Executive

How to Prevent Overconfidence from Derailing Your Leadership

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“If your ego is in the way, your overconfidence will derail your results.” Jeannette Seibly

Well, I think we tried very hard not to be overconfident, because when you get overconfident, that’s when something snaps up and bites you. Neil Armstrong, American Astronaut

Now, more than ever, confidence is essential for leaders. It encourages your team, customers, and communities to follow you. But problems arise when you become overconfident. You fail to listen to others, be coachable, and focus your team on intended results. To make matters worse, you don’t admit to and learn from mistakes or wrongdoings. Then, before you know it, “something snaps up and bites you” – now, you’ve derailed your leadership.

6 Tips to Develop Healthy Self-Confidence

Pay attention to your communication style. Learn to be aware of words or actions that signal you’re being overconfident (e.g., “I’ve got this handled!” “I never fail!” “This always works.”). Work with your executive coach to see what details you may be stepping over or issues you are failing to address when this happens.

Be honest about your skills. Take the time to conduct an accurate assessment of yourself and learn about your blind spots. Work with your executive coach and use objective data from scientifically validated job-fit assessments. This will broaden your awareness of how others see you as a leader.

Stop comparing yourself with others. Too often, we blame others for mistakes they make but excuse our own! Instead, develop healthy emotional intelligence, work through mistakes, and learn from them. It will build your inner self-confidence and humility.

Test your assumptions before declaring your decisions. We often make decisions based on fragments of information. And, we’re usually wrong. Develop your critical thinking by deep diving into the factual pros and cons. Use your network and team to test your assumptions. Remember, 90% of the world’s information is in people’s heads, not the headlines on the internet or the latest hubris being expressed on social media!

Listen to others’ feedback and concerns. Confident leaders welcome brainstorming and hearing others’ ideas. This includes managing healthy disagreements and building win-win-win outcomes. Remember, learn to listen to what you don’t want to hear to improve your results and keep you focused on what matters. It keeps you grounded in reality.

Recognize when it’s the right time. While many ideas may work with modifications, it may not be the right time or place to put them into action. Avoid circular logic to push through these ideas that your business and customers are not ready for. This is often a problem with overconfident leaders.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019-2022

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author for over 29 years. Her focus is to guide leaders to make a positive difference. Feel stuck moving your team forward? Want straightforward counsel on how to do it? Let’s chat! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about being an overconfident leader: It’s important to develop healthy confidence. Remember, you can avoid overconfidence by listening, being coachable, and admitting to mistakes. So, what challenges do you want to overcome? Let’s Chat!

Self-confidence is an inside job … a life-long practice … and an essential factor in others following your lead. Grab the 9 tips required to develop the self-confidence you’ve always wanted (FREE).

Every Successful Leader Sparks Trust and Keeps It

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“Without trust, your team, boss, and customers will not take you seriously and dismiss what you say or do.” Jeannette Seibly

A trusting team is a team made up of people who feel safe around each other—safe expressing their feelings, asking for help, talking about problems, and admitting to mistakes. Simon Sinek

Successful leaders have learned how to spark trust and keep it growing. They know trust builds credibility over time.

They’ve also learned the hard way that one wrong decision or withholding important information can diminish trust. To improve trust, some leaders have had to alter their management style. For example, stop micromanaging, demanding too much, and playing office politics at the expense of others. These are trust killers, not trust builders.

How to Spark Trust

Trust Your Team. First, you must trust your team members. It doesn’t mean you overlook half-truths, missed deadlines, or poor quality. If someone says they cannot get a task done by a specific time, listen and ask, “What do you need from me?” Team members that feel trusted will go above and beyond to achieve the intended results.

Learn from Mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, including you! Yelling or expressing frustration at team members will not build trust! (If you do this, it’s time to hire an executive coach to learn new ways of expressing yourself!) Instead, together, conduct an objective review of “what worked/what didn’t work?” Acknowledge things that were well-done. Then, specifically, address two things to improve. Use your natural curiosity and ability to ask good questions to guide the team to build new solutions. The process will build trust (and respect) for you as a leader and team synergy.

Embrace Tough Conversations. Most leaders will do anything to avoid them. But if you don’t uncover the underlying factual issues, progress on projects will fail. The team will stop trusting you, and mischief and finger-pointing will erupt–spark trust. Instead, encourage resourcefulness and brainstorming of new ideas, and champion your team’s ability to work through conflict or issues.

Be Known for Straight Talk. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Allow others the freedom to do the same, to disagree with you and others without repercussions. This makes THE difference between your team trusting you to look out for them or feeling manipulated to get the job done (while not believing a word you have to say). When a project has not met the customer’s needs, tell the truth about why. Avoid spinning the facts to make yourself look good and your team feels good. Remember, they want to learn and grow.

Brag about Your Team! Sharing successes about each and every team member makes a positive difference and builds trust. Be aware of each team member’s contribution … no matter how small. When speaking with others, brag about your team’s successes and mean it!

©Jeannette Seibly 2020-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author for over 29 years. Her focus is to guide leaders to make a positive difference. Feel stuck moving your team forward? Want straightforward counsel on how to do it? Let’s chat! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about sparking and keeping trust: trust is required to be a successful leader. When you make a poor decision, you need to own it. When you assign the best-liked tasks to your favorite team members, you need to stop doing that! Building trust with your team, boss, and customers is how you achieve great results. Have you taken a misstep? (Don’t worry, many do.) It’s essential to “clean it up” asap. Let’s Chat!

Self-confidence is an inside job … a life-long practice. Developing confidence in your career and your life … without comparing these pursuits and results with others … allows you to pursue and achieve goals that are meaningful to you. Grab the 9 tips required to develop the self-confidence you’ve always wanted (FREE).

What Happens When You’re Given an Opportunity Before You Are Ready?

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“Everyone has the capabilities to excel. But the challenge is, do they have the awareness and willingness to do the work required?” Jeannette Seibly

You’re offered a new opportunity. After talking with your trusted coach and mentor, you know you’re not ready. But what do you do? Here’s the dilemma. Taking it can cause potential failure. And, not taking it could limit future opportunities.

Sam accepted a leadership position with the promise of even more significant opportunities in the future. He had the administrative skills required. But Sam lacked the experience of leading a team, having always been a team member. Instead of asking for help and guidance, Sam faced potential failure when he complained about the same things as when he was a team member! He failed to realize he was now responsible for providing those resources he previously complained about!  

Accepting new opportunities before you’re ready can derail your future. Don’t be in too big of a hurry to get the new job title, make more money, or enjoy the prestige of moving up in the company. Or, you may struggle and eventually derail future career opportunities.

What is Required to Get Ready Now?

Job Fit. Today, many people don’t like their jobs because they don’t fit their job responsibilities! To avoid this, use a valid job-fit assessment. The reports provide objective awareness of the strengths required for your new position and your challenge areas. Remember, you cannot change who you are. For example, as a team member, you may be fearless in talking with others (strength). But as a team leader, this same strength can get in your way of listening to the team (weakness).

Get Real. New opportunities require moving forward outside your comfort zone. They also will require new levels of communication, project management, and emotional intelligence, which are hindered by leadership blind spots. Because many of these job requirements are unwritten, shadow the current incumbent in the job. Ask questions. Don’t assume you won’t have similar challenges. (You will.) Ask them what they’ve done to overcome these issues.

Hire an External Coach and Seek Out an Internal Mentor. Be coachable! Ask for help and seek guidance immediately before you get mired in sticky situations or political relationships that sabotage your future opportunities.

Do the Real Work. While mantras can keep you focused, they don’t replace doing the real work. For example, you’ll fail if you ignore team conflict complaints and respond with mantras (e.g., “Every team has their challenges, it’ll get better.”). Resolution often needs difficult decisions (unpopular) and challenging conversations. Work with your executive coach now.

Emotional Intelligence. Mindful awareness and resilience are required in many positions today, especially leadership. There will be mistakes made and failures too. Your ability to handle these can make a big difference in being open to learning from them.

Leadership Savvy. Microaggressions, playing favorites, and not listening to others are the downfall of many in new positions. Instead, set a positive example. It starts with you and the team being trained. These workshops should include conflict resolution, brainstorming, diversity, project management, critical thinking, and execution of projects. Now, develop the habit of using these skills, and your team will follow your lead.

Project Management. Many overlook the people side and the logistical side of conducting effective meetings. Both are critical to any project or program’s design, process, and execution.

  • People side: Develop your team members, focus on their strengths and include everyone when brainstorming.
  • Logistical side: Develop and incorporate budget, technology, operations, sales, and marketing into every project or program.

There is a cross-over in these areas as well. For example, marketing is a budget item, and who is the person to best create and implement the plan? While you don’t need to be an expert, you need a good basic working knowledge of all these areas. Asking questions will be one of the most productive skills you can develop.

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She is an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author for over 29 years. Her focus is to guide leaders to make a positive difference. Feel stuck moving your team forward? Want straightforward counsel on how to do it? Let’s chat! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being ready for new opportunities: accepting new opportunities before being ready has derailed many people’s careers. The key is to develop the leadership, communication, and other required skills before accepting your new opportunity! Are you struggling to be ready, but your boss is in the way? Let’s Chat!

Are you putting the right team members on the wrong team? Giving people opportunities before they are ready will diminish the intended results. It will also hurt their future career options. Improve your interviewing skills by grabbing your FREE copy of the best 16 Must-Read Tips for Productive Hiring Interviews

5 Tips to Keep You Moving Forward When You Want to Stop

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“Words only go so far; action is what matters.” Diane Putvin, Business Partner & Coach

For those committed to success, get unstuck and be coachable! The longer you stay stuck, the harder it is to unravel the true issue. Jeannette Seibly

All of us have goals and a long to-do list. Some of us have our goals written down, while others keep them locked in their heads. But what happens when we get stuck and stop believing in ourselves? It’s all too common to give up when negative thoughts and feelings get in the way.

Here are some methods you may not have considered to get unstuck and move forward toward success.

How to Keep Moving Forward

Hone Your To-Do List Down to Only 2 or 3 Priorities. Now, honor it. Eliminate your mental or emotional need to add more and more. When your boss, team member, or family asks for help, be willing to negotiate or say, “no.” If you provide assistance, don’t take on more than you can handle. Example, if someone is having trouble setting up a YouTube channel, and it’s not your area of expertise, refer them to someone that can do it. Now, refocus on your own priorities.

Create Focused Action Steps and Don’t Rely on Mantras. While mantras can help you stay in action (e.g., “I can do this, and I do it.”), they are not enough to achieve your goals. Get into action. Work with your coach to create true action steps, and don’t change the goal to fit the progress made. Now fulfill these actions step-by-step, day-by-day. Congratulate yourself along the way. For example, I enjoy working on 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles. But these can take a long time to complete since I only have a limited amount of time to spend on them. So, after an hour, I celebrate with a “Great job!” and make a mental plan to work on a specific area of the puzzle next time.

Focus on Fun. However, do not rely on humor to excuse inactivity or lack of progress. Humor can be fun when used appropriately. But when it’s used to diminish ourselves or our team, it works like a weapon. Words matter. Focus on engaging and fun practices to make the job or tasks go smoother. It keeps you and your team in action. Remember, clear goals and fine-tuned action plans keep everyone engaged and on the same page. Example, send out an appropriate comic or update on your project daily to keep everyone informed and engaged.

Accept Feedback with Grace and Gratitude. Ask for help by talking with your coach, mentor, or friend. First, share what has been working, then no more than two areas where you are stuck. Now, listen to the feedback, take notes, and get back into action immediately. Example, a bad practice is posting your request on social media or asking more than two people to “pick their brains.” Why? You will go into overwhelm due to the diverse suggestions and end up remaining stuck. 

Eliminate Burnout. Stop adding more and more things to do, either mentally or physically. Delegate, stop doing it, or question if you should do it at all. These will avoid burnout. Add self-care to the top of your list. Now, admit you need a break and honor it. Example, if you value time to read a novel, schedule it! If you need a mani or pedi, schedule it and don’t cancel or reschedule!

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She is an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author for over 29 years. Her focus is to guide leaders to make a positive difference. Feel stuck moving your team forward? Want straightforward counsel on how to do it? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about moving forward when you want to stop: too many of us have too many things to get done. So how do we keep moving forward when we want to pull the covers up over our heads or run away? Read this week’s article for ideas to keep moving forward while being kind to yourself. Do you need a cheerleader or help getting your complex issues resolved? Let’s do it! Let’s Chat!

Are you tired of pushing your team to do what needs to be done? If you are, you’ve probably selected the wrong team members. Improve your interviewing skills by grabbing your FREE copy of the best 16 Must-Read Tips for Productive Hiring Interviews.

Effective Leaders Don’t Use These 7 Excuses!

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“Leaders must be accountable and stop offering excuses for their poor results.” Jeannette Seibly

Many leaders say and do things they believe will make them look good! But worse, they often blame others, thinking it will excuse their poor results!

The problem? When leaders don’t take responsibility for their results, teams and bosses feel demoralized and not valued by these thoughtless excuses that make them the scapegoats.

If you want to be effective as a leader, you need to remember “words matter!” Actions and “no excuses” do too!

It’s up to you to roll up your sleeves and get involved in creating solutions, not excuses!

Don’t Use These 7 Excuses!

  1. “I need better people to get the job done.” It’s time to do a better job of hiring the right people for job fit! Improve your interviews and selection tools.
  2. “My team doesn’t know what they’re doing.” Just because a person has a certificate doesn’t mean they have the experience to use the skills! Effective leaders provide continuous training and opportunities to develop people and their “hands-on” technical, financial, operational, and people skills. Examples include diversity, listening and asking questions, budgeting, critical thinking, project planning, execution, etc.
  3. “If this person doesn’t work out, I’ll just fire the person and hire a new one.” Have you calculated the cost of a hiring mistake? It’s very expensive.
  4. “If I just had the right team, the client wouldn’t have canceled the contract.” Unfortunately, ineffective leaders lack the interest, experience, and coachability to get the intended results! It’s important to remember that every successful project has a technical/financial side (e.g., budget, plan, online project calendars) and a human side (e.g., assigning tasks based on job fit, brainstorming ideas, managing team conflict). Effective leaders have learned how to manage both simultaneously.
  5. “My boss is an idiot. We need better resources and a larger budget to get the job done.” I’ve seen leaders fired over this statement, not for the obvious reason! It’s because they did not take the initiative and find the resources to get the job done by working with and through their team! Effective leaders are accountable.
  6. “We’re stuck, and no one is helping.” If you’re waiting for someone to rescue you (e.g., boss, vendor, or co-worker), they’re waiting for you to ask for help! Don’t delay! The answers to your questions are in others’ heads, not your own. Talk with your executive coach, professional network, and brainstorm with the team. Only pick 1 or 2 suggestions and run with them!
  7. “I’m too busy to deal with it now.” Busyness is a popular excuse that conveys “you’re ineffective as a leader.” Remember the famous quote? “If you want something done, ask a busy person.” (Benjamin Franklin)

Your primary job is to provide the resources, coaching, and clarity when your team needs help to get the job done. It’s how unprecedented results are achieved! It’s what effective leaders do!

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. For the past 29 years, she has been an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, keynote speaker, and author. Having challenges finding, hiring, and keeping top talent? Don’t wait! It won’t get better the longer you wait! It’ll only get worse and more expensive. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about effective leaders and excuses: Many leaders say and do things they believe will make them look good. They use these as excuses for their poor results! The problem? Most teams and bosses don’t hear these excuses and instead feel the blame! If you want to be effective as a leader, you need to remember that “words matter!” Actions do too! Need help improving your effectiveness as a leader? Let’s Chat!

Is your boss tired of your excuses for why your team is not performing? Then, it’s time to update your hiring practices. To improve your interviewing skills, grab your FREE copy of the best 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

Assumptions Limit Leaders’ Ability to Influence Positive Results

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“Too often, we allow assumptions to get in our way. The truth is, we can stop them but usually don’t!” Jeannette Seibly

Leaders often take the tiniest bits of information and make various assumptions. The problem? It lacks accurate, objective data. These assumptions cause a lot of mischief, brouhaha, and negativity in the workplace. Also, these assumptions influence the ability to work with and through the team to achieve intended results. Sadly, once they occur, they are often irreversible.

The truth … we are often wrong about our assumptions. Yet we use them to justify how we treat people and view situations. And as a current or future leader, these assumptions can sideline your career.

With his boss’s support, a young man presented at his company’s board meeting. The presentation went well. The problem occurred when a board member said, “S*#T.” So, the young man mimicked him, believing it made him sound business-like. Based on this one utterance, the board assumed he didn’t have the career maturity or potential they had hoped for. His career was sidelined and he was never told why!

These types of issues occur too frequently when we rely on our assumptions. Here are some ways to avoid this career trap and cause your results to improve dramatically.

Seven Tips to Reduce Assumptions and Improve Results

  1. Check the facts. Read more than the salacious headlines from news media by deep diving and researching for the truth. In addition, ask for guidance from mentors and/or your executive coach.
  2. Embrace listening and curiosity. Leaders that listen objectively, ask good questions, and engage others in conversations are more successful. Why? People feel honored to be asked, heard, and valued! It reduces assumptions and creates new possibilities.
  3. Stop making things mean so much. When you overreact, you lose objectivity for people, situations, and things. Just because someone didn’t smile at you or return your “good morning” greeting doesn’t mean they are upset with you. Stop. Ask, “How are you today?” Then, listen. Often, their reaction had nothing to do with you!
  4. Stop invalidating people for the risks they take. Example, a condo owner listed his home $50K above market. His neighbors assumed that he was taking an unnecessary risk and that it would not sell! But when his condo sold at $20K above-market a month later, his neighbors increased the equity in their homes! (You’re welcome!) This is an example of a win-win-win! Where have you listened to someone who invalidated you and/or your risk based on poorly informed assumptions?
  5. Learn how to negotiate. It’s good to negotiate a price when buying certain items. Some businesses will allow these types of transactions, while many will not. Remember, the critical factor in making it a win-win-win process is setting aside your assumptions (e.g., they won’t give me what I want). Keys: Do not become emotionally attached to your position, price, or how it should work! This ensures a rewarding outcome for both parties.
  6. Develop emotional intelligence. Stop making everything about you. If others can easily trigger you, work with a therapist to become more astute as a leader. If you’re black and white in your thinking, learn how to include the human factor in your decisions.
  7. Stop inferring or making assumptions about people’s personalities. This is true when hiring, coaching, and managing people. For example, we infer that if a person didn’t bring a pen to a job interview, they don’t come prepared to meetings! Or when a person makes a mistake, they are in the wrong job. Nonsense! Get real! Use qualified job-fit assessments to discover a person’s true job fit traits and how to coach them for success.

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about making assumptions. We’ve all heard the saying, “Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.” The problem is, we still do it way too often! This trap hurts our relationships, results, and ability to keep great talent and customers! Do you need help overcoming this insidious habit and mindset? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Overcome your assumptions during the hiring and selection process. It’ll increase your retention, revenues, and results! To improve your interviewing techniques, grab your FREE copy of 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

Hey Results Producers, Why Aren’t You Producing Required Results?

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“Indulging in our comfort zones impedes our ability to produce amazing results.” Jeannette Seibly

Believe it or not, you’re the reason.

You’ve allowed yourself to get in your own way! You’ve accepted mediocrity. But mediocrity doesn’t keep customers and a great team, or get you promoted. It also disrupts others’ perceptions of you as a valued leader, boss, or team member.

The good news?

Many of you have already:

  • Become results producers who can produce the required results.
  • Received the right coaching from your boss, team, and/or coach.
  • Developed the insights, experience, and skills needed to make a positive difference.
  • Moved past perceived limitations and other issues that generally get in the way.

So, what’s in the way? Hubris, ego, and excuses now dominate your mind and get in the way of achieving the required results (e.g., resolving team conflict, going the extra mile for a customer, learning a new skill, etc.).

You may say, “But I’m tired. I want to be comfortable. I want to do the minimum to keep my job.” Consider none of that is true. Instead, pay attention … the most interesting phenomenon is that you feel energized when you become a results producer producing the required results!

How to be Energized and Produce Required Results

Take the nudge and get energized to get the most out of this article! Go beyond just reading these examples and take focused-action on a project or task, or complete a difficult conversation. This movement will cause you to be a results producer that produces the required results!

Be Coachable. Yes, there are bad coaches out there! But don’t let that stop you from finding the right coach! Then, listen. Take responsibility for correcting any actions that have taken you off track with your team, customers, and/or boss! (Apologies work wonders when not accompanied by excuses!) Remember, every results producer, leader, and boss has a coach! It’s up to you to be coachable … whether you feel like it or not!

Example: An author was a good mystery writer and won awards. Yet failed to sell books. Every time the coach would tell him to focus on selling and give him doable ideas, he’d come up with a list of excuses. His favorite is, “I just don’t feel it would make a difference.” Needless to say, he has 100s of books sitting in his garage.

Work With and Through the Team. We all have teams, bosses, and customers for whom we are responsible for providing excellent service! The issue is that when you have a challenge or problem, you rely on the familiar thought, “I’ve got it all handled.” Consider you don’t, and you fail to get into the type of action that produces required results. Instead, learn to work with and through others to get the job done well (e.g., delegate) and stop settling for mediocrity. The mark of a great results producer and leader/boss.

Example: A general manager proudly shared the 40% turnover in his management staff. “I now have the right team in place and have it all handled.” The consultant who was listening replied, “You’ve been saying that each year for the past four years. How is this year going to be any different? You’ve been unwilling to get real about the issues that cause the turnover and poor results.” (Hint: The real issue was the general manager’s inability to lead a team to produce required results.)

Distinguish Leadership Blind Spots that Impede Your Results. Going above and beyond is often needed to become and remain a results producer. It also requires working with your coach and identifying blind spots that impede your progress on an ongoing basis. Example: after attending a great motivational event or listening to a great speaker, you believe you can now move mountains. Yet days go by, and pretty soon, even the smallest hills look impossible. What happened? You allowed your blind spots to get in the way and relied on work/life circumstances to stop you.

Example: A business owner was not coachable and hated having her blind spots pointed out. Yet she was willing to spend every dollar she had in her business account to take a program with a renowned motivator who had built a million-dollar business. She hoped to learn from her and attended all the sessions. Several months later, she shared the outcome with a friend; and she was angry and upset. There was no positive difference in her business and finances. Finally, later in the conversation, she confessed, “I have to get real and take responsibility for not doing the work and taking the coaching. But it was an expensive lesson.” 

These three powerful keys to are required to become a consistent results producer. It starts by going beyond your comfort zone and standard excuses!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a results producer that produces required results: this can be a tricky conversation when you rely on excuses and life circumstances to get in the way of achieving required results. Sometimes it only takes a tweak here and there, and you’re back on track. Other times, it entails a come down to reality conversation to become the results producer you know you can be. Do you want clarity? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. Yet we allow our life circumstances and feelings of “not now” to get in the way. So STOP indulging in the excuses! Instead, get into action today and grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

Focus on These Top 5 Attributes and Watch Your Sales Increase

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“If your salespeople are continually leaving money on the table due to poor negotiation or numerical skills, it’s time to get real about how you hire and manage salespeople.” Jeannette Seibly

Great salespeople have the attributes required to succeed in their jobs. They genuinely love what they are selling and have a genuine interest in their customers’ growth! They enjoy increasing sales results!

Given that we all want great salespeople, what is the #1 challenge to hire and manage them today?

First and foremost, too often, the person they hire is not the person they interviewed. So, how did they get hired? They looked the part and talked the talk! AND … You failed to use objective data to ascertain the actual ability, interest, and thinking style required to call, prospect, and close sales!

After talking with several business owners and consultants that manage great salespeople, they mentioned 5 top attributes (yes, this is not a scientific study, but it can provide important insights for a great year).

Top 5 Attributes of Successful Sales People

Hire for job fit. Job fit is crucial when hiring the right salespeople the first time. Nothing drains the energy of a top sales team and their customers more than hiring the wrong people. The challenge is hiring people with the thinking style, sales behaviors, and occupational interests that fit the job requirements. If they do not fit the job, you cannot train, motivate, or coach anyone to be a great sales success. Design a strategic hiring process and use objective data. Now, pay attention! Remember, you lose customers, not because you have a lesser product or service, but because they are tired of training your bad hires, over and over!

Be present. Being present in all conversations is a top attribute great salespeople have developed. It starts with excellent listening skills! It’s essential to emphasize that multi-tasking is a myth …  physically doing or mentally thinking of other things during conversations! Instead, train your sales team to engage their full attention in the conversation by actively listening and asking great business questions. These probing skills will uncover additional information and allow people to feel heard. And remember, this is all done before offering solutions.

Know your products and systems. Having a genuine interest in what you are selling and talking with people is critical. Otherwise, the buyer will experience “buyer’s remorse.” When your sales team is well versed in the legalities, systems, and other nuances of using your products and services, your customers will develop trust and rave about their results. Develop this attribute by keeping your team up-to-date with 15-minute morning sessions and monthly training programs.

Be persistent and persevere. Not everyone is ready to buy when your sales team meets with them. Develop easy-to-use systems to stay in touch regularly. Send prospects (and current clients) periodic articles or other noteworthy gems. Show up at networking meetings, and trade shows ready to brag in a business-savvy manner. Stay in touch on social media by “Liking” their posts and accomplishments. This is how persistence and perseverance pay off.

Develop great relationships. This attribute is more important today than ever before. Over time your sales team needs to be a resource for current and future clients to answer their questions. Always follow up and follow through within 24 to 48 hours. Building credibility and integrity is critical. These can be easily sabotaged when you and your sales team fail to treat people as VIPs (very important people).

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select/PXT Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time … including hiring and managing salespeople! Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about the top 5 attributes of successful salespeople: some people love selling while others look for the fastest way to a better paycheck! During the hiring and selection process, you must uncover if the candidate will call, prospect, and close a sale. Use objective data instead of relying on your gut or intuition (which is often wrong). The reason you lose customers is that they are tired of training your bad hires over and over! Do you want to learn the fastest and best way to select the right salespeople the first time? If yes, contact me for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. But now, you need to put the right action plan into place and follow it! So get started today with your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

5 Ways to Turn Stressful Family Gatherings into Fun, Positive Conversations!

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“The memories we make with our family either create future harmony or frustration.” Jeannette Seibly

Family traditions die hard … if ever … especially at the holiday table, where old conversations get retold over and over, usually at someone’s expense.

To transform these conversations, it takes the willingness to work through the resistance. Remember, gossiping, “stink eye,” and negative comments are bad habits. And, many of these have been handed down from generation to generation. It’s up to you to change them for positive conversations.

5 Tips for Fun, Positive Conversations with Family

Tip #1: Have everyone share what they are grateful for … include everyone. Example: I’m grateful for a good job and the ability to work from home.

Tip #2:  Have each person share something good about another person during dinner. Be sure to include everyone! Example: I’m impressed by your willingness to work and go to school at the same time.

Tip #3: Create a “Family Bingo Card” (google it) and have each person complete one. Then, have everyone share their results.

Tip #4: Turn gossip and negative comments about someone into a positive. For example: “Did you hear about xx getting canned from his second job?” Turn it around. “Did you talk with him and get his side of the story? You know that company can be a difficult one to work for.”

Tip #5: Have an electronic-free meal and table. Have everyone turn off their phone or electronic devices during the meal and stash them. Focus on the tips above.

These 5 tips are guaranteed to encourage fun, positive conversations! The bonus? You get to listen as the old conversations transform into new ones.

©Jeannette Seibly 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals for almost 30 years. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She became an Amazon Bestselling author of her first novel, The Old Wooden Rocker … a family saga of hope for a better future. Have questions? Need a speaker or facilitator? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about creating fun family get-togethers. Tis the season for family meals and get-togethers. While some enjoy being with family, according to a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, over 17M family feuds are occurring. Many of these are avoidable by creating fun, positive conversations about each other. Start by taking responsibility for how you talk about members of your family and encourage others to do the same. Want to know how? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Create a Practice of Feedback and See Your Results Improve

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“Want to achieve dynamic results? Then, give and receive feedback.” Jeannette Seibly

Why do we hate giving or receiving feedback? Why are we so attached to doing things our own way … even when we produce mediocre results?

The answer is, feedback triggers our brains to react in flight, fright, or freeze mode. When our boss or team member (or someone else) provides any feedback, our points of view and self-perceptions often feel threatened. Yes, it’s unwarranted. But these fears get in the way too often … and our results suffer.

Many leaders and bosses hesitate and avoid giving needed feedback out of fear of retaliation. Jeannette Seibly

Why is feedback so important? It gives you the ability to …

  • Grow as a successful leader
  • Take your team results from good to great
  • Work with different types of people, including “difficult team members”

Remember, feedback requires tact and diplomacy and requires practice. Otherwise, you will escalate a conflict, create hurt feelings, or derail your career.

6 Tips to Give and Receive Feedback

1. Be Open to Receiving. People will provide feedback, whether you ask for it or not (or want it). Strong leaders listen to feedback regardless of their feelings. If you don’t, you will miss hearing important information. Ask questions for clarification while not sounding defensive. Then, review the feedback with your coach before making any changes.

2. Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. Objective feedback about your inherent leadership style is a gift! Take a qualified job-fit assessment and review the results with your executive coach. You will gain job clarity, uncover blind spots, and gain insider career insights into how to effectively work with others while appreciating their differences.  

3. Value 360-degree feedback assessments and conversations. Use these quarterly, annually, and/or after major projects. These tools provide confidential feedback when done right. Make sure to select the right tool that has the validation and reliability to provide laser-like feedback. 360-degree assessments are invaluable tools to provide feedback and improve results.

4. Ask for Feedback. This simple question can make a profound difference in your results. After a project, conduct a team debrief … or after a meeting, ask for feedback from the team and event host. Start by asking “What worked? and “What didn’t work?” Listen. Take notes. Then, review with your coach before making any changes.

5. Develop a Straight Talk Approach. When offering feedback, talk straight. If you filter too much, you camouflage the true issue.

For example, Dave, a VP-HR, provided feedback to Judy, a VP-Marketing, about her gossiping with employees and vendors. During the next coaching call, Judy’s coach could tell that she didn’t understand what Dave had said. He had sugar-coated it. Straight talk is important in order for behavioral changes to happen. Developing the skills to give and receive feedback takes practice … just like any other leadership skill.

6. Learn Different Feedback Methods. The same approach doesn’t work for everyone! Here are two good approaches to get you started:

a. Direct Approach works for people who want you to bottom-line it. Be clear about the facts and share them, after getting their permission to do so.

For example: “Josie, are you open to feedback from your presentation this morning?” She nods yes. “Super. There was too much information on your slides and you read it to us. It’s important to engage the audience, not lecture them, to learn about these new safety procedures.”

b. Sandwich Approach is for less tough-minded people. Share 2 positives, 2 specific areas that need improvement, and wrap up with 2 positives.

For example: “Joe, you’re a valued member of our team and we appreciate your involvement.” (2 positives)

“And, we need you to read the minutes before each meeting and put away your phone during the meeting. It’s very distracting when you’re not fully engaged in the conversation. Remember, multitasking is a myth.” (2 specific areas for improvement)

“Again, we appreciate your commitment to the project and look forward to hearing your ideas.” (2 positives)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020-2021

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about giving and receiving feedback. Many of you hate giving or receiving feedback even though you have a commitment to achieving dynamic results. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I not open to using this valuable leadership tool?” If you want to improve your ability to give and receive feedback, contact me for a confidential conversation. Your career will thank you!