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How to Choose Expectations that Produce Positive Results

July 8, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Our expectations about others are directly related to our ability to lead and influence them.” Jeannette Seibly

As bosses and leaders, we all have expectations that positively support our ability to be influential leaders. Conversely, limiting or negative expectations about others (e.g., how they “should” behave, talk, and do their work) hurts our ability to influence change and produce intended results!

Our ideas about the way the world works are based, in part, upon our expectations. These expectations color our experience – for good or ill – and can influence our reactions and responses to just about everything and everyone that we encounter. (PsychologyToday.com)

How do we choose our expectations to make a positive difference with our teams, customers, and results?

Take Responsibility for Your Expectations

Be Present. When in conversations, set aside preconceived ideas or expectations of how others should speak or behave during conversations. Set aside distractions. Listen with an open mind. Remember, mastery requires consistent practice.
Set Aside “Shoulds.” Biases and judgments can significantly impact your effectiveness as a boss/leader, whether positive or negative. Setting these aside can be incredibly difficult to overcome without the right coaching, training, and reminders. It’s important to remember that you operate in a world and work in a company where you are expected to judge and evaluate people’s performance and their impact on others. However, it’s crucial to base these judgments on objective data, not their personalities!
Be Objective. Telling the truth and using factual information is essential. Adjust your expectations to do the right thing correctly (e.g., provide feedback with empathy and compassion), and do not excuse destructive or disruptive behaviors, poor quality, or missed deadlines. Set an expectation of high quality and ensure that efforts are rewarded.
Stop Labeling Others. When you affix labels to people (e.g., narcissists, difficult people), it’s often due to being upset with a conversation you had with them or a decision they made. Your team members will follow your lead. Your frustrations can create microaggressions and a hostile and harmful workplace culture. Choose an expectation that everyone works well with others to ensure you are managing for a safe workplace!
Avoid Making Decisions for Others. The expectation of knowing what is best for team members will get in the way of being effective. Instead, ask first. Then, decide what is best for a person (e.g., job promotion, job transfer, change of work responsibilities), company, work team, and customer. Since team members will say “yes” to new work opportunities – but fail to understand what is expected of them to succeed — use a qualified job fit assessment to ensure no surprises for you or them!
Dial Up Your Humbleness and Dial Down Your Ego. Your false sense of power (e.g., job title) will influence your expectations of others and how they “should” listen and speak to you. Your ego will naturally think of yourself as superior (your ideas are the only right ones) and create a false belief that people should listen and do as you say! These expectations will limit others’ willingness to work for you, increase workplace stress, and hurt results. Keep your ego in check!
Know You Will Be Disappointed. You will be disappointed when you pin your happiness and success on fulfilling unrealistic expectations. Set realistic goals for yourself and others. Celebrate the small steps! Create brags for all accomplishments (yours and others), whether large or small.
Accelerate Achieving Positive Results. Hire an executive coach who can guide you through the inevitable difficulties you will experience in working relationships and completing a project. You will become more respectful by becoming more realistic and accepting of others. Adjust your expectations of yourself and others by using mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn and grow.

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of practical experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 32 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about these state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

Note from Jeannette: The expectations we choose for ourselves and others can positively or negatively affect our results, relationships, and work quality. Do you need help adjusting and choosing your expectations to achieve your goals, improve your results, and improve working relationships? Let’s talk now—before it’s too late. Contact me!

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread doing what is needed to manage your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days! But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully – this includes getting you out of the way and working with and through people effectively to achieve the results required. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Are you using your talents effectively? Many of us are not! Click Here for a Free Download on how to use your abilities and enjoy a rewarding career!

How to Win Back an Alienated Team

July 1, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“How you manage your team either engages or alienates them.” Jeannette Seibly

Alienating your team can happen whether you are a new boss/leader or not. It often happens when you make decisions that are not in the team’s best interests or make changes that are not perceived to be in their best interests.

Emily was a new boss and wanted to engage her team. She immediately began holding team meetings and had each person share what they were doing. This change alienated the team since the previous boss wasn’t interested in team development. At first, the team didn’t share or shared inappropriately. Then, after she talked with them individually and as a team about why sharing their individual progress supported the team as a whole, they learned to value this time together and support and learn from one another.

When alienation happens, waiting them out is not the right approach! It is best to take proactive action to win the team back as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get on the right track.

Signs a team member or team has been alienated:

Missed work assignments
Poor attitude when assigning work (“Oh! Whatever!”)
Unwilling to improve performance
Negative team vibe (be careful with this one – the issue may not be you)
Talking with others about you (upset, frustrated)
Team turnover
Unable to make eye contact
They tell you what you want to hear
There are factions, silos, and cliques at work against you

Now address “why” you alienated them:

Made an unpopular decision
Fired or removed a team member, especially if the person is well-liked
Micromanaged them
Used microaggressions or other offensive behaviors
Allowed your ego to get in the way and took credit for their work
Made changes that impact them or another group without their knowledge

8 Ways to Get Your Alienated Team Back on Track

Breathe, Listen, and Be Present. What is the real issue? Ask! Don’t accept the first response! Go around the team several times until the truth comes out! You cannot change what happens moving forward without the truth! Be patient. This can take time, but it is well worth the effort.
Your apology needs to be genuine. Share how you’ll make changes in the future and follow through on this commitment. This is especially important if you make a mistake that hurts the team or someone they care about.
Talk Straight. It builds trust! There will be times when you need to make unpopular decisions or rock the boat. It’s part of your job description to talk it out with team members, customers, and the company. Share the facts!
Set Expectations. Acknowledge the past and why there is a need to make changes. Keep the new expectation short and straightforward. For example, all meetings will start right on time and end on time, too. Now, follow through!
Don’t Defend. Stating your position repeatedly, telling people how they feel, or belittling others will not win them back! Remember, listen.
Assign Based on Strengths. Avoid favoritism or selecting the person who always raises their hand to take on tasks. Get to know your people and assign projects, assignments, and other activities based on strengths and what the person enjoys doing and is good at. If someone wants to learn a new skill (e.g., how to manage a budget), partner them with a good teacher.
Ask for Input. Slow down. Ask for their ideas, thoughts, and concerns before making changes (especially if you’re a new boss/leader). Write these down so everyone can see them. Be prepared to address them point-by-point before and after the decision has been made.
Meet 1:1. Talking with each team member alone can also provide insights that the team would frown on if shared openly at a team meeting. Remember confidentiality! Or you’ll alienate the team even more!
Master These 8 Ways … To get your alienated team back on track quicker, hire an executive coach. Attempting to implement these on your own can be overwhelming, or you may miss nuances that your executive coach can see.

Are you using your talents effectively? Many of us are not! Click Here for a Free Download on how to use your talents and enjoy a rewarding career!

A note from Jeannette: Do you sense there is something off with your team? Have you considered that you are the cause of the alienation? Let’s talk before you lose your team, effectiveness, and customers! Contact me!

Are you using your talents effectively? Many of us are not! Click Here for a Free Download on how to use your talents and enjoy a rewarding career!

Did you know your top salespeople are multipliers? According to research from McKinsey & Company, top sales performers can be 4x more productive than bottom performers. They consistently meet (or surpass) their sales targets, clearly understand their client’s needs, and adapt quickly in all situations.

When you discover your top performer’s secret sauce that makes them a superstar, you can increase sales productivity, improve conversion rates, and increase YoY growth. PXT Select® and its AI-based testing algorithms are your gateway to this transformation.

Join us on Thursday, July 18^th @ 10 AM Central / 11 AM Eastern / 8 AM Pacific to learn how the PXTS can help you replicate your top salespeople for a stellar year! You MUST register by contacting JLSeibly@gmail.com (An Authorized PXT Select Partner)

Transform Your Blind Spots into Savvy Leadership

June 24, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“We all have blind spots, and to see them requires an open mind!” Jeannette Seibly

Do you know how your impatience, fear of conflict, and being easily triggered affect your effectiveness as a boss/leader?

All bosses/leaders have blind spots. Often, these are complex and, many times, impossible to distinguish. Or they get created because of criticism from someone whose opinion you value. Or you have been unwilling or unable to acknowledge your biases, judgments, and evaluations of others objectively.

Unidentified blind spots are weaknesses that cost you, your company, your team, and your customers intended results.

Your blind spots, when ignored, will sabotage you and your career unless you identify them and discover them with your executive coach.

How Do You Define Blind Spots?

Leadership blind spots are the areas where a leader … even a very successful leader … is missing something. A blind spot can be a lack of attention to a particular area or a part of your skillset that never developed. ALL leaders have blind spots. Exceptional Leader’s Lab

No matter how hard you try to be self-aware and mindful, you cannot readily self-identify your blind spots. The problem is your blind spots impact others and can limit their effectiveness at work.

The challenge is to hire the right executive coach to uncover your blind spots before they damage your leadership reputation and future opportunities.

What Are the Top 10 Leadership Blind Spots?

While some blind spots may be easy to spot, according to Inc. Magazine, here are the top 10.

Which ones do you recognize for yourself?

The top 10 blind spots are:

Going it alone
Being insensitive of your behavior toward others
Having an “I know” attitude
Avoiding the difficult conversations
Blaming others or circumstances
Treating commitments casually
Conspiring against others
Withholding emotional commitment
Not taking a stand
Tolerating “good enough”

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

How to Flip Blind Spots into Savvy Leadership

Use assessments and 360-degree feedback to discover your inherent strengths and weaknesses (aka blind spots). There are three types of assessments: 1) assessments that uncover how you want to be seen, 2) assessments to show how you really are, and 3) assessments that show you how others see you. All three provide you with great 20/20 vision. But now, the real work begins. Work with a qualified executive coach to review the assessment results and guide you in developing a laser-focused action plan to flip these blind spots.
Hire the right executive coach and listen. You will improve your influence and leadership savvy when you are coachable and listen. Having a coach eliminates the typical trial and error that otherwise occurs when you attempt to self-analyze what you say and do. (You will often be wrong!) Do not focus on conceptual conversations regarding the merits and demerits of your blind spots. Just listen to your coach, adjust, and implement.
Engage with an industry mentor. The right mentor(s) is an invaluable source of information and will be knowledgeable about your company, management team, and industry. Along with your executive coach, the right mentor can also guide you through complex situations and sticky political relationships. This is the fastest way to move past your blind spots, resolve issues, and achieve intended results.
Listen to your team’s feedback. Your team wants you to succeed. However, while you may believe you want to hear feedback from your team, honestly, in many cases, you’d rather not. Use a qualified 360 feedback assessment to encourage your team to tell the truth. Then, create a game plan to learn from and implement these invaluable insights.
Dial up your humbleness. Take part in emotional intelligence workshops. Set aside your ego during these programs since it can be your most significant hurdle to overcoming blind spots and developing savvy leadership. Remember, authentic practice is required to achieve mastery!
Improve your all-important communication skills. Your ability to write, speak, and talk with others is critical to success. Don’t fall into the trap of “I have it all handled.” Instead, take workshops to recognize your biases (aka blind spots) and develop your inner confidence.
Identify triggers and biases. We all have them. To uncover triggers and automatic judgments (often subconsciously), work with your executive coach to discuss the issues and develop more effective ways to handle them. (Note: You may also need to work with a licensed therapist to remove stubborn barriers.)

A note from Jeannette: If others have told you that you are impatient, fear conflict, and are easily triggered, keep reading! Even if you believe they are wrong, it’s essential to realize that ALL leaders have blind spots, including you. If you’re stuck and uncertain about how to discover your blind spots, contact me for a confidential conversation.

Are you using your talents effectively? Many of us are not! Click Here for a Free Download on how to use your talents and enjoy a rewarding career!

Are You a Defensive Leader?

May 27, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

Many leaders and bosses today run away from unsolicited feedback, helpful criticism, and being told they failed or made a mistake. Instead of listening and learning, they become defensive by justifying or excusing their behaviors. This bad habit makes it challenging to have conversations for improvement and to create positive outcomes for situations or relationships.

When Collette received negative feedback from her male co-workers, she seethed underneath but pretended to handle it well. After all, she knew her profession better than they did. To feel better about herself, she shared her concerns with Pam, a female co-worker in a different department. The conversation went well until Pam asked for positive support from Collette about her issue. Collette due to her need to feel superior blamed Pam for the problem instead of offering sound advice.

Defensive leaders often feel the need to hurt others to feel superior, which limits their ability to address their own insecurities and challenges.

Do you become defensive when you have:

Waited too long to address issues?
Relied on facts that others dispute?
Taken comments personally, even when they are meant as compliments?
Refused to work with a coach or mentor, fearing they will only tell you what you are doing wrong?
Failed to set expectations, which includes policies and procedures?
Blamed others for wasting time offering new ideas or solutions you don’t understand?

While leaders and bosses can be level-headed, emotionally intelligent, and good listeners, when feedback is offered, these same people can become defensive by blaming others, creating a myriad of excuses, and overreacting (sometimes for hours and days).

Consider that your defensiveness as a leader/boss will derail your career, especially when your inability to hear what you don’t want to hear costs the company customers, top talent, and required results.

Tips to Overcome Being Defensive

First, Calm Down. Your effectiveness is limited when you are snarky or defending what you’ve done or not done. Breathe and become mindful of what triggered your reaction. Then, talk with a trusted confidant to learn how to move forward. (HINT: When listening, stay away from “Yeah, but!”)

Work with An Executive Coach. Many defensive leaders and bosses fail to hire a coach. Why? They believe their defensive reactions are reasonable and that a coach will tell them they can control and manage their emotional intelligence. The right coach will provide objective data to help address “why” and solutions to improve your working relationships. Also, consider hiring a therapist to work through the feelings that erupt when team members, bosses, or customers confront and upset you.

Use the What Worked? / What Didn’t Work? Exercise. Take time to complete this exercise to gain insights into the true issue. It clarifies what happened and diminishes your emotional reactions (and attachments) so you can address the facts. Now, have a conversation to resolve the mistake, failure, or conflict.

Ask for Actionable Feedback. It can be unpleasant when people offer feedback that is too general or based on others’ feelings. Ask for specific facts so you can learn what the actual issue is. This makes it easier to hear others’ concerns and to know what to do in the future.

Ask Open-Ended Questions. When feeling confronted, ask for their side of the issue or upset. Listen. Stick with the facts and not your or their emotional reactions, which can and does change with each telling of the story.

Don’t Respond to Emails/Texts. Sadly, too many people today lack the communication skills necessary to share their concerns in a helpful manner. Don’t interact in an email or text (emojis and AI cannot address the real issues). Instead, schedule a 1:1 conversation and ask questions. Listen and be open to their point of view. (Remember, you can agree to disagree.)

Don’t Threaten or Call Others Liars. STOP when you want to lash out at others to express your anger! Leave the situation and talk with your coach, boss, or human resources rep to address the problem.

What Do You Do to Move Forward? Apologize. Understand trust has been broken and it may take a long time to regain trust with your bosses, team members, or clients. If your defensiveness continues, it’s time to seek a different job. Being in the wrong job or working in a poorly run company is stressful. Act now to avoid YOU gaining a bad reputation.

A note from Jeannette: Due to the many demands on leaders/bosses today, many are defensive when offered coaching or essential feedback. This reaction will limit career opportunities and the ability for others to work with you. It’s time to get objective input via the PXT Select Leadership Report! This invaluable assessment will provide critical insights for your growth and improvement! Let’s talk now — before it’s too late. Contact me!

Do You Focus on Workability?

May 20, 2024May 20, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Workability in a project, situation, or relationship allows for opportunities to achieve intended results.” Jeannette Seibly

Today, our focus often gravitates towards the ‘ideal’ of our goals and dreams. However, we overlook the crucial element of workability and the practicality required to achieve them. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, let’s focus on working smarter, not harder – step-by-step.

All leaders and bosses today are busy pursuing their goals and the goals of their business or company. However, when we become too fixated on the big picture, the crucial details often get overlooked. This can lead to avoidable problems that hinder our progress and even damage our reputation.

Tips to Create Workability

It Requires a Team. Don’t try to do what you don’t do well. Hiring the right team is essential to achieving the desired results. It starts with following a strategic job fit system to ensure the right person is in the right position on the team!
Honor Financial Obligations. Years ago, I met a self-proclaimed enlightened business owner who claimed he had a million-dollar business. But he kept his financials in a shoebox. Hiding important details will hurt you and have others question your credibility. Schedule time weekly to keep your A/R, A/P, and taxes up-to-date and paid. Remember, the IRS doesn’t care about your excuses.
Trust Others to Get the Work Done. Complaining about how others do their work limits creativity and innovation; it does not make a difference in achieving results. #1—Stop micromanaging since you’ve not done the work and don’t know the details involved. #2—Hire for job fit to ensure they have the interest and willingness to do the work as it needs to be done.
Honor Feedback. Instead of being defensive when unsolicited comments are made, lean in and learn more.
Focus on Integrity. Cutting corners, overlooking quality concerns, not proofing documents, and ignoring safety precautions will get you in trouble and hinder workability. This is because your team has to work around you, often with less-than-stellar results. For example, reading the fine print is required, and having a good business attorney review documents before signing them is essential!
Hire a Coach. I know, I say this often! “Every successful leader has a coach!” The right coach guides you through the details and offers alternatives, regardless of your feelings. The coach also helps you organize your goals, so you have time to live a healthy lifestyle simultaneously.
Express Gratitude. Appreciate what you have and express it instead of focusing on what you don’t. This will make you a more accessible leader and person to work and live with! Your family and employees will appreciate this more than you imagine… along with your cat and dog!
Stay Connected. Schedule 1:1 and group time with the people in your life. Put away electronics, and don’t allow other distractions to get in the way. Remember, there will always be high and low points in life. Your relationships will help you through both if you prioritize the time now.

A note from Jeannette: Due to the many demands on leaders and bosses today, it’s important to create a workplace culture (home and office) of workability. It supports achieving goals faster and more effectively. Are you having challenges getting everyone on the same page? Let’s talk now—before it’s too late. Contact me!

This book (“Hire Amazing Employees“) by Nancy Schick, NY Employment Attorney and Mediator, can help you improve your hiring process. I met Jeannette Seibly a few months ago In this Together Round Table, where I also learned about her book, Hire Amazing Employees. Since my clients frequently struggle with this task, I bought myself a copy and gave several as gifts. The book contains many helpful tips for avoiding the impact of hiring errors. Read the full testimonial here.

Are You Using Your Talents Effectively?

April 15, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Why does 30 to 40 years seem like a long time to work? Because you are not working in a job or career that supports your natural talents.” Jeanette Seibly

Many would say, “sort of.” Or, “I guess.” Or, “I don’t know.”

The challenge? Many people today are unaware of their talents, gifts, and natural abilities! This includes everyone at every level in a business, nonprofit, entrepreneurship, or other workplace.

Unfortunately, most people fail to recognize and develop the skills and strengths necessary to support their natural talents. Instead, too many people waste time wishing for, being frustrated by, and being jealous of others’ talents.

If they spent that time learning about their own talents, they wouldn’t have to spend money on coaching and training to support goals that don’t honor their talents (e.g., 1099 employee v. W2 employee). The result? They feel like failures instead of winners!

Talents are natural abilities that someone is born with, while skills are learned abilities that come from practice and experience. Upwork

A financial planner worked hard to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and accomplished her goal. She commented, “If someone studied that hard to become a CFP, they must be in the right job.”

Sadly, no. People can achieve degrees and certifications because they must keep their jobs or be eligible for promotions. Or it is due to parental or others’ expectations that they do so. Or because their friends or people on social media said it was the best career choice! (It may have been for that person – but not for you.)

The truth is if you want to grow in your career and life, focus on developing your unique talents, gifts, and strengths to pursue your goals. But first, ensure the goals you are pursuing honor you!

How to Honor Your Talents

It’s essential to identify your natural talents and strengths through:

Self-Reflection: Ask yourself what activities, tasks, projects, classes, and interactions give you joy and satisfaction. They usually feel engaging and fulfilling, and time passes very quickly. You want more of them.

Example: If you love crafting, gardening, or coding, ensure your job or hobbies include a creative outlet!

Feedback from Others: Talk to friends, family, co-workers, mentors, and bosses who know you well. They can provide insights into your strengths and talents that you might need to be made aware of. But don’t buy into everything they tell you since their advice may be more of a reflection of how they achieved their success.

Example: Years ago, a CFO asked if I would work for him in his department. I said, “Thank you, no.” While I have excellent math skills, crunching financials wouldn’t use my talents or support my interests. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean it’s the career path for you.

Job Fit Assessment:

Take a job-fit assessment that provides objective data: occupational interests, thinking style, and core behaviors.
Review your strengths with an executive coach.
Beware of myths that often get in the way of recognizing your talents.

Examples of Myths:

Buying a franchise is easy and guarantees you success. The reality? Too many people buy a franchise and fail. Why? They are uncoachable and think they know how to run a well-established brand better! (Hint: Their thinking style, need to be creative, and/or do it their way got in the way.)
I’m good at math, so I should be an accountant, engineer, or financial planner. Too many people believe this, and what is often overlooked is that they don’t have the interest to do that type of work. (Hint: There are so many occupations that require logical thinking and the ability to use numbers and metrics; don’t narrow your options!)
I’d love my job if I had the right boss. That is categorically incorrect! (Hint: If you don’t enjoy your job responsibilities and fail to use your talents, it won’t matter who your boss is or how much you like them.)

Example of Honoring Your Talent: A woman worked hard to graduate as an engineer because her parents and teachers believed it was “the right career” for her. When she received her degree and got her job, she quit two months later. In a moment of insight, she realized she needed to follow her true passion and got a position in human resources where she could work with people daily.

Recognizing Moments of Being in the Zone: Reflect on times when you’ve been so involved in an activity that you lost track of time. These moments can indicate a natural talent, skill, and interest. Look specifically at what you enjoy about the task or project. What is the best way to incorporate this into your current or future job aspirations?

Example: Auto, bike, or computer repair. Working with your hands is a valued talent that pays very well.

Exploring Your Passions: Your passions can often lead you to your natural talents. Think about what excites you and how you can pursue those interests further. Talking with a career coach or executive coach can also be very helpful.

Example: You are great at attracting money for your favorite animal shelter. What would it take to do this full-time or in other nonprofits?

A note from Jeannette: Are you using your natural talents, gifts, and strengths effectively? Finding work that honors your talents is important to enjoying your job! If you’re frustrated or confused about how to discover your talents, let’s talk. I have 31+ years of guiding people to uncover and pursue their talents, gifts, and strengths. Contact me now!

It’s time to talk it out! Are there days you dread managing people, projects, and your team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has their blind spots! NOW is the time to get the guidance you need to make the right changes during 2024. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully. The bonus is that they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

This book (“Hire Amazing Employees”) can help you improve your hiring process, by Nancy Schick, NY Employment Attorney and Mediator. I met Jeannette Seibly a few months ago In this Together Round Table, where I also learned about her book, Hire Amazing Employees. Since my clients frequently struggle with this task, I bought myself a copy and gave several as gifts. The book contains many helpful tips for avoiding the impact of hiring errors. Read the full testimonial here.

Unleash Your Inner Leader

March 11, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

Unleashing your inner leader requires taking the initiative to prepare your skills for professional and leadership growth. It’s not about waiting until you have the job title—it’s about preparing yourself in advance for new job responsibilities and accountabilities so you are ready when they become available.

The problem? Most future leaders (and bosses) are waiting for their employers to offer these opportunities. However, today, companies are not providing training and opportunities for leaders to develop since their practices are often outdated. As a result, their future leaders (and bosses) are not ready for today’s challenges!

To be ready and not overlooked for the next job promotion or opportunity, it’s up to YOU to take the initiative NOW by discovering and unleashing your inner leader.

How can you lead without a leadership title and develop the essential traits now?

Tips to Prepare as a Future Leader

Focus on Communication:
- Communication skills are #1 and required for advancement.
- Communication includes listening, speaking, and writing.
- Take classes and workshops online and in person.
- Remember, actual development happens on the job and working through miscommunication, microaggressions, and other communication snafus. (Note: You will make mistakes – how you handle them makes all the difference.)
- Your word choice matters. Learn what company and industry jargon really means and use it appropriately.
- Talk with people, not at This starts by using words or phrases they readily understand, not what your ego believes everyone should already know.
- Learn how to speak up in a way that influences others and has them listen. It starts by building on others’ thoughts and ideas, not just yours.
Master Your Competencies and Confidence:
- Hire a Coach. You will make mistakes! Trying to hide them or pretend they don’t matter makes it more difficult for others to follow you. Using the do-it-yourself way of excusing the mistake or not getting to the core ensures it will happen again (and again!). Remember, your ability to be coachable and work through difficult situations and working relationships will make or break your career choices.
- Select a Mentor. A company and an industry mentor can help you understand current issues and how to address them.
- Become an Influencer. Many believe you are ready for the next job when you’ve learned the technical skills of their current one (e.g., financial, technology, operations). This belief is false. Often overlooked is that advancement to management and executive levels requires the ability to influence by using good interpersonal, decision-making, and emotional intelligence skills.
- Actively Participate in Classes and Workshops. Then, use these skills appropriately each day by working with your coach, mentor, and boss.
- Address Strengths and Weaknesses: Taking an assessment that reflects how you want others to see you provides little value regarding your true strengths and weaknesses. Use objective job-fit assessments to address your “true” thinking, behavioral, and occupational interests. Also, use a 360-degree feedback assessment to clarify your impact on others. Objectivity is key! Professionally developed tools provide the science (e.g., predictive validity), confidentiality, and insights to help you grow and unleash your inner leader.
- Growth is a Process. You will feel uncomfortable developing your leadership and boss muscles. Learn to handle this by immersing yourself in an issue and overcoming your fears. For example, most bosses fear resolving team conflict for win-win-win results. Work with your coach, and talk with your boss and human resources. Now, you’re prepared to fix it.
Broaden Your Awareness:
- Get Involved in Work, Customer, and Corporate Teams. These experiences expand your awareness and improve your decisions. But working in any group will require understanding the difference between “group think” (going along to get along with others) versus “taking a stand” for win-win-win decisions. Use your coach and mentor to understand the differences in each
- Actively Participate in Trade or Professional Associations. Putting yourself on a committee or board position can give you leadership experiences and connections you cannot get within your company. Remember, your reputation will precede you – so honor your word and make good decisions. They will matter.
Review Progress Regularly:
- Stay Consistent. When mistakes or failures happen (and they will), use a well-developed system to handle the grief, humiliation, or other feelings that naturally arise. Self-care, team care, and a professional approach with integrity and responsibility are essential traits for influential leaders.
- Don’t Assume Your Promotion Equates to Being on the Right Track. While it’s essential to be agile and flexible, it’s important not to take on promotions that don’t fit or support you. For example, many people take on being a boss of people without any interest in working 24/7 with their employees. The problem? Your assumption that a promotion is developing your inner leader can be false. As a result, those that fail have their careers sidetracked. Ask for help if you find yourself in the wrong position. Then, seek different career options to continue developing your leadership skills.

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner for over 31 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about this state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tool or how to coach and manage your people to achieve extraordinary results.

A note from Jeannette: Are you ready to be a future leader in your company or organization? Too often, we wait for the company to provide the help and guidance required. Unfortunately, many companies today do a poor job of providing the skills and tools that make a positive difference in leadership development. Want to tap into my 31+ years of experience in developing influential leaders and bosses? Contact me now with your questions!

It’s time to unleash your inner leader! Are there days you dread managing people, projects, and your team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has their blind spots! NOW is the time to get the guidance you need to make the right changes for 2024. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully. The bonus is that they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Are You Driving Your Results?

February 19, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Bosses and leaders need to be in the driver’s seat to produce intended results, not in the back seat criticizing everyone.” Jeannette Seibly

Driving your results requires being in the driver’s seat – not in the back seat or passenger seat criticizing other’s efforts. When bosses or leaders are riding in the back seat, they lose their inner power, create mischief, and limit the results possible for their teams and customers.

Driving your results creates control, success, and recognition for you and your team.

Driving results does not mean dismissing your team’s ideas or the boss, management team, or board’s directives.

It’s learning to be flexible and resilient while developing decisive, confident, and solution-oriented approaches. These approaches occur when you learn how to work with and through others when driving over smooth and inevitable rough terrain to achieve intended results!

Shifting into The Drivers Seat and Achieving Results

Responsibility and Accountability. Take time to write down results from the past year (or any time period), “What Worked?/What Didn’t Work?” Be specific about your successes and failures. All successful bosses and leaders make mistakes – own them! Now, create Brags! for your accomplishments. Then, have your team do the same work and share. These exercises will honor the job done and lessons learned and bolster you and your team’s confidence that together, you can drive the results required.

Create What’s Next and Stay Out of the Trap. Instead of attempting to replicate what worked the last time, play the “What if …” game. “What if we could achieve this new result? What would it require?” Stay out of the trap of buying into each other’s fears. When they arise (and they will), have the person name the fear (“I fear the customer will be angry about this change in the project.”). Now, write down at least 5 ways it could work! (e.g., “I could ask my boss to talk with the client.”)

Now, Write Down the New Stretch Goals! Develop them with the team. Ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Talk with the nay-sayers to see what needs to be reassessed or is being ignored. Don’t forget to get buy-in from your boss, other teams, and customers that the changes will impact.

Hire an Experienced Executive Coach. Since you’re now in the driver’s seat, select the right coach for your leadership and business growth and your team. Remember, focus on the coach’s experience and ability to work with different types of people and produce intended results since no two teams will operate similarly.

Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. It’s a highly effective way to distinguish differences between team members and to work effectively with them. These high-quality tools include long-term predictive validity needed to assess where you’re at today (the real you) and where you and your team members will be during the next year or so. These tools also focus on who you are (your natural thinking, core behaviors, and true occupational interests) and not how you want to be seen (more of the back-seat way of thinking). For example, selecting someone to handle the budget who hates working with numbers will only alienate others on the team, especially if you’re going over budget and the customer refuses to pay the additional costs!

Do the Real Work! Real work is required (and experience, too) to drive the intended results. You can acquire the experience if you’re taking focused actions, being coachable, and driving the results (not attempting to hitch a ride in someone else’s vehicle)! Driving for results means asking for status reports, listening for actual work done, being open to new initiatives, and being willing to provide the resources needed. Remember, No Focused Action = No Intended Results! Stop settling for good enough (aka mediocrity), which is more of the back-seat way of thinking.

A note from Jeannette: Do you want great results from your team? Then, it would be best if you got in the driver’s seat to achieve the intended results. Want to tap into my 31++ years of experience? Contact me now with your questions!

It’s time to get honest and genuine! Are there days you dread managing people, projects, and your team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has their blind spots! NOW is the time to get the guidance you need to make the right changes for 2024. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully. The bonus is that they achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Are Your Future Bosses and Leaders Ready to Lead the Way?

February 12, 2024February 12, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Preparation is the key to success – that includes developing your team’s talent as future leaders too!” Jeannette Seibly

“Leader and manager development” is at the top of the list of priorities for HR leaders during 2024, according to Gartner’s annual HR Priorities survey.

According to the survey, here are several of the factors driving this priority:

Productivity anxiety
Employee conflict
Mutual distrust between employees and bosses
Pressure for operational proficiency

Also:

Bosses (managers) are overwhelmed by the growth of job responsibilities
Bosses (managers) are poorly equipped to lead change

The bottom line – here are the mistakes we often make:

We wait until the new leader or boss has been given the job title before we provide the tools and training required to do the job. But that is not enough!
We assume there is no difference between being a top performer versus being the boss. But leveling up and the added responsibilities will cause failure. (Level up = emotional intelligence, flexibility, and resilience to name a few).
We subscribe to the traditional sink or swim mentality of letting them figure out their new job on their own! (Yes, there are still employers that rely on this poor practice.) We only intervene when it’s necessary to put the new leader or boss on a performance improvement plan or fire them if there is too much turnover, conflict, or other nefarious outcomes!

All of these costly mistakes ensure loss of top talent and customers, while negatively impacting business revenues and results.

How to Prepare Future Leaders and Bosses

Start with:

Develop a Career Pathway.

What are the person’s primary interests and goals?
How can they achieve these in your workplace culture?
What type of training and education is required to meet the company and the person’s goals?

Map out the career pathway in writing and provide the dollars necessary. Remember, not all people should be or want to be bosses or managers of people to move up in the company. This often-overlooked issue can be very expensive when the person fails and leaves the company. All their knowledge, experience, and other attributes go with them! And, your reputation as an employer suffers too. Create different career ladders and opportunities for employee growth. This should include exposure to cross-training and other customer related opportunities.

Use Valid and Reliable Job-Fit Assessments. It’s important to hire and promote based on job fit. Another benefit of using objective data and predictive validity (the ability to measurement or predict future performance in a job) is the ability to change the job responsibilities to fit the incumbent’s thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests! Some job-fit assessments also provide leadership reports with objective data and insights into strengths and areas for development. Remember, people today refuse to work in jobs that don’t reflect their interests and do not provide perceived value to advance them on their career pathway!

Now, Provide Hands-On Training and Development:

Build Expertise. While providing ongoing leadership and management training is important, it’s even more important that they are given opportunities to use the training and develop those skills!

Example: “1 in 5 managers would prefer not being people managers.” Yet, guiding them to learn how to work with and through other people is required in most jobs. But managing people working on projects is different than managing people on a daily basis.

Ideas for development include: leading team projects, working on a corporate team project, being on boards for non-profits and for-profits too, volunteering, etc. The key is to ensure they are actively participating and not just observing!

Proficiency with Technology. Technology and innovation are here to stay! It’s important future leaders and bosses develop an entrepreneurial spirit or curiosity to think like a business leader and drive needed change. If they don’t have the authentic curiosity or interest in technology or business, your company and customers will suffer.

Provide Talent Mobility. Post jobs and allow employees to be considered for them. This provides incentives for them to expand their skills and knowledge – always critical components to improving retention, revenues, and results! Remember to use a strategic job fit selection system for internal job transfers and promotions. Have candidates interview for the job as if they were new job candidates. Also, review their job-fit assessment results and training and education to-date.

Ask these types of questions (these are offered to get you thinking):

What was your most recent mistake? What did you do to fix it? What did you learn from it? (Listen for: coachability, awareness)
How have you used xxx (pick one or two new skills) effectively? How do you know you were using it effectively? (Listen for: ability to adapt, be flexible, and use skill appropriately)

Also, conduct internal reference checks. Example: True story – a young man was promoted by his boss because of the young man’s likability. The problem? He wasn’t courteous or likable by his co-workers and customers(!) – his overconfidence and ego got in the way too often!

Use Objective 360-Degree Feedback Assessments. Many companies use internally designed 360-feedback questionnaires. Most of these create a lot of employee apprehension rather than provide valid insights for bosses and leaders. The main reason? There is no objective measurement being used! Pay now or pay later when using internally designed 360-degree tools versus professionally validated assessments.

A note from Jeannette: Are your leaders and managers (bosses) ready to lead? Are they comfortable with change? Do they have the interests to develop the skills and competencies required? Want to tap into my 31++ years of experience of developing effective leaders and bosses? Contact me now with your questions!

Bosses and Leaders Need to Develop Conflict Resolution Skills

February 5, 2024February 5, 2024 by Jeannette Seibly

“Resolving conflicts between employees and teams is a top 2024 challenge for bosses and leaders today – but they are not ready!” Jeannette Seibly

Many bosses and leaders today need to focus on conflict resolution between individuals or teams more so than ever. But they are not ready. (Gartner Research) It no longer works (and never did) to rely on “Do as I say.” Or ignore conflicts and difficult employees while hoping the issue will take care of itself. While some will fire the perceived offender, this doesn’t resolve the real issue since it takes more than one person to create conflict.

Unresolved conflict is like a virus – it spreads invisibly into everything we do – and causes top talent and customers to leave!

Reasons conflict resolution has become a top issue during 2024 for bosses and leaders:

Employees are:

Taking comments and situations personally
Unaware of the negative impact they have when not doing their work as required
Unwilling to value the facts over gossip, lies, and innuendos
Upset when they feel unfairly treated (I’m right, and they’re wrong)

Boss and Leaders lack the following:

Willingness to be effective and instead focus on likability (not rocking the boat)
Ability to create win-win-win results (I’m the boss, and I’ll do it my way)
Skills or interests to get to the core of the real issue(s)
Objectivity is required, and instead, listen to the “loudest” or “favored” person or group
Emotional Intelligence (EI) skills are required to effectively manage brainstorming sessions and allow for differing opinions to create new solutions – when this is not managed effectively, it is experienced as conflict

Addressing conflicts requires getting to the core upset or issue. This can be difficult due to the various communication styles and skills in today’s workplace. Additionally, perceptions of how co-workers, bosses, and customers should talk and behave are traditionally handed down through family cultures, communities, and religious beliefs.

The solution? Everything can be resolved through communication. Often, you are unwilling to talk it out and resolve conflicts because you dismiss other’s thoughts and feelings as unimportant.

Three Key Communication Skills

Listening Skills. Focus on listening, being present, and hearing what others are saying. Listening takes awareness and lots of practice. It requires being present during conversations and not letting your mind wander. It’s especially difficult when you cite, “I’m too busy,” and fail to listen!

Remember, the longer a conflict goes on, the more mischief, factionalism, and other costly challenges occur (offsprings of the original issue). It’s important to unravel the core problems before you move forward. These conflicts do NOT go away on their own without working through the facts.

It’s up to you as the boss and leader to exemplify the skills required! To improve listening and reduce misinterpretations during meetings (a significant source of conflicts), a good place to start is with no “cell phones” allowed during meetings! Hold your supervisors, managers, and management team accountable and responsible for doing the same! Employees will follow your lead.

Speaking Skills. Many employees have limited speaking skills in the workplace for various reasons (e.g., different primary languages, fear of voicing their ideas, and remote and hybrid work concerns). Learn to speak slowly and carefully and engage all team members during meetings, virtually and onsite. Keep your word choice simple and be able to use synonyms (similar words and phrases) to help employees and team members understand what you’re saying.

Stay away from sound bites or using jargon. When explaining decisions you’ve made, be prepared to answer questions without diminishing any question as unimportant. When you humiliate one team member, others will side with them — causing instant conflict.

Influential leaders know that miscommunication is one of the top reasons for employee conflicts today! The words you choose and whether or not you listen make a big difference in causing or managing conflict. It takes less time to ensure everyone is on the same page today than to deal with tomorrow’s conflict.

Non-Verbal Gestures. While verbal and written skills are essential, non-verbal skills account for 80 percent or more of what people hear (e.g., tone of voice, hand gestures, head nods). Given that interpretations of gestures are often based on family and community cultures, one gesture may mean one thing to one person and something different to another. Take the time to talk through these differences. It’s time to listen and learn.

Three Key Solutions to Diminish Conflict

Hire Yourself an Executive Coach. Many leadership blind spots can create conflicts. Address them as they occur and work through them. You’ll become a more decisive leader and boss.

Training and Development. To reduce conflicts, close the communication gaps. This requires investing money to create onsite workshops and video training libraries. Hold everyone accountable for developing and using these skills—especially all leaders, bosses, and supervisors.

Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. How do qualified job fit assessments reduce conflicts and improve communication? They help team members understand objective differences in each other. They also provide a foundation for those difficult conversations about difficulties experienced when working with each other. For example, with objective data, employees are less defensive about traits that impede team progress (e.g., a hyperactive employee attempting to work with an employee who fails to meet deadlines).

A note from Jeannette: Conflict resolution has become one of the top 2024 issues bosses and leaders must address! But many are not ready to do so for a variety of reasons … and I’ve seen too many to count. Want to tap into my 31++ years of experience? Contact me now with your questions!