improve your results.

How to Turn Saboteurs into Stepping Stones for Success

To overcome these saboteurs, practice three powerful shifts:

Reframe: Change the story. “Yes, I failed to achieve my goal last month, and that doesn’t mean I will fail this month. In fact, I just received a call from a prospective client.” Another phrase to consider while taking action, “I can do this and I do it.”
Own: Accept responsibility and learn. Ask, “What did I learn?” Use the exercise, “What Worked? / What Didn’t Work?” to uncover insights. Identify the weakness, mistake, or failure in planning and make the positive change. Don’t blame yourself or others!
Brag: Celebrate your wins, and the wins of your team. Completing your brags builds self‑confidence and reminds you of your competence. In the book Get Your Brag On! you’ll find several exercises to quickly turn doubt, fear, and negative talk into positives.

Have you been ambushed by the three saboteurs? It’s time to talk about how to shift those saboteurs and achieve your intended results.