GenZ boss

Developing Inner Leadership Skills Are Required to Achieve Amazing Results

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“Developing inner leadership skills create readiness to achieve amazing results with your team and clients.” Jeannette Seibly

Many business leaders and thought leaders are talking about the importance of “leadership skills” as companies move forward during 2026. However, too often the focus is on external skills: how others react to you, how quickly you make decisions, and whether you use well‑developed communication skills as reflected in employee and customer satisfaction and retention surveys.

In order to develop leadership effectiveness that positively impacts results, you must strengthen the inner leadership skills that define who you are as a leader. These inner skills, often referred to as soft skills, include:

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

Waiting to develop these when you have time is not the mindset for 2026. These are developed over time. They are not a one-time, read a book or watch a video or watch a master influencer type of learning experience.

Why are inner leadership skills important? When you fail to develop inner leadership skills, you will react poorly, make avoidable mistakes, and lose credibility. Another challenge is when new opportunities arise, team challenges escalate, or client expectations shift and you’re not ready. You default to relying on external skills that often lack depth and authenticity and invite controversy. Unfortunately, many will not get a second chance to redeem the snafu. 

This year, let’s be ready! 

Self-awareness. This is the most critical skill since lack of awareness impacts your ability to develop the other skills. It’s important to recognize your strengths, blind spots, triggers, and motivations. Leaders who cultivate self-awareness can influence others, develop respect, and not be worried about like-ability (that fluctuates depending on your team, client, or other situations beyond your control). 

Responsibility and accountability. When making choices and determining outcomes, especially when circumstances are difficult, are you owning the results (e.g., the good, the failures, the so-so results)?  Strong leaders take responsibility for all successes, failures, and missteps. They follow through on commitments, and address issues directly rather than deflecting or blaming others. 

Trust and integrity. If you trust yourself and honor your word, you can become a good leader. Trust and integrity require consistency, doing what you say you will do, making ethical decisions, and being transparent, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Resilience and resourcefulness. Navigating uncertainty, setbacks, and change requires composure. Mistakes and failures will happen. Your ability to adapt, find workable solutions, and work with and through people, while using the tools around you effectively, create positive influence. Resourceful leaders look for options instead of obstacles, ask open-ended questions, and take the opportunity to talk it out with their executive coach and mentors to gain clarity and determine their next best step. 

Mindfulness and presence. Emotional intelligence and emotional integrity are key components to mindfulness and being present. To adjust appropriately in conversations, and to understand the external impact on others, you must be mindful. Being present is important because it improves your listening and decision‑making skills, while also having you remember what you said and promised.

Leaders who neglect or ignore developing their inner skills often plateau despite strong external skills. Developing them requires intentional reflection, being coachable, and consistent practices like journaling, meditation, or structured feedback loops.

For 2026, make a promise to yourself, and honor that promise. Hire a coach and develop these inner leadership skills today.

© Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 33 years of experience guiding leaders and executives to achieve exceptional results. She delivers practical coaching and innovative solutions for hiring, leadership development, and performance success. Successful leaders have coaches—connect with Jeannette to elevate your results and impact in 2026.

What is your game plan for 2026? If being a successful leader is part of that plan, it pays to have the right coach. Waiting and thinking about it only creates excuses and limits your effectiveness while delaying the results you want. Contact me to get started.

2026 Is Right Around the Corner! Are You Ready to Achieve Real Sales Results?

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“If you want to improve your results, focus on objective data to get you unstuck and moving forward.” Jeannette Seibly

As 2025 winds down, every company is asking the same question: are we truly on track for a profitable finish? Some will succeed. Many won’t. And whether you’re ready or not, 2026 is around the corner.

Beyond sales and profitability numbers, objective data is scarce. Too often, we lean on excuses: Why someone couldn’t follow through, or stories like, “our top customer has been out of the country for six months.” We downplay lackluster results and cling to hope. But hope is not a strategy.

In 2026, let’s replace hope with hard data. Let’s turn numbers into strategies, and strategies into results so by year’s end, you don’t just meet your projections, you surpass them.

7 Tips to Achieve Real Results

1. Hire the Right People. Not everyone can sell your products or services, no matter what they’ve sold before. As the old saying goes, “Just because they can sell Cadillacs in Boston doesn’t mean they can sell Lincolns in Denver.” The key is to get real about who you hire and get real data about their natural ability to prospect, persist, and close. Use a qualified job-fit sales assessment that provides consistent, objective data.

  • Low assertiveness: A candidate who is “too nice” may build rapport but struggle to ask for the sale.
  • Team-dependent: Someone who thrives only in group settings may falter when left to hunt alone.
  • Mismatch of style: A polished corporate seller may not adapt well to scrappy startup environments.

2. Coach with Laser-Focused Accuracy. The right job fit assessment also sharpens your coaching. (SEE Chapter 9, Hire Amazing Employees) Address the real “why” behind a salesperson’s struggles. For instance, telling a rep to meet more people when they already have plenty of contacts won’t help. Instead, coach them on how to engage those contacts and uncover buying interest.

3. Stop Relying on Technology to Fix Sales Performance. A new CRM or AI tool won’t magically improve results. These are tools, not producers. Without the right salespeople, technology only makes things worse. Low performers hide behind learning systems, while high performers resent being slowed down from meeting prospects and closing deals.

4. Engage Customers Every Quarter. Quarterly engagement keeps customers loyal and more likely to refer you. Use a scorecard to focus conversations on quality, service, and pricing, and how you can help them in the future. Training is essential to make these discussions effective.

5. Hold Daily Sales Team Huddles. If you’re not already doing this, start now. A 10- to 20-minute STAND-UP HUDDLE each morning keeps everyone accountable. Standing shortens the meetings and makes it harder for low performers to hide. Focus on progress and needed adjustments. Don’t let excuses derail creativity and sales results.

6. Train for the Details. Years ago, a sales expert told me: successful salespeople know the details of their products and services. That wisdom made a huge difference in my own results. Provide weekly training, updates, and stories. And remember, repetition works.

7. Acknowledge Results. Recognition works wonders. Acknowledge individuals and your team by sharing brags. Use a dashboard to show weekly results. This builds support when someone is stuck and motivates everyone to do more of what’s working.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2019-2025

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Want objective, real-world data on your sales team? Contact me today to find out how.

What to “Listen For” During Job Interviews

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“During interviews, what we ‘listen for’ shapes the quality of the interaction, and ultimately determines whether we hire the right person for the right job.” Jeannette Seibly

As hiring managers, recruiters, and interviewers, too often we listen through our biases and judgments to determine whether a person can do the job or not.

  • We’re listening to respond, which is not true listening.
  • Or, we’re just not really listening for anything and just waiting to ask the next question.
  • Or, we’re contemplating if we’ve already made the right decision about hiring the person (not based on objective data).
  • Hint: If you have a response before the person finishes speaking, you’re not listening!

Skills you may already be listening for:

  • Attention to detail: Do they dot the I’s and cross the T’s?
  • Ability to stay calm under pressure: Do they react impulsively or remain steady when challenged?
  • Be a team player: Do they work well with others, or are they know-it-alls or do-it-yourselfers?
  • Coachability: Ability and willingness to accept feedback and learn from their mistakes and failures.
  • Communication: How well are they listening to you?

How Using Job-Fit Assessments Clarifies What to “Listen For”

Using a qualified and objective job-fit assessment (e.g., PXT Select®) provides “Listen for …” cues in the Selection Reports. These reports outline how a candidate’s thinking style, behavioral traits, and occupational interests align with the role. When you combine these insights with the interview questions in the PXT Select® report, you gain objective evidence of whether the person can do the job, will do the job, and can do the job here.

This clarity helps you know where to probe further, using the Rule of 3 from Hire Amazing Employees, and keeps you emotionally detached from the candidate’s charm or a false impression that can cloud judgment.

Additional Behaviors Worth “Listening For”

  • Consistency between words and actions: Do their examples align with how they describe themselves? Use the Rule of 3 (Hire Amazing Employees) to deep dive into someone’s true ability — not just to complete the skill or task, but to think through the pros and cons of what they are doing.
  • Ownership of mistakes: Candidates who can admit missteps and explain what they learned often bring resilience to the job. Interviewer question: “Tell me about the last mistake you made and what you did to fix it. Who did you talk with?”
  • Curiosity and initiative: Listen for questions they ask about the role, team, or company. Genuine curiosity signals engagement. If they have no questions or it’s clear they didn’t do any prep work on the company, position, or interviewer, you may need to move on.
  • Values alignment: Beyond skills, listen for whether their personal values resonate with the culture you’re building. What common themes do they describe, perhaps without realizing it? For example, if they struggled in the past with a micromanaging boss, how did they handle it? What type of autonomy do they need in this job to be successful?
  • Communication clarity: Are they able to simplify complex ideas, or do they get lost in jargon? Can they explain what they are saying in words others would easily understand?

Practical “Listening For” Habits for You

  • Pause before responding. Give space for silence. It often reveals more than a rushed answer.
  • Notice patterns, not isolated statements. One polished story doesn’t equal consistency.
  • Note emotional tone. Calm confidence differs from rehearsed charm.
  • Separate impression from evidence. Write down what you heard versus what you felt. Then, compare. If it’s not consistent, deep dive into whether they truly want the position or are simply checking a box that they had an interview. Note: If you’re using structured interview processes (questions found in Hire Amazing Employees), it is easier to compare candidates.
  • Document evidence immediately after the interview. Memory fades quickly, and written notes prevent bias and false memories from creeping in later.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Remember during interviews, what you “listen for” can make or break an interview. Come prepared, listen, and ask good follow-up questions to transform a good interview into a great one. Contact me to get the highest value out of your interviews.

Do You Want Your Leadership to Make a Positive Difference?

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“Your leadership style builds your influence, reputation, and legacy.” Jeannette Seibly

Influence, reputation, and legacy are not built by title alone. They are sustained by the people-centered skills that leaders should practice every day. For many leaders, experience and expertise are invaluable, but the ability to connect, facilitate, communicate, and make sound decisions often determines whether their leadership style makes a positive difference.

The Challenge

Even the most accomplished leaders can find themselves at crossroads:

  • People skills may need refreshing to engage diverse generations.
  • Facilitation skills must evolve to foster collaboration rather than control.
  • Communication skills require clarity, empathy, and adaptability in a noisy world.
  • Decision-making skills demand balance between wisdom and openness to new perspectives.

The Opportunity

By fine-tuning these people-centered skills, you can:

  • Amplify your impact by guiding teams with generosity and positive acknowledgement.
  • Model intentional leadership that blends honesty, responsibility, and accountability.
  • Create pathways for others to grow without losing their own expertise.
  • Develop your emotional intelligence and emotional integrity—intelligence helps you understand emotions, while integrity ensures you act with consistency and values.

And most importantly, these practices connect directly to your leadership style and legacy: the imprint you leave on people, organizations, and communities long after your role has changed.

Practical Pathways Forward

Level Up Your Skills by measuring your progress. Use engagement scores, retention data, or feedback loops to track whether your leadership style is truly making a positive difference. Examples include:

These tools provide both internal and external perspectives, helping you align your leadership practices with the legacy you intend to leave.

Very Important Note: Many leaders do not feel ready to read (current and future). I have coached and mentored many professionals who faced challenges early in their careers. And advised them to provide pathways that help future leaders and bosses grow, contribute, and thrive.

© Jeannette Seibly 2020–2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Contact me to see my “Fine-Tuning Leadership Skills Guide.” Start today to build a strong leadership style and make a positive difference.

Supporting Gen Z to be Effective Leaders

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“Leadership is not about being the smartest person in the room; it’s about collaborating effectively.” Jeannette Seibly

At a recent business meeting, I encountered a young woman whose leadership energy was undeniable. She radiated confidence, spoke with conviction, and clearly had the drive to influence and inspire. Yet, as the conversation progressed, her potential was overshadowed by two challenges: she believed she was the smartest person in the room, and her emotions often erupted unchecked. These behaviors, if not addressed, sabotage leadership and future opportunities. (Note: Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012.)

The Promise Gen Z Leaders Bring

Gen Z is reshaping the leadership landscape. They are:

  • Innovative thinkers who embrace technology and fresh ideas.
  • Fearless voices willing to challenge norms and disrupt traditional hierarchies.
  • Authentic leaders who want their work to align with values and purpose.

This generation’s leadership spirit is a powerful force. But like any force, it requires balance.

The Leadership Growth Required

In this meeting, the young woman’s expertise was undermined by behaviors that eroded her credibility:

  • Intellectual arrogance: She dismissed others’ perspectives, assuming her ideas were superior.
  • Emotional outbursts: She interrupted peers, grew visibly angry at senior leaders, and failed to regulate her reactions.
  • Damaged trust: These actions created tension, making collaboration difficult, and diminishing her professional presence.

Several of the leaders in the room questioned whether the young woman had the professional ability (and maturity) to be in the business conversation they had been having.

Lessons for Emerging Leaders

As bosses and leaders, Gen Z’s leadership drive must be paired with emotional maturity.

Key lessons include:

  • Humility as strength: Listening actively and respecting others’ contributions builds influence.
  • Emotional intelligence: Patience, empathy, and composure are essential for leadership.
  • Client and team relationships: Influence comes from guiding, not dictating. People respond to partnership, not control.
  • Professional presence: Credibility grows when passion is expressed with respect and balance. Using appropriate brag metrics provides influence.
  • Develop a win-win-win mindset: Learning how to create bridges instead of burning them is critical, especially for Gen Zs. They have a long career ahead of them. They will never know when the person they dissed or company leader they offended is in a position to hire or promote them, or do business with their company. While they may say they “don’t care,” someday, they will.

Guidance for Mentors and Coaches

Seasoned professionals play a vital role in shaping Gen Z leaders now and in the future:

  • Offer constructive feedback that redirects energy without diminishing confidence.
  • Model calm collaboration so younger leaders can see composure in action.
  • Create safe learning spaces where mistakes become opportunities for growth rather than career‑ending missteps.
  • Offer workshops and other training (e.g., videos) where the person can learn how to offer ideas without dominating the conversation or alienating others. Providing a job fit assessment leadership report can also provide important insights.

A leadership spirit is a gift. But without humility and emotional intelligence, it will cause self‑sabotage. The young woman I met has the raw talent to succeed, but her journey will depend on whether she learns to balance confidence with respect, and passion with patience.

For Gen Z leaders, the challenge is not just to step forward boldly, but to grow wise enough to make your leadership sustainable and be coachable.

Very Important Note: Having coached and mentored a number of people who are now older and more experienced, many-faced similar challenges early in their careers, including being fired. I strongly encourage bosses and leaders to provide counsel that helps these individuals strengthen their people, communication, and facilitation skills. Doing so ensures you won’t lose their drive, innovative ideas, and fearless voices, and in turn, these individuals will continue to grow, contribute, and thrive.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Do you have employees that need help with their leadership, communication, and decision-making skills, including Gen Z? It’s time to contact me and develop a program that supports everyone’s success.

How to Hire Salespeople Who Actually Sell

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“When you hire the wrong salespeople, your customers and top salespeople leave.”  Jeannette Seibly

Note: Don’t have time to read the full article? SCROLL to SEE Executive Summary below.

Hiring salespeople is notoriously tricky. Many candidates look the part and talk the talk. But once hired, they fail to deliver needed and intended results. The cost of a bad hire isn’t just financial; it erodes customer trust, team morale, and your bottom line.

The key? Determine their ability to sell before you hire them. Sales managers don’t have magic wands, and “fixing” poor hires rarely works.

Questions that must be answered:

Are they:

  • Able to generate leads?
  • A self-starter or need prodding?
  • A team player?
  • Able to close an opportunity? (Many become hesitant and are afraid of the required “money” conversation.)
  • Fulfilling promises or making unrealistic ones (e.g., the price will never go up)?
  • Following-up and following-through? (Note: This is one of the biggest mistakes salespeople make.)

5 Smart Strategies to Improve Your Selection Process

  1. Use Objective Data. Ditch intuitive Use the Selection Triad and validated job-fit assessments to evaluate prospecting, presenting, and closing skills. Job fit is the #1 predictor of sales success.
  2. Assess Integrity. Use honesty/integrity assessments to uncover omissions and avoid candidates who stretch the truth. Always verify background, education, and accomplishments.
  3. Test Listening Skills. Ask candidates to summarize parts of the interview: “Tell me what you heard.” Great salespeople listen before they sell. Also, check for openness to coaching, “Tell me about a recent mistake. What did you do? What did you do to correct it? Who did you need to talk with?” Beware of someone saying they never make a mistake. (In fact, move on to other candidates.)
  4. Look for Curiosity. Candidates should ask thoughtful questions about your company, product, and culture. If they don’t, they likely lack the drive to uncover client needs.
  5. Observe Presence and Patience. Watch body language. Do they squirm, interrupt, or rush? Sales requires calm confidence and the ability to make prospects feel heard and comfortable.

Top Attributes of Successful Salespeople

  • Coachability: You can’t coach someone into a job they’re not wired for. Remember, you’re hiring for job fit: thinking style, behaviors, and interests must align with the role.
  • Presence: Great salespeople are fully engaged in conversations. Multitasking is a myth and listening is their superpower.
  • Product Mastery: They know what they’re selling and how it works. They immersed themselves in the details; and, as a result, they build trust and prevent buyer’s remorse.
  • Persistence: They follow up consistently, stay visible, and don’t give up. They stay in contact through sharing articles, actively participate in networking (givers gain attitude), and social media.
  • Relationship Building: They treat every prospect and client like a VIP. They follow-through within 24–48 hours to build credibility and loyalty.

©Jeannette Seibly 2016-2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

When was the last time you stopped long enough to review your sales teams’ skills? You haven’t? It’s time to contact me before the end of 2025!

Would you like a complimentary quick one-page copy of “Sales Manager Coaching Tool: Hire & Develop Salespeople Who Deliver?”

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Executive Summary: Hiring Salespeople Who Actually Sell

“When you hire the wrong salespeople, your customers and top salespeople leave.”  Jeannette Seibly

The Problem

  • Hiring mistakes erode trust, morale, and profits.
  • Sales managers cannot “fix” poor hires—selection must be right from the start.

5 Smart Strategies

  1. Use Objective Data – Apply the Selection Triad: structured interviews, validated job-fit assessments, integrity tools.
  2. Assess Integrity – Verify honesty, background, and accomplishments.
  3. Test Listening Skills – Great salespeople listen before they sell.
  4. Look for Curiosity – Candidates should ask thoughtful questions.
  5. Observe Presence & Patience – Calm confidence builds trust.

Top Attributes of Successful Salespeople

  • Coachability – You can’t coach someone into a job they’re not wired for.
  • Presence – Fully engaged, listening is a superpower.
  • Product Mastery – Deep knowledge prevents buyer’s remorse.
  • Persistence – Consistent follow-up builds visibility and credibility.
  • Relationship Building – Treat every client like a VIP, follow-through within 24–48 hours.

Hiring salespeople is too costly to get wrong.

Stop relying on intuition—use proven tools and strategies.

Contact Jeannette before the end of 2025 for a complimentary copy of the “Sales Manager Coaching Tool: Hire & Develop Salespeople Who Deliver.”

Jeannette Seibly, award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Spotting Hidden Talent Easily

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“Spotting hidden talent can be easy and will increase employee, customer retention, and profitability.” Jeannette Seibly

Did you know hidden talent can be easily spotted using a well-designed job-fit selection system?

While many complain about the difficulty of finding “hidden talent,” the reality is that the right person may be sitting right in front of you. Unfortunately, biases often cloud our ability to see candidates as they truly are. Other barriers—such as lack of objective data, unrealistic expectations, and flawed assumptions—can further obscure their potential. The list goes on.

Bottom line: We miss spotting hidden talent due to a lack of good, reliable, and replicable objective data when making hiring, promotion, and job transfer decisions.

Ways to Avoid These Common Pitfalls

Prepare Job Applicants. Send them a helpful video about your interview process and what to expect. For many, this is their first time talking with your company. Provide several interview questions (and be sure to ask at least one or two of these) so they feel comfortable with your selection process. Also, send them a link to the brag book: “The Secret to Winning the Job: Start Bragging!” Many applicants have hidden talents that they need to learn how to share effectively.

Use a Valid Honesty/Integrity Assessment. Make sure it’s a direct admission tool and use only for pre-employment purposes (not current employees). This can help weed out candidates who are good at selling themselves but have things to hide. They also help create safer workplace environments. Be sure to check local and state statutes to avoid asking inappropriate questions (e.g., age, marital status, children, etc.). Contact me for a product brochure.

Conduct Phone Screen Interviews to Gather Objective Data. Ask questions designed to reveal facts about past employment and education. Verifying and documenting are essential. Too often, candidates aren’t honest about their past … they just want the job. (For help creating questions, READ Chapter 10, Hire Amazing Employees)

Too often, we rely on intuitive hiring rather than using a strategic job-fit system and obtaining objective data. Then, we are surprised 2 hours, 2 weeks, or 2 months later when we realize the person who showed up isn’t the one we interviewed. This is avoidable.

Use a Qualified Job-Fit Assessment. It’s crucial to see the “whole person” (e.g., thinking style, core behaviors, and occupational interests). Using the wrong assessment allows applicants to present themselves as they want to be seen—not as they truly are. With over 3,000 published assessments available, it’s easy to select ones not designed or compliant with Department of Labor standards for pre-employment use. How do you know the difference? Ask for a technical manual and check for distortion, predictive validity, reliability, and validity coefficients. (See Chapter 9, Use the Right Assessments and Skill Tests, Hire Amazing Employees) Using the correct assessment, the right way, makes all the difference in the selection process!

Using a qualified job fit assessment helps alleviate concerns about the legalities of who you are hiring.

Interview for Job Fit. Too often, our beliefs about required skills are sabotaged by subjective biases (e.g., good at math = good accountant; friendly = great boss). Ask job-related questions and listen! Hidden talent will reveal itself when you deep dive into their responses using the “Rule of 3” to determine the depth of their skills. (For additional insights on the “Rule of 3” and creating job-related questions, READ Chapter 10, Hire Amazing Employees)

Conduct Due Diligence. It’s not uncommon for applicants to list education, job titles, and companies that don’t exist! Conduct background, licensing, education, and other checks. Using a third-party provider often ensures a thorough and consistent process. (SEE Chapter 17, Types of Checks, Hire Amazing Employees)

Require Onboarding for Best Results. Start when the job offer is accepted and continue over several months. Otherwise, your newest talent may “leave” while still on the payroll. (READ Chapter 20, The Success of a New Hire Is Up to You!, Hire Amazing Employees)

© Jeannette Seibly 2024–2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

Spotting hidden talent is easy when you use a well-designed strategic job fit system. When was the last time you reviewed your hiring practices? If you want to improve your retention, results, and revenues, contact me.

Stop Sabotaging Your Work Relationships

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“Want to make a positive difference in your working relationships? Do what you say you’ll do.” Jeannette Seibly

Many bosses and leaders don’t prioritize building proactive, healthy work relationships. They’re often in denial, fail to see the value, or unknowingly sabotage their ability to collaborate effectively.

As a result, when support is needed to resolve workplace issues or navigate complex customer challenges, they’re left disappointed, frustrated, or hurt. Why? Because the co-workers and bosses they ignored or dismissed are now unavailable—or worse, judgmental. These colleagues may respond with, “Here’s what I would’ve done,” or “You should’ve asked me sooner,” rather than offering real help.

Sabine, a mid-level boss constantly complained about her director. Her best friend finally urged her to hire an executive coach. Sabine didn’t believe a coach could fix the problem—especially not the slashed quarterly bonuses or lack of resources—but she reluctantly agreed.

Her coach offered a simple recommendation: “Go have a conversation with your director. Not just any conversation—one that makes a real, positive difference. Start building a better work relationship. You don’t have to like him, but you do need to respect that he’s your boss.”

Sabine snapped, “If I’d known you were going to tell me that, I never would’ve hired you.” The coach replied calmly, “But you did hire me. Now do it. You’ll be amazed at the difference.”

Sabine followed through—and the coach was right. The results were phenomenal. Sabine became one of the few people who could work well with that director.

The bonus? Six months later, the company president called Sabine: “I heard you’re doing great things. When you’re ready, I want you to run one of my new companies.”

Building strong work relationships—especially with difficult team members or bosses—directly impacts your promotability, results, and career opportunities.

How to Develop Better Relationships

  • Listen—Really Listen. Yes, I say that often. But unless you truly listen, the rest of these tips won’t matter.
  • Take Responsibility for Biases and Judgments. You may think no one notices how you really feel about someone—but it shows. In your choice of words, your gestures, your attitudes. In fact, over 80 percent of what you communicate is nonverbal. That’s why it’s essential to challenge your outdated beliefs and improve your communication style. Attend workshops or courses that help you do the work. And don’t just show up—participate. Sitting on the sidelines or pretending to listen won’t move the needle.
  • Respect Others. Stop making excuses for not supporting the team.

Example: If you struggle to hear during Zoom meetings, turn up the volume on your laptop—it might not be a Zoom issue. If you suspect hearing loss, get tested. Excuses erode trust and disrespect your team.

Another Example: Talking over others when they disagree with your comment or opinion.

  • Get Involved. As a leader, stay engaged—especially when your team asks for help or resources. That doesn’t mean micromanaging (unless necessary). Guide your team to take initiative, talk things out, and stay accountable. That’s how trust and results grow.
  • Ask for Help. Seeking input strengthens relationships—ignoring others when you need help will weaken the relationships. Many leaders avoid asking for help until they’re forced to. Then, their egos get in the way: “I already tried that,” or “That won’t work.” Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re not capable—it means you’re open to better ideas, new perspectives, and collaborative solutions.
  • Honor Your Word. Don’t just talk about what you’ll do—do it. Start small. Example: Concerned about 1:1s with employees? Solution: Schedule monthly 1:1s to start—then increase as needed. Many of you believe you have integrity and do what you say you’ll do. When you do what you say you’ll do, you build trust and credibility.
  • Make Win-Win-Win Decisions. Your decisions affect others—even in subtle ways. Poor decisions can quietly derail team progress. To make better choices, hire a coach, ask for input, and listen. Again, listen. That’s how you honor your word and strengthen relationships. Then follow up: Did it work? If not, conduct a “What Worked? / What Didn’t Work?” review to identify what was missing.

© Jeannette Seibly 2024-2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core. When was the last time you stopped long enough to really look at the strengths and weaknesses of your working relationships?  If you have any concerns, let’s talk and put you on the path toward achieving unprecedented results.

From Guesswork to Clarity: Hiring with Job-Fit Assessments Improves Revenues and Results

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“Job fit assessments take the guesswork out of your hiring process to improve revenues, retention, and results.”

In today’s hiring climate, speed often masquerades as strategy. Managers are urged to act fast—yet when the “right” candidate doesn’t surface, your hiring strategy often goes out the window.

Beneath the urgency and hesitancy lies a deeper tension:

  • Will this hire stick?
  • Will they elevate the team—or disrupt it?
  • Are we measuring what matters?

When clarity falters, misalignment follows. Promising candidates walk. Loyal customers drift. And retention, revenue, and results quietly erode.

When hiring decisions rely on urgency or intuition alone, managers often struggle to identify candidates who:

  • Have vague or inflated skills – that don’t translate to performance
  • Avoid accountability – by justifying shortcuts or disregarding rules
  • Resist feedback – rationalizing poor choices and showing little willingness to learn
  • Lack the long-term attitude or behavior needed – to support team growth and client retention
  • Require hands-on training – but resist being shown or told how to improve

These blind spots lead to failure and building a resilient, high-performing team. Without objective data from validated job fit assessments, better hiring outcomes remain out of reach.

Tired of interviewing a person and having them change their personality within two to 90 days? Keep reading.

What is a Job Fit Assessment?

It’s a screening tool that helps managers hire with purpose—defining roles, aligning expectations, and selecting candidates who truly fit.

Using “whole person” data—thinking style, core behavior, and occupational interests—reveals who a candidate is beneath the polish, not just how they want to be seen.

A job fit assessment shifts hiring from reactive to intentional, offering reliable, replicable insights that meet Department of Labor guidelines for both hiring and promotion.

Please note: Assessments are just one-third of the decision. Interviews (1/3) and due diligence (1/3) complete the trio.

Why are “qualified” job fit tools often overlooked? Most importantly, not all assessments are equal. A “qualified” job fit tool used for hiring and promotion must meet distinct scientific and legal standards. Most assessments don’t.

To be “qualified” and effective, these tools must:

  • Be scientifically validated and reliable, with proven predictive validity
  • Minimize bias and promote fairness
  • Deliver objective data for consistent, defensible decisions
  • Be easy to interpret and apply across roles and teams
  • Align with actual job performance

Why Are Job Fit Assessments Critical to Your Company’s Success?

Clarify Role Expectations. Most job descriptions list tasks, but few articulate a role’s impact on finances, systems, and people. A qualified job-fit assessment helps managers move beyond vague responsibilities to define true accountability about what success looks like (e.g., hiring salespeople who close deals, not just educate prospects; hiring financial planners who enjoy working with numbers).

Define Success Metrics. Hiring isn’t just about filling a seat—it’s about fueling performance. Job-fit assessments help managers identify what matters and avoid repeating costly mistakes:

  • What are the candidate’s natural strengths?
  • What skills need development?
  • How can we best support their success?
  • Are they coachable and open to feedback?

The insights provided by a qualified job fit assessment shape interviews, onboarding, and coaching—and reduce bias by anchoring decisions in data, not assumptions (e.g., eliminating bias tied to gender, age, education, or experience).

Align with Team Culture. Skills get candidates hired. Culture keeps them. The right assessment reveals how a candidate’s values, work style, and decision-making align with the team, company, and role—revealing synergy or friction before the hire.

Paired with honesty-integrity direct admission tools, managers gain deeper insight into values (e.g., drugs, theft, attendance), supporting trust-building from day one.

When managers hire with clarity, everything shifts:

  • Interviews become focused and strategic
  • Onboarding becomes purposeful and personalized
  • Teams align around purpose—not just performance
  • Objective data drives measurable outcomes (e.g., retention, revenue, results)
  • Employees engage more deeply when their roles fit
  • Customer satisfaction and team cohesion grow stronger

In short, qualified job-fit assessments aren’t just tools—they’re catalysts for sustainable retention, revenue, and results.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

How can I help you select the right job fit assessment to improve retention, revenues, and results?

How to Work with an Incompetent Boss

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“When working with an incompetent boss, you must set aside your judgment to protect your job.” Jeannette Seibly

Working with an incompetent boss is challenging. They can sabotage your efforts while wasting time and money—for you, your team, and the company. This can happen whether you’re working with your direct boss, your boss’s boss, or a boss you don’t report to directly.

Many times, the boss’s incompetence stems from a lack of self-awareness and a failure to understand their impact on others. They often insist everything is done their way—even when their way doesn’t work. The primary reason they are incompetent is they never learned how to work with a team. And they are often resentful when you know a better way to get results and voice them.

The challenge intensifies when the boss is well-liked or has a strong reputation. So—it’s up to you to learn how to work with them because they don’t have to learn to work well with you!

Even though it might be easier for you to take over the boss’s role to get the job done … be careful … their popularity and ego can hurt you and your future career opportunities if not handled with diplomacy.

5 Tips to Work Well with an Incompetent Boss and Keep Your Job

Diplomacy. This is the #1 skill to develop and use rigorously. Being right, egotistical, or gossiping about the boss’s incompetence will not get the job done. And, if you complain, it will come back to bite you.

Instead:

  • Be an ally. (Even if that seems impossible.)
  • Take the boss to lunch to build rapport outside the pressure of the project.
  • Ask non-threatening questions about their background and experience.
  • Ask how the project is coming along.
  • Offer to do one task the boss is complaining about “to help the person out.” Get it done ASAP.
  • Then ask, “How else can I help you?”

Do It Their Way. The biggest fear most incompetent bosses have is that others won’t do it their way. It’s true—you and others won’t. But to gain their trust:

  • Do it their way the first time.
  • Then offer only one suggestion on how it could be done faster or better in the future (e.g., use a dashboard to track progress).
  • Again, only offer one suggestion at a time—then allow it to be their idea!

Bring in a Respected 3rd Party. You may not have the luxury of waiting for the incompetent boss to “get it.” Talk with your company mentor, boss, or external company coach (if available) about how to best handle the issue. However, the right person (not you) should work with the “incompetent boss” and use a qualified job fit assessment focused on leadership attributes that can make a positive difference.

  • Stick with the facts when talking with 3rd
  • Understand others may be unwilling to “rock the boat” since it could negatively impact them.

An aspiring young leader, Stephanie, volunteered to work with Tyler, an executive known for being difficult and blaming others. Stephanie asked her coach for guidance. Armed with insights, she asked Tyler if she could shadow him for a day and learn about his background and job. He was flattered. Over time, they built a good working relationship. When Tyler poorly managed a customer project, Stephanie was able to step up. She relied on their rapport to have a frank but diplomatic conversation. Tyler allowed Stephanie to help him and turn around the results.

This type of diplomacy and curiosity can build trust—even with difficult leaders.

Document. Be proactive:

  • Ask at least twice: “How can I help?” or “What would you like me to do?”
  • Document if you did not get an answer or received push-back.
  • Keep it fact-based—stay away from blame.
  • Share your brags with your boss to keep them apprised, especially since it can show up on your performance appraisal.

When All Else Fails, Let It Go. If you’re deeply committed to doing good work, this will be difficult. You probably have a strong emotional attachment to fulfilling the needs of the project. But when an incompetent boss refuses to budge, you must step back—especially if no one is willing to help facilitate the outcome. If you don’t, you risk developing a bad reputation for “not working well with others.” Ironic, isn’t it?

Working with an incompetent boss is common but does not need to negatively impact your job or career. Many times, the experience elevates your skills and it is positively noticed!

© Jeannette Seibly 2021–2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 33 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core. How can I help you navigate the ups and downs of working with a difficult boss?