Leadership

What Happens to Your Business If Something Happens to You?

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Successor

Many business owners, executives and entrepreneurs have failed to plan for their retirement or for when they are no longer able to handle their job responsibilities. As a result, when something does happen, the company and its employees, clients and vendors will experience unnecessary chaos, uncertainty and stress. Some companies will need to close their doors.

All of this can be prevented by creating and implementing a well-thought-out succession plan now.

Start Developing Your Successors Now!

Business requirements have evolved, along with the qualities required to be successful. When you select your successor(s), it’s important to see beyond likeability, hearing what you want to hear or seeing potential in the person that is not evident to others.

It’s costly to select the wrong person. According to Harvard Business Review, 64% of executives in new positions fail within the first 18 months! (Remember, when they leave, they will take good employees and customers with them!) So, it’s important to get it right the first time.

9 Keys to Create Successor Success

  1. Job Fitness. Whether you promote from within or hire from the outside, the person must fit the job responsibilities to be successful. (For example, if financial management skills are required and they don’t have the interest and skills, they will make poor financial decisions.) Use a qualified job assessment and a 360-degree feedback assessment to develop and uncover any concerns that need to be addressed now. Developing the successor’s skills and business savvy are required before they receive the new job title and compensation package.
  1. Conduct Conversations Over Time. Meet at least quarterly and assess the future successor’s values, vision, interests, skills and understanding of the business and industry each time. It’s a great opportunity to mentor, talk over challenges and learn from one another.
  1. Design a Long-Term Game Plan. The intent is for the transition to be seamless. A customized game plan prepares each successor, so there are no surprises to the company and its employees, customers and vendors. Develop more than one person in the event of life and/or career changes. Update the plan every three years. And, remember, ask each person first before slating them for the position and make sure they will do the work to be ready!
  1. Executive Coach. Hire each future leader an executive coach to be the person’s confidential sounding board. Relying solely on internal mentors can hurt a successor’s future if confidentiality is broken.
  1. Outside Experience. It’s important for future leaders to gain the depth and breadth of experience by having worked for other companies, especially if the company is family-owned. As part of the Game Plan, have these potential leaders work in another company environment for five years, preferably in a management role. This will expand their point of view and leadership skills.
  1. Redefine Job Responsibilities. One year from retirement, review and update job descriptions with the people slated for the new roles. Don’t be afraid to redefine jobs and split the roles based on key skill requirements (e.g., Chief Financial Officer (CFO) may handle financial matters well, but not human resources issues. Break the position into two jobs, CFO and CPO (Chief People Officer).)
  1. Common Values. This is a critical factor that is often overlooked, particularly when nepotism is involved. If someone does not possess the values or integrity required to run the company, don’t be afraid to say, “no.”
  1. Step Away. Too often, the person leaving wants to stay and have the successor shadow them. This is not advised since successors lose important credibility that they are unable to gain later. Set aside egos, let go and move forward. (Please note: smart successors will set up quarterly meetings during the first year to meet and talk through issues with the former leader.)
  1. Let go. Sale of the company is always an option. When emotional attachment is high and there is a strong desire to leave a legacy, this option is often ignored. It can actually be more financially beneficial to all parties.

By creating a long-term succession game plan now, you develop successful successors.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. As an executive coach, speaker and author, she provides straight talk with dynamic results.  Are you having trouble planning for the future, and picking and developing your successor(s)? Don’t wait to let go of the reins! Contact Jeannette now for a preliminary confidential conversation.

Are Your Future Leaders Ready to Lead?

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strategic hiring

The mindset of how to identify and train new leaders has changed. Due to technology advancements, geographical influences, and financial and people demands, many companies are failing to clarify what they need, and failing to find and develop the right ones. As a result, many future leaders are not ready to lead.

How do you identify and develop future leaders for your company?

First, Identify and Qualify Them

Competence. Are they results producers? Where is the gap between the skills they currently have and those required? Do they have the people savvy to effectively communicate and work with anyone, anywhere and at any time?

Qualified Assessments. Use them. Start now. They help uncover what you don’t know about a person—the kind of information left uncovered that can come back to haunt you. Due to their incredible accuracy, qualified assessments are invaluable in helping guide the development. They clarify the “why” a person is effective, or not.

Oust Biases. Identify your own biases and set them aside.

A business owner was having a hard time hiring the right person to take over running his company. He had failed several times. His bias was to hire people he liked who had the right title and came with the right connections. If they had a one-time winning experience, that helped too. Unfortunately, using these biases as criteria for a leader does not translate into actually being able to effectively run and build a financially successful company!

Don’t Promote Too Soon. This is a company’s biggest hidden expense. When managers promote employees who are not ready, lack the resilience to handle challenges or conflicts, or do not have the interest in developing the required skills (regardless of what they tell you), they leave. They take employees and clients with them. Use incremental titles to keep Millennials who are impatient to get ahead.

Second, Develop Them

Recognize Lone Rangers. Many up-and-coming leaders refuse to take advice. These DIYers will take the company and management team down with them rather than ask for help. Provide them board and management team training focused on working with and through others, managing conflict and executing change. If they are ineffective and unwilling to improve, now is the time to look elsewhere.

Preparation. Assign them team projects and have them participate in trade association events and boards. Include them in high-level discussions and ask their opinions. This will help them understand there is more to leadership than just having the title. They will either relish the opportunities or dread them. Do not overlook their readiness to assume the next leadership role.

The Right Coaching. The laser-like ability to develop talent is a critical skill many current leaders, executives and business owners do not have. Provide future leaders with an internal mentor and an external coach to help groom them. Guide the creation of quarterly goals and check in to ensure they are on the right track.

What If They Are Not Ready?

There may come a time when you need to bring in someone from the outside to get the company on track and build future internal leaders. The problem is where to look. One option is finding a current executive, but they are often happy in their current job and must be promised job security to move. Another option is a consultant, but they are often overlooked because they have gray hair. Other challenges could be stereotypes or consultant only wanting to work part-time. Ask your network for introductions. Ensure the new leader is able to develop a successful succession plan, work past family business or existing succession plan biases, and navigate internal company politics. Don’t forget to negotiate a win-win exit plan for them when the internal candidates are ready.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2017-2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. As an executive coach, speaker and author, she provides straight talk with dynamic results.  Are you having trouble planning for the future and/or letting go of the reins? Don’t wait! Contact Jeannette now for a preliminary confidential conversation.

 

10 Quick Must-Have-Skills to be Career Fit

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Develop Leaders2There are necessary must-have-skills that will support you in any career. They determine your ability to be promoted and ready for future career opportunities, and, they impact your side gigs and entrepreneurial interests as well. If you become too comfortable and fail to develop your skills, there is a greater risk of being sidelined in your career.

Instead of expecting your employer to help you develop these skills, take program(s) (on-line and in workshops), hire a coach and raise your hand when opportunities appear at work.

Remember, no one was born possessing these skills … it takes time and commitment to be ready when career options appear.

Career Fitness!

Regardless of your career choice(s) the following 10 skills are required to succeed in any position.

    1. Communication. Possessing and developing good verbal, non-verbal and written skills are critical. Become aware of how your choice of words, gestures and stories impact others.
    2. Decision-making. The ability to create, negotiate and follow-through on agreements is key to making good decisions with win-win outcomes. Remember, someone may forget the details, but, they won’t forget whether your attitude was helpful or hurtful.
    3. Project Management. Many studies have shown that accountability and responsibility are required to brainstorm an idea with a positive ROI, design a viable system and execute the plan to achieve intended results. Work with your coach when team conflicts, withdrawal of funds or other project stopping situations occur; otherwise, they will take the project (and your career) off course!
    4. Resiliency. The key is, when mistakes or failures happen, and they will, learn how to responsibly resolve the matter and move on. Use it as a teaching moment for you and the team…and keep moving forward.
    5. Business Basics. There will be skills that you enjoy learning and others that you won’t. It’s important to use a qualified assessment to understand “why.” This awareness helps you develop the needed mindset required to learn all of them. For example, if you don’t have an interest in financial management, becoming an accountant is not the best idea. However, it is important to learn basic accounting skills, read a P&L and develop good money practices.
    6. Sales and Customer Service. In almost any position within a company (or as a business owner), you impact the customer! Take responsibility for ensuring you’re a positive contributor in the sales cycle (e.g., prospecting, uncovering needs, presenting and winning the sale) and delivering the results.
    7. Follow-up and Follow-through. In the current survey I’m conducting, one of the most common challenges many express is the failure of people to return calls or provide promised information. Listen and deliver. Do NOT rely on your brochure or website to answer a prospective customer’s questions or current customer’s interest in learning more. This can be one of the most important skills you learn, and the reason opportunities disappear.
    8. Manage Your Time. Good habits are developed through positive practices. Return all calls. Be on time for everything. And, fulfill your promises.
    9. Bragging. Self-promotion is important today. If you’re not aware of your achievements, neither is anyone else. You will be overlooked for promotions, pay increases, and new business and other lucrative opportunities. Learn how to brag in a business savvy manner. You cannot rely on your boss, customers or business associates to do it for you!
    10. Hire, Manage and Coach. Every boss needs to learn these critical ingredients for business success … it starts with hiring the right person for the right job. Only then can you effectively manage and coach. Engaged workforces, satisfied customers and profitable performance don’t happen by accident!

If you are willing to learn and practice these 10 must-have-skills, you will succeed in your career!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. As an executive coach, speaker and author, she provides straight talk with dynamic results. Remember, it’s up to you to learn and perfect the necessary career skills so you can have a great career, start your own business and/or become a self-employed! Don’t wait! Step up now! Check out her website, or contact Jeannette for a preliminary confidential conversation.

Do You Roast Marshmallows When There is a Fire?

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Marshmallows FireI was reminiscing with a former coaching client last week and we were laughing at the many stories we had created during the 5-year time period we had successfully worked together.

One of the most powerful stories was, he never seemed to worry about anything … when maybe he should have!

The story we created together: There could be a fire in the building and he would sit and roast marshmallows instead of running around upset or worrying about the fire. His response when this happened in his life, “I understand that maybe I should be worried … and I am concerned … but, I don’t see how running around will change anything.”

Many of us worry about things when there is a perceived “fire.” We believe we have no control over our reactions to it. And, instead of investigating the facts, taking proactive actions or appropriately waiting it out, we worry that worst things will happen.  Or, if we stick our heads in the sand, we can falsely believe everything is fine and do nothing.

While worrying does hinder your ability to achieve results, being too calm can get in the way of doing what needs to be done.

3 Ways to Minimize Worry and Improve Results

Remember, we all have times we worry about our jobs, clients, employees, family members, driving, projects, etc. When we get caught up in this vicious cycle of the bad things that may happen (and many times never happen), it diminishes our ability to make the right decisions, take the appropriate actions and move forward.

  1. Minimize disruptions and distractions. Many of these can be avoided. And, you do have a say in making this happen. Remember, when you react to newsfeeds, rings tones and gossip over coffee (to name a few triggers), you are training your brain to overreact … creating a bad habit.

Ideas:

  • *Limit your time on social media and hide negative postings.
  • *Silence your phone for a period of time, or use a different ring tone for those calls you really do need to answer.
  • *Don’t participate in the gossip mill.
  • *Seek factual information.
  • *Address the worry with your coach or mentor, then, take immediate action steps where appropriate.
  1. Practice mindfulness. Being present to what you are doing, who you are talking with and what you need to focus on is important. There are many books and podcasts available to talk you through how to become mindful. Read one chapter of a book or listen to a short podcast each day on this topic.
  1. Focus. When you have a goal you are committed to achieving (e.g., being a great boss, partner or spouse; getting the job offer; creating financial stability; etc.), do not allow circumstances to get in the way. Create a daily intention to support your goal (e.g., I am open and accepting. I believe in me. My employees are great. I am a great boss.). Work with your coach to clarify and focus on the next right actions to take. This will improve your results.

To minimize worrying and improve results, be aware and recognize when you should take different actions due to a real “fire,” or when you should sit and enjoy roasting marshmallows.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. As an executive coach, advisor and consultant who provides straight talk with dynamic results.  Remember, you can achieve your intended results with help from your coach, regardless of the circumstances. Don’t wait! Step up now! Check out her website, or contact Jeannette for a preliminary confidential conversation.

9 Areas in Your Worklife Where You Can Make a Positive Difference

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resiliency

Most business professionals today seek a worklife that makes a positive difference. But, don’t know how to create it. Since you spend most of your waking hours at work … it’s important to take the initiative in how you handle work responsibilities, develop relationships and pursue goals. This gives you the opportunity to achieve other goals in your life too.

9 Keys to Create a Great Worklife

1.Stay Focused. Many imbalances today are due to allowing distractions and disruptions to get in your way. When having a conversation or participating in a meeting, put away electronic gadgets and listen. By actively participating, you can guide the direction and development of new products, systems and/or policies…reducing the stress normally caused by change.

2.Keep It Real. Many people today believe if they say something often enough it will become true. The reality is, saying it doesn’t change the facts. Talk straight. Learn the facts. Listen and incorporate people’s concerns when you are making decisions to ensure win-win outcomes.

3.Honor Your Word. The word integrity can evoke a lot of defensiveness. However, it’s important to get real about what you are promising and what you actually do! Actions speak louder than words. Nobody cares about your excuses. When you promise to return calls or send additional information, follow-up and follow-through quickly. Simply, do what you say you will do.

4.Prioritize. Remember, not everything is a priority. Make a list of everything that you believe needs to be done. Circle the top ten. Now, cut the list down to the top three. Rank them 1, 2, and 3. Do number 1 now. When it’s done, move on to number 2. Now, it’s time for number 3. Celebrate the completion of each task.

5.Delegate and Expect the Best. Your employees or co-workers won’t complete a project or task the same way you would. However, if you provide the training and address the purpose of the task, they usually will do it even better than you!

6.Hire Right. Incorporate objective data into your company’s strategic hiring process. It can and will make a positive difference in how you hire employees. Hiring right will also make a positive and significant impact on your relationships with employees, co-workers, boss, board, clients and vendors.

7.Schedule Time for You. Create a block of time each day for yourself and honor it. Read a chapter in a book, listen to a short podcast, dance to music, doodle, meditate, go for a walk, etc.  It’ll make a big difference in rebalancing you after handling a stressful project or situation.

8.Stop Avoiding Difficult Conversations. Be responsible for handling conflicts quickly and responsibly. Remember, listen to others and repeat what they’ve said before you offer your own opinions. When someone feels heard and valued, it will help in resolving any issue.

9.Hire a Coach. A sounding board allows you to talk confidentially about your concerns. It also helps you streamline your activities, provides a broader perspective when resolving challenges and reminds you that you matter.

Creating a worklife that makes a difference will have a profound and positive impact on your entire life. The time to make it happen is now!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been recognized as a catalyst for the past 25 years. She is an executive coach, advisor and consultant who provides straight talk with dynamic results.  Are you seeking a worklife that makes a positive and profound difference? First, you have to admit you are committed to having one. Then, check out SeibCo’s website , or contact Jeannette for a free confidential conversation.

Your Results Are Determined by a Leadership Mindset

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KeyMany leaders today believe they know how to get the results required. The question is, are you achieving the needed results through force or are you influencing others to be part of the change? Becoming aware of your mindset and how you use it to influence others will determine your results.

Let Go of 5 Limiting Mindsets:

I Already Know Myself. We want to believe that others see us the way we see ourselves. Unfortunately, we are often incorrect in this assumption, and our lack of awareness limits our ability to influence people and change. If you really want to know how you are perceived (and real leaders do), get real by using qualified assessment tools and work with an executive coach to go beyond what you believe is true about yourself and others.

Failure is Not an Option. We were taught to believe there is no such thing as failure! And yet, at times, all of us fail. Being able to admit and take responsibility for mistakes encourages others to embrace and follow your leadership style.

All Change is Good. Yes, change can be great and is necessary for a company to grow. But, first slow down. Build trust and inclusion in the decision-making process. Listen and learn, then listen and learn more before you make any changes – no matter how small.

Employees are a Necessary Evil. Get over it! Employees can make or break your success — they are your most powerful asset when you perceive them in a positive way. If you hire for job fit and engage them, you will be amazed by the value they provide and the results they achieve!

Asking for Help is a Weakness. It is actually a sign of strength. Use your executive coach, mentor and/or boss as sounding boards. Remember, only fools make the mistake of relying solely on their own mental monologue about how to resolve a problem or what’s the next best course of action.

Remember, your results are determined by your mindset and your ability to positively influence others.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2016-2018

Jeannette Seibly has been called a catalyst. She is celebrating 25 years as an executive coach, advisor and consultant who guides her clients to achieve unprecedented results. Remember, mindsets can be expanded with the right sounding board. Are you ready for success? Step up now! Check out her website, or contact Jeannette for a preliminary confidential conversation.

11 Ways to Prevent Stress from Derailing Your Success

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StressFor busy business professionals, stress is unavoidable. It can negatively impact your results, interactions with people, and your ability to make necessary changes in your life. Stress impacts your ability to get things done the right way the first time. (And sometimes, you don’t get a second chance.)

If you are like me (and most people), you have stresses in your life: lack of time, concerns about money, bad habits, difficult situations and circumstances, frustrating employees, bosses, customers and systems. In addition, you might often think: I should have, would have and could have if only I had had the time, money, right employees, nicer customers, etc. (Sound familiar?) Stress can be cyclical, and these seemingly never-ending thoughts only add more stress. To disrupt the stress, you need clarify and take focused action steps to move forward.

11 Ways to De-Stress for Success

Pick one now and do it! It doesn’t matter which one. Just do it!

1.Prioritize. Not everything is a priority. Make a list of everything that you believe needs to be done. Circle the top ten. Now, cut the list down to the top three. Rank them 1, 2, and 3. Do number 1 now. When it’s done, move on to number 2. Now, it’s time for number 3. Celebrate the completion of each task.

2.Let Go. Not everything needs to be done immediately. If you need to file or shred papers, get an oil change for your vehicle, or replace a light bulb, schedule it on your calendar for later in the week. Then, honor that scheduled time.

3.Delegate. Stop being a lone ranger. Yes, your employees will not do things exactly the same way you would. Consider that they might do a better job … if you let them.

4.Do It for 20 minutes. Too often we have dreaded reports or other activities that must be done. Do it for 20 minutes. Then, decide if you wish to spend another 20 minutes or schedule it for later.

5.Excuses Be Gone. Too often, we create excuses about why we haven’t completed something. Stop doing this! This mental energy depletes you. Create a mantra: “I can do this and do it now.” Next, take the first step.

6.Stop Multitasking. Make a commitment to get one thing done at a time. There is satisfaction in fully completing something. While it may seem like multitasking allows you to get more things done, it rarely works that way. For example, attempting to write a report and listen to an employee at the same time only creates more stress … you will miss addressing important points in the report, and your employee will feel unimportant.

7.Walk It Out. Take 10 minutes, three times daily, to simply walk around, go up and down the stairs, or simply move! Remember to breathe!

8.Talk It Out. Turn your internal monologues into dialogues. Get them out of your head. Share your concerns with someone who can actually help you. It may be a good time to find a business coach who can help you stay focused and improve your effectiveness while decreasing your stress.

9.Write It Out. Studies have shown that when people write down their fears, upsets and frustrations, it can be cathartic. Writing helps get bad thoughts out of your head and provides insights. The key is to keep things private and not share your written journal with others. Do not send your upsets in an email or text to your boss, client, employee or co-worker (or post them on social media).

10.Meditate. Take time to simply empty your mind and be silent for several minutes. It can be refreshing. Sit comfortably. Focus on breathing in and out. When thoughts appear—and they will—say, “Noise.” Don’t make these thoughts good or bad. This may be the most effective and most difficult for highly stressed people.

11.Brag. When you learn how to brag, it is a huge confidence booster. Complete your Brag! statements. Keep these up to date and review them anytime stress doesn’t go away or you need a confidence boost.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been called a catalyst. She is celebrating 25 years as a business coach, advisor and consultant who guides her clients to achieve unprecedented results. Remember, stress can be reduced when it’s managed effectively. Are you ready to de-stress for success? Step up now! Check out her website, or contact Jeannette for a preliminary confidential conversation.

Has Your Team Lost Its Ability to be Effective?

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Culture 2Building effective teams to achieve results is important. It determines the quality of your products and services, employee satisfaction, and ability to meet and exceed customers’ expectations. However, as leaders, there are many times we fail to pay attention to team dynamics. Instead, we often wait around for someone else to do it. When a team loses its effectiveness, it’s important to quickly get the team back on track (think, right now).

7 Tips to Build an Effective Team

1.Training. When was the last time the team received training on how to conduct effective meetings? (I’m surprised by how many people have never been trained.) Many team leaders and team members are not well trained on how to lead and participate in meetings effectively. They’ve read a book or watched a video that focused on the material side of meetings (e.g., scheduling, seating, agendas, etc.), but rarely do books and videos address the human side of meetings. Bring in an outside facilitator to train everyone on conflict resolution, brainstorming, sharing ideas and appreciating each member’s contribution. It’s important to train everyone to be an effective team leader and team member.

2.True Goals. Were the goals created with the team? Even if you said yes to this question, chances are good that a senior person’s idea ends up as the goal. Or, sometimes the team latches onto the first good idea and runs with it. True goals are simple, quantifiable, achievable, agreed upon and provide a deadline for results. And, the team is aligned with the goals. The goal meets the company’s needs. Remember, if the team members don’t feel heard or valued during the goal creation process, they will stop participating.

3.Focused Action Plans. Has the team lost its focus or do they feel there are too many distractions? Many times, teams get caught up in the shiny object syndrome and fail to stay focused on the actions required to achieve this current goal. A good team leader will meet with the team frequently, as a group and individually. The team leader keeps everyone focused on the goal and helps uncover resources needed to move forward. While the scoreboard may factually show progress is being made, sole focus on meeting the goal will hide the fact that there are team members who are stuck and have checked out of the process. It’s important to keep everyone in focused action, one step at a time.

4.Communication. Are appropriate communication resources being used? Keeping everyone up to date with what each person has committed to do and showing the progress being made is key. It reminds each member that they are an integral part of the project’s success.

5.Manage the Team. Who is the team facilitator? While teams can be self-managing, usually there is a formally designated leader; otherwise, an informal one will emerge. It’s important to have someone in charge of facilitating the meeting, making sure resources and other needs are available, and coaching everyone involved to achieve the goal.

6.Delegation. Is someone being a lone ranger? Too often, poorly trained or highly controlling team leaders fail to delegate. Stop it! If you want to truly achieve unprecedented results, get everyone involved. If a team member is being a lone ranger, it’s critical to unravel this situation quickly before it goes on too long and the team leader loses the ability to correct the situation.

7.Celebrate. When was the last time everyone was acknowledged and appreciated? Celebrate the small steps, wins and other accomplishments of the group and individual team members. Don’t forget to share brags at each and every meeting.

Review each of these seven tips and make sure they are all implemented to improve the team’s effectiveness and their ability to achieve the intended results.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly has been called a catalyst. She is celebrating 25 years as a business coach, advisor and consultant who guides her clients to achieve unprecedented results. Remember, meetings can be effective, fun and rewarding! And, they require everyone to become a team facilitator. Are you ready?

10 Myths about Executive Coaching You Need to Know

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Key

Successful business owners, executives and leaders know that having an executive coach isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

While many business professionals believe the DIY approach works, it’s a myth! The DIY process will prolong the time it takes to achieve your goals, and in the process you’ll become tired, stressed and hit the proverbial wall.

Many DIYers quit, change their goal to reflect what progress they have made, or fall victim to the allure of some shiny object. At that point,  intended results have been sidelined, dreams diminished, and the vision for success forgotten.

Uncovering myths about executive coaching allows you to see why it’s a critical component to success. Having the right coach allows you to get real about your goals, keeps you focused and reawakens your commitment to succeed.

The Top Ten Myths about Executing Coaching:

1.I can do it myself. (Unfortunately, many DIYers think they can be their own coach. Listening to yourself is a fool’s game and rarely gets you promoted.)

2.A good coach needs a certification. (Certificate programs can be helpful and provide technical skills. However, an executive coach with experience, powerful listening skills and the ability to customized ideas to your unique situation is far more powerful. That kind of experience cannot be learned from a certification program.)

3.It’s too expensive. (Not necessarily. How much are your career, time, family and financial future worth?)

4.My company won’t pay for it, so it must not be important. (There comes a time when you have to value yourself, your career, and be willing to invest in both to ensure your success.)

5.Coaching is only for people who don’t have what it takes. (Coaching is for anyone and everyone wanting to take the next step up in their career. Having a confidential sounding board helps you become aware of your blind spots. And, everyone has them!)

6.If you work harder, you will be successful. (Working smarter, not harder, means doing things in a way that is effective and efficient. The right coach will help you work smarter.)

7.I’m doing fine and don’t need a coach to prepare me for the next step. (Great! Are you ready to handle the next issue or challenge with ease and effectiveness? If you say yes, ask your employees, boss, customers and vendors if they would truly agree.)

8.I have friends and family who provide me with lots of advice. (Yes, many people do. While they mean well, most friends and family members don’t have the courage to tell you what you really need to hear. As a result, you miss out on the critical factors required to make better decisions, build stronger teams and achieve intended results.)

9.I have too much work to do and cannot take on anything else. (If this describes you, coaching should be at the top of your list. Most coaching comes just in time, when you need it most and when it can provide the greatest impact.)

10.I’ve already hit the glass ceiling and no coach can change that. (Nonsense! Anyone can become a successful leader with the right coach navigating them to success. Additionally, success today is about more than just technical and financial skills. It requires being forward-thinking, team-oriented and goal-driven…all areas where an executive coach makes a big difference.)

When you uncover the myths holding you back, you will see that hiring an executive coach is the most critical component for your success. What are you waiting for?

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly  has been an executive coach, business advisor and management consultant for over 25 years. Do you need a confidential sounding board, someone that can help you navigate issues and challenges effectively? Are you ready to catapult yourself toward success? Contact Jeannette for a free confidential conversation.

How to Address Unconscious Biases When Managing Employees

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UnconsciousBiasMany of us believe we are not judgmental people. Yet we must make judgments every day about everything from what to wear to work and eat for lunch to who is the best person to handle a project. These often-subjective decisions normally reflect biases that we may not be aware of (pants vs. dresses, sandwiches vs. salads—and our favorite go-to employee vs. our less-favorite employees).

It starts with each of us. As a boss, it’s important to become aware of and responsible for our unconscious biases, especially as they pertain to race, age, gender and culture. If we are not aware of them, these biases will influence our interactions with employees, how we make our decisions and how we manage our teams.

As bosses, we most frequently run up against our unconscious biases while hiring, coaching, managing and training employees. Whether we agree we have them or not, these biases are usually evident to others, especially when we hire and manage based solely on our guts. They will also show up when we communicate in an insensitive manner or make decisions without factual data. They determine the company’s culture.

Biases always impact the company’s ability to hire the right person for the job, coach each employee to succeed, train each team member to develop skills, and manage everyone to meet the customers’ needs in an effective and non-discriminatory manner. Failure to be responsible for our biases impacts our ability to create positive and productive workplaces for everyone.

How to Create a Responsible Workplace Culture:

  • Provide communication and sensitivity training to boost awareness for everyone.
  • Conduct mandatory bias-awareness training for all employees, including how to handle perceived biases, and repeat this training quarterly.
  • Train bosses on techniques for coaching and managing all of their employees.
  • Review job evaluations and stats on promotions, hires and pay to determine biases.
  • Put together a strategic and tactical plan to correct inequities, and execute it.
  • Pay attention to the words you use when interacting with employees.
  • Stop trusting your gut when making hiring and promotion decisions–objective information will always improve these decisions.
  • Become aware of stereotypes and how your brain will trick you into thinking jokes, comments or innuendos based on race, age, gender and culture are funny.
  • Use qualified assessments to help you better hire, coach, manage and train your employees. These objective tools create awareness that each employee has unique skills, behaviors, interests and learning styles beyond your biased perception of who they are. Also, qualified assessments provide a foundation for employees to learn and appreciate each other in a positive manner.

If you want to build a positive and productive workplace culture, it’s critical to become aware of unconscious biases and be responsible for them.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2018

Jeannette Seibly  has been an executive coach, business advisor and management consultant for over 25 years. What coaching and guidance do you need to improve your managerial, executive and leadership styles? Are you ready to let go of what you’ve been doing to do something new? Contact Jeannette for a free confidential conversation.