Management | SeibCo, LLC

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

January 29, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But … let’s look internally.

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

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

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

What Can You Do?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resolve Lack of Communication Undermines Employees

January 26, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Communication gaps limit company growth, innovation, and employee job satisfaction.” Jeannette Seibly

Employees everywhere are navigating rapid change: new terminology, new protocols for working with others, and rising concerns about psychological safety. Yet many leaders still fall short in communicating expectations, giving practical instructions, and offering the direction employees need to perform well. Leaders unintentionally widen and quietly erode the very employee satisfaction they’re trying to build.

Overcome Lack of Communication to Improved Results

Leaders, the key is awareness! And, the willingness to ask the employee what they need. Yes, it may take more time initially. But saves you lots of time, money, and customers in the long run.

Answer the Request for Help. When employees ask for help, answer in a manner that supports them to achieve intended results. You may not know the answer yourself. In those cases, refer the employee to team members that may know, or a vendor that knows how the system operates.

When an employee asked his manager for instructions on how to proceed with a project, the boss replied, “Just do it. Ask as you go along.” The employee was confused; he had never done the work before and didn’t know where to begin. He simply needed written instructions, or at least verbal guidance. But the boss didn’t know the process either and expected others to compensate for his lack of clarity. The employee eventually created instructions for himself and others, but those instructions disappeared when he and other team members quit. Lack of communication caused a spike in turnover because no one had the direction they needed to succeed.

Learn How to Listen for …

When leaders fail to listen for how they can help employees excel, they unintentionally widen communication gaps. Many leaders don’t listen for, or genuinely invest in, their employees’ career development. They stay focused on getting the job done with as little stress or disruption to themselves as possible. The real key is to care. Provide career‑development opportunities and encourage employees to apply what they learn, because strong communication and genuine support are what support performance.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Never assume you, as the leader, have all the answers. Shutting down an employee who is having difficulty explaining what they want only creates more work in the long run. Take the time to ask open-ended questions, look for examples (e.g., pictures, graphs, or flowcharts) to ensure you are aligned, and remain open to others probing and asking questions too.

Never Assume Employees Should Know

When leaders assume employees should already know what resources and company benefits are available, they unintentionally widen communication gaps. Many employees don’t know what to ask for or even realize which benefits exist.

For example, when employee assistance programs (EAP) aren’t clearly communicated, people miss out on support at the very moment they may need it. Sharing information about free tax advice and other available resources builds trust, reduces stress, and strengthens a positive team culture.

All of this is achieved through full and clearer communication.

When employees can count on leaders to communicate clearly about expectations, opportunities, and the resources available to them, trust deepens and great results become the norm.

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.

If you and team not delivering the results you want, consider your lack of communication is the barrier. Contact me for a confidential conversation to identify the gaps and strengthen your impact as a leader.

Use Self-Doubt to Build Self Confidence

January 22, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 Ways to Use Self-Doubt to Build Confidence

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

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

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

Do You Allow Self-Doubt to Sabotage Your Results?

January 19, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“Self-doubt can be a saboteur and cause us to miss out on achieving intended results.” Jeannette Seibly

Self‑doubt is far more common among leaders than most people admit. It shows up when coaching team members, navigating project snafus, or learning new skills. The good news is that everyone experiences self‑doubt, including the most effective leaders.

The bad news is that self‑doubt often convinces leaders to stop doing the work needed to move forward, avoid needed conversations, or allow fear to take over the driver’s wheel. That’s precisely when self-doubt wins and you stop, which is the wrong move.

Self‑doubt may feel like a stop sign, but more often it’s a green light. It signals that you’re entering unfamiliar territory, a place where growth, innovation, and new results become possible. The real challenge is not the doubt itself, but the lack of clarity, skills, or perspective needed to move forward. That’s where mentors, coaches, and collaborators make all the difference.

Using Self-Doubt as Leverage

Take Time for Reflection: What Worked / What Didn’t Work

This simple exercise, grounded in objective data, reveals what needs attention: conversations, work assignments, your expectations, or structural changes to the project or how you leverage an opportunity. Without data, self‑doubt fills in the blanks with fear instead of facts.

Have the Tough Conversations

These conversations aren’t easy, but they don’t have to be painful. Preparation matters. Use your reflection data, stay open to feedback, and be willing to hear what you may have missed.

Plan to Listen for:

signals where you’re on the right track
where you went off-track
gaps in conversations or financial projections
team members doing the bare minimum
quiet changes that could derail the project

Ask Open‑Ended Questions

Listening is your competitive advantage. There may be unseen dynamics slowing progress: political, relational, or operational. A mentor, executive coach, or industry expert can help you interpret what you’re hearing. Always ask: “What would you do?”

Be Coachable

Admitting there’s a problem is uncomfortable. Hearing someone else point it out can be even harder. But coachability is a leadership multiplier. Stay more committed to results than to ego. If doubt persists, talk with one or two additional mentors (not five or ten) to uncover what’s really driving your hesitation.

A company owner frustrated with poor hiring results blamed candidates, recruiters, and the economy. The real issue? He wasn’t using valid, legal, and scientifically sound selection tools to understand a candidate’s thinking style, behavioral traits, and occupational interests. His biases were not objective data. But he used them to drive decisions. Retention dropped. Customers left.

To achieve true job fit (and keep customers), use objective, replicable data to transform hiring quality and your long‑term results.

Ask Yourself: “What Can I Learn?”

This is one of the most important questions. Self‑doubt always carries a message. Ask: “What is this teaching me?” Listen for the answer in silence, not in the noise of others’ opinions. Then turn insight into action by talking with your coach, taking a course (or teaching one), and having the conversation(s) you’ve been avoiding.

Overcoming self-doubt when faced with a challenge can be difficult. That’s why having an executive coach to guide you through the process is important. Contact me for a confidential conversation to discover where you are sabotaging your results.

Conversations That Create Solutions

January 15, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

Practical approaches to turning problems into progress:

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

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

Why Companies Fail to Hire Top Talent

January 12, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“If you don’t know what you are looking for, your hiring process will fail, costing you time, money, and sleepless nights.” Jeannette Seibly

If your job ad has been running for weeks, the problem isn’t the talent pool. It’s your hiring preparation, your lack of clarity, and your poor follow through.

We’ve all seen the posts: “We can’t find the right person.” Yet the same ads run week after week, sometimes month after month, while leaders insist they’ve reviewed hundreds of applicants with no success.

Let’s be honest: the problem isn’t the talent pool. The problem is the company, the hiring boss or leader, and/or lack of a clear selection system.

Top talent hasn’t disappeared. It’s being overlooked, filtered out, or scared away by hiring practices that haven’t evolved since 2020.

Why Does This Really Happen?

Lack of objective data. This is the #1 culprit. Too many leaders still trust their “gut” which is just bias wearing a nice suit.
Lack of clarity. Job descriptions are skimmed, recycled, or written by committee. If you can’t articulate what success really looks like, you can’t hire for it.
Combining jobs to save money. Wanting someone who is both detail obsessed and a big picture innovator? That’s not a unicorn. That’s a fantasy. And fantasies don’t reduce turnover.
Not involving the team. Instead of asking the people who actually depend on the right person being hire, leaders guess what the job requires.
Failure to onboard. If you can’t clearly explain expectations to a candidate and don’t have a 180‑Day Success Plan, you have wishful thinking.

Let’s Get Real in 2026

Follow a well-designed strategic job‑fit hiring plan. One client had over 100% turnover. They said, after implementing a structured hiring system and holding managers accountable, turnover dropped below ten percent. (SEE Chapter 2, Hire Amazing Employees for guidance to develop a practical system.)
Use qualified assessments. Valid, reliable honesty‑integrity and job‑fit assessments reveal who the candidate really is not who they pretend to be in an interview. (SEE Chapter 9, Hire Amazing Employees)
Use a structured interview format. Feelings and intuition derail good decisions. Ask every candidate the same job‑related questions and use the Rule of 3 to dig deeper. (SEE Chapters 4 and 10, Hire Amazing Employees for practical guides to get started. One employment attorney said the questions alone are worth the price of the book.)
Stop delaying decisions. Strong candidates won’t wait while you “think about it.” If they meet or exceed requirements, complete your due diligence and make the offer. (SEE Chapter 19, Hire Amazing Employees)
Onboard with intention. Culture, expectations, and weekly follow‑up matter. When top talent leaves, others follow. Onboarding is retention. (SEE Chapter 20, Hire Amazing Employees)

The Truth Leaders Need to Hear

Companies don’t have a talent shortage—they have a clarity shortage.
If you’re still hiring the way you did five years ago, you’re already behind.
Top talent isn’t rejecting you because they’re picky. They’re rejecting you because they can tell you’re not ready for them.
Hiring is not a scavenger hunt. It’s a strategic discipline.
If your hiring process depends on luck, you’re not hiring, you’re gambling.

If you want to win the talent game in 2026, stop treating hiring as a side job. Top performers can instantly tell whether a company is prepared or improvising. The companies that rise will be the ones willing to do the unglamorous work of preparation and follow‑through. Good hiring isn’t luck.

Need help discerning what is working and not working in your hiring plan? Contact me for a confidential conversation to ensure you’re ready to hire top talent.

Your Inner Leadership Skills Determine the Quality of Your Results

January 8, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Developing Inner Leadership Skills Are Required to Achieve Amazing Results

January 5, 2026 by Jeannette Seibly

“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.

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?

December 23, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“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, 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.

How Do You Listen Effectively?

December 18, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

However, too often we listen through our own filters:

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

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

Why Listening Matters for Your Legacy

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

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

Other Considerations for Listening in Everyday Life

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

Listening Beyond Words

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

Practical Listening Habits to Build Your Legacy

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

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

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

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