Optimize Human Performance

Do You Allow Self-Doubt to Sabotage Your Results?

by
“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.

© 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.

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.

Why Companies Fail to Hire Top Talent

by
“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.

©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.

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.

Developing Inner Leadership Skills Are Required to Achieve Amazing Results

by
“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.

What to “Listen For” During Job Interviews

by
“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?

by
“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.

Want to Improve Your Results? Improve Your Facilitation Skills

by
“Do you want people to listen, focus, and create great results? It starts with your facilitation skills.” Jeannette Seibly

Leaders who learn to effectively facilitate meetings and groups avoid dominating conversations and improve results. (Note: Oxford Languages define facilitate as: Lead or run (a meeting, discussion, etc.), ensuring that objectives are met and all participants’ opinions are heard.)

When facilitating, many bosses believe they must have all the answers. But they’re neither skilled nor comfortable listening to or generating others’ opinions. Their lack of facilitation skills, speaking skills, and ability to manage a room, virtually or onsite, gets in the way of results.

Become Aware of What No One Will Tell You

Why people won’t tell you the truth:

  • You lack awareness, emotional intelligence, and emotional integrity (See Quick Comparison* below)
  • You don’t feel comfortable telling you what you need to hear
  • Your blind spot is something they can’t quite identify—but they find it annoying
  • You become a “I’m right, you’re wrong” type of person when someone disagrees with you

*Quick Comparison: Emotional Intelligence vs. Emotional Integrity

  • Emotional Intelligence is your ability to recognize and manage emotions—yours and others’.
  • Emotional Integrity is your ability to express emotions honestly and act in alignment with your values.

Signs You Need to Pay Attention To:

  • You over-explain to the point no one is listening
  • You talk when you should be listening
  • You’re always focused on your opinion or point of view (What? You asked for my idea)
  • You’re late, lack preparation, and are disorganized
  • You’re ready to respond as soon as the other person stops talking (or even before), which means you were not listening!

How to Overcome These Limitations:

  • Get Real. Work with an experienced executive coach and use a job fit assessment that provides a leadership overview and recommendations. Objective data plus expert advice can fast-track your results.
  • Be Coachable. Listening and learning are essential when working with others. Many of you reading this may believe you’re a great speaker and facilitator, but consider your audience may disagree.
  • Watch Your Tone. Poorly managed emotions can diminish your results and possibly cost you your job. Develop emotional mastery to avoid triggers.
  • Learn to Listen. Listening to learn (not to comment) helps you master long-winded unfocused conversations and reframe input into something positive. You asked for their input, now honor it and thank them.
  • Include Everyone. Go round-robin (ask for each person’s thoughts, ideas, or opinion). Listen. Use time limits if needed.
  • Come Prepared. Arrive early. Send out agendas 24–48 hours ahead and follow them. Mute phones. Send minutes within 24–48 hours, including tasks to be completed.
  • State Your Point in 10 Words or Less. If you’re long-winded, you’re likely editing mid-sentence or unclear about your point. Get clear. Get focused. Be prepared by writing it down first.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

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.

Would you like a complimentary, Facilitation Self-Check & Meeting Prep Guide? Contact me.

Supporting Gen Z to be Effective Leaders

by
“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.

Spotting Hidden Talent Easily

by
“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.

Are You Open to Listening?

by
“Are you open to hearing what’s being said? If not, you’ll lose out on many new possibilities, opportunities, and solutions.” Jeannette Seibly

Most of you would say, “Of course.”

But earlier today, when a co-worker or employee needed to talk, you played Spider Solitaire or let your thoughts wander while they spoke. Then, when they asked a question, you replied, “Could you please repeat that? I wasn’t listening.” You do that more than once.

I remember coaching a young man whose company had asked me to support his leadership growth. During the call, I suspected he wasn’t listening. I asked what he was doing.

He twitched and said, “Listening.”

“No, what are you really doing?”

He gave a sheepish grin and admitted he was watching a newsfeed on his phone.

“You do remember the purpose of these calls is to prepare you for a promotion, correct?” He nodded.

“As a leader, you need to learn how to truly listen—especially when you don’t want to hear what someone is saying.”

He asked, “Why? If they’re boring or I’ve heard it before?”

I responded, “Because in your listening, you and others can hear something new … a solution … new opportunity … new possibility. It’s how you develop your leadership—and your people. Otherwise, your legacy might be, ‘He never listened.’”

Several years ago, I was walking in the one-mile parklike setting where I live. There are usually plenty of people out with their dogs. Sometimes, they’ll even talk with you!

I recognized a dog, so I stopped to pet her. I asked the woman, “How are you doing? How’s Sadie?” She’d adopted the dog just a month earlier.

She said, “I’m good. Sadie’s doing well, too.” I smiled. Then she added, “I had been visualizing this dog. Other opportunities fell through, but I kept visualizing. Now, here she is.”

Why was this important to me? My cat had just passed away. I wasn’t sure if I wanted another. But in that moment of being open and listening, I knew I did. Later, I started visualizing. Even cut out a picture. Within a short time, I adopted Remy from the local humane shelter.

It happened because I was open to listening.

What Do You Need to Do to Improve Your Openness to Listening?

  • Be Curious. You don’t know it all. You never will. When you bring curiosity to your listening, you learn, grow, and develop ideas or dreams.
  • Ask Questions. There are books filled with conversation starters. They’re helpful. When using these ideas, these prompts can also unlock deeper thoughts you’ve been mulling over. If you don’t have a book with question starters, use your curiosity and ask open-ended questions. This is much better than gossiping—or recycling the same old ideas.
  • Humble Up. Your ego will try to protect you by refusing to listen. When you hear new ideas, you might feel excited… then uncomfortable… then fearful. That’s a good sign. It means the ideas are nudging you forward. Acknowledge your feelings—and keep the ideas flowing. Then, take focused action on one of them! What opened up?

Here’s another way to look at it: Wouldn’t it be better if your legacy said, “He was a great boss because he really listened,” rather than, “I hated going to work each day because he never listened to anything I said.”

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

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.

Ready to elevate your openness to positively impact your next chapter? Let’s talk.

How to Leverage Job Hugging for Everyone’s Success

by
“When people see a future they believe in, they stay.” Jeannette Seibly

Turn “Job Hugging” into a Win-Win-Win for Employers, Employees, and Customers

The era of “job hopping” is giving way to a new trend: “job hugging.” In today’s uncertain job market, many employees are choosing stability over change—even if they’re unhappy in their current roles. This shift presents a unique opportunity for companies to boost performance and profitability by creating environments where employees want to stay for the right reasons. This will keep employees engaged, which leads to better service and customer retention.

Why Employees Are Job Hugging

Historically, job hopping was driven by promises of higher pay, better benefits, or more fulfilling roles with their new employers. But now, economic uncertainty, shrinking hybrid options, and shifting workplace norms (e.g., AI-driven changes) have made job hopping feel risky. So many employees are staying and job hugging — even though they are remaining in roles they dislike, feeling stuck, disengaged, or unsupported (CNBC).

How do employees and employers take advantage of the job hugging trend?

By embracing the “job hugging” trend with intention and strategy, companies can transform retention into a competitive advantage.

Build a Win-Win-Win Culture

✅ Job Fit

Getting the right person in the right role is non-negotiable. A mismatch—whether it’s the wrong person in the right job or vice versa—leads to miscommunication, poor performance, and organizational silos. Use objective data from validated job fit assessments that meet Department of Labor guidelines to ensure alignment between role requirements and employee strengths.

✅ Career Pathing

Create semi-formal career paths tailored to each employee. Use valid assessments to identify behavioral traits, thinking styles, and occupational interests. Clarify goals and avoid one-size-fits-all career tracks. For example, sales reps and customer service reps require fundamentally different skill sets—don’t treat them interchangeably.

Sarah, a customer service rep, once dreamed of climbing the corporate ladder but found herself trapped in the same role for years. When layoffs rattled the company, Sarah stayed—not because she loved her job, but because the uncertainty outside was scarier. Feeling invisible and undervalued, her engagement plummeted. Then, her manager introduced a tailored career path and a clear roadmap for growth aligned with Sarah’s strengths and passions. Within months, Sarah rekindled her enthusiasm, took on new challenges confidently, and became a mentor for others. This can be everyone’s story when job hugging is used to establish meaningful connections and growth in job skills.

✅ Career Ladders

Build structured career ladders that offer recognition, growth, and readiness. Avoid “quiet promotions” where responsibilities increase without title or pay. This usually leads to burnout and legal risk. Make promotions official, transparent, and well-documented.

Review your internal promotion practices today. Are you recognizing readiness and documenting growth clearly, or are silent shifts in job performance increasing burnout risk?

✅ Compensation

Job hoppers often see wage bumps of 10–20%, while internal promotions average just 3–4%. To retain top talent, rethink compensation strategies for loyal employees. Offer meaningful incentives that balance financial reward with long-term security—without compromising profitability and customer retention.

✅ Job Descriptions

Words matter—to employees and to regulatory agencies. Ensure job descriptions are inclusive, accurate, and aligned with current standards (EEO, ADA, DOL, etc.). Avoid vague or diminishing titles like “Junior Accountant” or gimmicky ones like “Dream Catcher.” Titles should reflect responsibility and respect.

✅ Training & Development

Investing in employee growth isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. (Repeat – it’s a necessity.) When employees feel valued and challenged, they develop new skills, stay longer, and perform better. Prioritize training in interpersonal communication, decision-making, and critical thinking—areas often overlooked but vital to long-term success.

✅ Leadership Development

It’s easy to blame bosses and leaders—and often, it’s justified. However, bosses and leaders must be held accountable (not blamed) for their emotional intelligence, decisions, and ability to develop others. A great boss won’t make an unhappy employee happy, but a poor boss can ruin a good employee. Equip managers with the tools to lead with clarity, empathy, and accountability.

Take the first step toward a win-win-win culture by scheduling a leadership development session focused on emotional intelligence and accountability within the next 60 days. Contact Jeannette @ https://SeibCo.com/contact/

By embracing the “job hugging” trend with intention and strategy, companies can transform retention into a competitive advantage. When employees feel aligned, supported, and valued, everyone wins—including the customer and your bottom line.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 33 years of hands-on experience. Her expertise helps leaders and bosses refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices to achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, all while guiding those ready to elevate their game to new heights.