Sales Manager | SeibCo, LLC

Negotiation Skills Are Required for Success

November 27, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“Do you want to expand your results? First, ensure win-win-win outcomes through good negotiation skills.” Jeannette Seibly

Being able to negotiate is not optional. It’s a required skill that most professionals never learn to use effectively.

Too often, people settle, assume, or avoid the conversation altogether, costing them opportunities, money, and relationships. True negotiation is not about winning at someone else’s expense. It’s about creating win-win-win outcomes where everyone benefits and the agreement builds trust, clarity, and long-term success. (Resource: Get Your Brag On! Chapter 14)

“If you want to win, you need to support them winning too.” Jeannette Seibly

Basic Preparation for Effective Negotiation

Rule #1 – Prep Work

Define clear goals and write them down.
Identify three “Must-Have” outcomes—rank, circle, and keep them visible.
Review your “brag” work and be aware of your metrics (e.g., results, wins, successes, accomplishments, and achievements).

Rule #2 – Research

Learn the other party’s goals, challenges, and objections by asking them using open ended questions.

Rule #3 – Be Ready to Walk Away

Know your bottom line and ensure ROI beyond just money.
Avoid clouding your judgment with emotional attachment to what they are offering. (Hint: It may sound good or amazing, but is it what you really really really want?)

Now, You’re Ready!

The Meeting

Be present and mindful.
Use agendas, take notes, and write down agreements immediately.
Let them talk first; listen actively.
Ask open-ended questions to uncover solutions and to clarify uncertainties.
Allow silence, don’t hedge, and address issues directly.
Seek common ground, restate agreements clearly. Write them down. (Remember, memories are faulty.)
Stay flexible, avoid adversarial tactics.
Review agreements at the end and don’t gloss over details.

Finalize Agreement

Document terms, responsibilities, and timelines. Send info asking them to include anything missing or needing clarification.
Include an escape clause in the event things don’t work out as agreed on.
Keep all notes organized for clarity and legal accuracy.

You can successfully negotiate everything you need and want. But it requires a win-win-win mindset!

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.

Are you struggling to negotiate your goals, or unclear how to begin? Let’s talk.

How to Hire Salespeople Who Actually Sell

November 24, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

Questions that must be answered:

Are they:

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

5 Smart Strategies to Improve Your Selection Process

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

Top Attributes of Successful Salespeople

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

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

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

***

Executive Summary: Hiring Salespeople Who Actually Sell

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

The Problem

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

5 Smart Strategies

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

Top Attributes of Successful Salespeople

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

Hiring salespeople is too costly to get wrong.

Stop relying on intuition—use proven tools and strategies.

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

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

Spotting Hidden Talent Easily

November 17, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“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)

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

Stop Sabotaging Your Work Relationships

November 10, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Develop Better Relationships

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 3, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

Beneath the urgency and hesitancy lies a deeper tension:

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is a Job Fit Assessment?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When managers hire with clarity, everything shifts:

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

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

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

How to Work with an Incompetent Boss

October 27, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Instead:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Document. Be proactive:

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

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

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

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

Want to Hire Job Loyalists? First, Evaluate the Costs and Benefits

October 20, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“To grow, a company’s leadership must embrace change and hiring job loyalists can create positive legacies.” Jeannette Seibly

Many GenXers and Millennials who have been job hoppers are now looking for an employer for “life.” As an employer and as a ‘job loyalist,’ it’s important to become aware of the costs and benefits of job longevity.

Many GenX and Millennial leaders who have spent their careers job hopping every 3 to 5 years are now seeking to find a home or in other words become a ‘job loyalist.’ A job loyalist is intending to stay, contribute, and construct a legacy with a purposeful role. This shift resembles a trend of job hugging; however, job huggers typically plan to pursue new opportunities once economic or external conditions improve.

Job loyalists aim to find one final employer where they can stay and retire—ideally for 10 to 20 years – from job hopping to job holding. Often, this decision is influenced by family needs, health considerations, or personal life pursuits.

Yet both employers and job loyalists frequently overlook a critical reality: those who crave new and exciting work often possess traits such as independence, unconventional thinking, and a need for new challenges – otherwise they become bored. Also, these same traits can mask leadership blind spots that undermine long-term success and the ability to stay with one employer for a long period of time without developing deeper leadership skills.

In today’s fast-paced environment, companies and leaders must balance experience with fresh perspectives, strategic risk-taking, and cultural adaptability to remain competitive. While job loyalist with deep industry knowledge can provide these insights, companies must ask: Can this job loyalist continue to grow without compromising innovation, agility, or strategic clarity?

Costs of Job Loyalists

Being aware of the following pitfalls can help avoid hiring a job loyalist looking for an interim safe place to land.

Risk Aversion and Complacency. Long tenure can foster comfort over courage. Leaders who once embraced bold change may now avoid disruptive innovation to protect their position.
Stagnation in Decision-Making. Without fresh perspectives, strategic choices may default to legacy thinking rather than future readiness. Leaders may prioritize being liked over being effective.
Reduced Agility. Lifelong roles can slow organizational pivoting. Reassigning or reimagining roles becomes difficult when longevity is the job loyalist’s goal. Top talent, your future leaders, will exit if this occurs.
Saboteur of Evolution. Job loyalists may resist cultural evolution, especially in areas like DEI, tech adoption, or emerging leadership styles. “We’ve always done it this way” becomes a silent saboteur.
Complacency on the Job. Remaining in the same company and similar roles may feel comforting to the job loyalist, but it can quietly erode the agility, innovation, digital literacy, and growth every company needs to thrive.
Former job hoppers—now aspiring job loyalists—once thrived on frequent raises, new titles, and fresh challenges. When promises made by new employers are forgotten, ego and lack of trust may prompt them to start job hopping again.

The Benefits of Keeping Job Loyalists and Future Leaders Engaged

Remember, use a strategic job fit selection system including qualified job fit tools to ensure the quality of hiring (including Boomerangs (rehires)), coaching, and managing.

Create Career Pathways and Career Ladders. Talent bottlenecks can be caused by job loyalists. Provide new career pathways and ladders to prevent career blocks for emerging talent and keep current leaders agile. For example: Rather than relying solely on the traditional career ladder, transition executives into board roles or company-affiliated foundations. This opens up new responsibilities and creates opportunities for rising leaders.

Update Current Workplace Culture. Ensure your workforce prioritizes purpose, flexibility, resilience, idea generation, and growth over permanence. Without this shift, attracting top talent becomes increasingly difficult.

Keep Skills Current. Long-tenured employees may avoid reskilling or adapting to changes in technology, human development, finance, and operations. Job loyalists often prioritize personal comfort over company-wide changes, leading to mismatches between role demands and stakeholder expectations. Make skill adaptation and accountability non-negotiable across the company.

Keep Succession Planning Current. Sudden exits can create leadership vacuums and operational disruption. Never assume someone will always remain in a role—or that the #2 person is ready.

One individual served as the #2 for over a decade. When promoted to #1 after his boss retired, he lacked decision-making and critical thinking experience at the enterprise level. He was fired six months later by the board of directors. As an independent consultant, his lack of tech and leadership skills led to closing his consulting business within a year.

Reframe From Keeping a Lifelong Job to Being a Lifelong Contributor. Instead of anchoring leaders to longevity, companies can:

Promote lifelong learning and legacy-building by requiring ongoing management development through symposiums or conferences (e.g., encourage leaders to share ideas and facilitate breakout workshops that activate strategic thinking and peer engagement).
Encourage role evolution through horizontal or vertical job expansion to meet new business demands (e.g., lead AI initiatives, spearhead wellness programs, drive goal completion, and transform employee development).
Design contribution pathways that honor experience without stifling innovation (e.g., mentoring, college and trade school presentations, onboarding support). Ensure the job loyalists have developed engaging and talent-attracting presentations by requiring public speaking training (this applies to all presenters).

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.

Why Expedient Hiring Can Backfire and How to Resolve It

October 13, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“When you hire too fast, you will miss important character factors that impact your company’s future.” Jeannette Seibly

A tech company’s president left after two years of poor results—the third person to exit in five years. The CEO stepped in temporarily, but soon demanded of his management team, “Get that new person hired immediately and have them start tomorrow.”

Instead of using a strategic job fit process, the CEO let a committee of the president’s former reports choose the candidate—without using validated assessments, multiple interviews, or stakeholder alignment. Several weeks later, they picked someone they liked. The CEO rubberstamped the hire to relieve his stress.

In their haste, they rehired a well-liked former president with the same leadership gaps: weak strategy, poor accountability, and a focus on being liked. The CEO’s stress would soon return—and ripple through employees and customers.

Sadly, when companies need to hire now, many find themselves relying on excuses for why their selection failed instead of implementing a valid hiring process. They ignore the fact that taking the time to hire the right person the first-time costs far less—in time, money, and morale—than repeating the cycle of hire, train, and replace.

By implementing and following a strategic job fit system, the hiring process becomes not only easier but far more effective.

Why Expedient Hiring Usually Backfires

Missing Soft Skills: Quick hires often focus on technical qualifications, overlooking traits like empathy, adaptability, and communication—qualities that shape team dynamics and customer interactions. Many job candidates are well versed in talking around a subject and don’t know how to talk straight.
Cultural Misalignment: Without thorough vetting, you risk onboarding someone who clashes with your company’s values or work style, which can erode morale and productivity.
Customer Experience: Employees who lack emotional intelligence or problem-solving skills may struggle to deliver the kind of service that builds loyalty.
Financial Impact: A bad hire can lead to turnover, retraining costs, and lost productivity—ultimately hurting your bottom line. Worse yet, customers often leave.

What Strategic Job Fit Hiring Looks Like

Structured Interviews: Go beyond resumes—use structured behavioral questions to uncover how candidates handle real-world challenges. Don’t be afraid to deep dive into their responses – asking three questions that ultimately reveal the truth (SEE “Hire Amazing Employees,” Chapter 12) (e.g., Tell me more about ….).
Job Fit Assessments: Most assessments do not meet legal and scientific requirements for selection use (e.g., hiring and promotions). Use those that assess fit with the job responsibilities and reflect the true whole person: core behavior, thinking style, and occupational interests.
Team Involvement: Let multiple team members weigh in to assess fit from different angles.

Don’t overlook issues noted by objective data:

Job fit concerns
Interest in key job responsibilities (e.g., low interest in financials when hiring for CFO, controller, financial planner, or accountant positions)
Issues when conducting due diligence
Unable (or unwilling) to answer, “Tell me about your most recent mistake and what you did to correct it?”

Patience Pays Off: Waiting for the right candidate feels like it will take too long, but it’s often more sustainable than fixing the fallout from a rushed decision. When you follow a well-designed strategic job fit system, you will find qualified candidates that don’t always make it through an “expedited process.”

Note that using a strategic job fit selection system does NOT lengthen the process. It uncovers those areas of concern before you hire them, which saves you a lot of money, time, and customers! The added bonus … you will keep your top talent too.

How to Leverage Job Hugging for Everyone’s Success

October 2, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“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, 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.

Being the Driver Is Required to Achieve Results

September 1, 2025 by Jeannette Seibly

“Navigating results from the driver’s seat is more effective than passively riding along.” Jeannette Seibly

We’re upset that change is happening too soon, too often, or not fast enough. The problem? External changes happen due to many factors beyond our control. However, team changes are determined by your ability to move from the passenger seat into the driver’s seat.

I’ve led many new projects or projects requiring new results (e.g., increasing attendance, financial revenues, etc.). Every time, there were many bumps along the way in the form of naysayers, economic challenges, and team conflict. But I learned how to stay in the driver’s seat, even though there were times I wanted to bail! Instead, I worked through my discomfort, relied on team counsel, and kept everyone on the same page. The accomplishment? We did it! We won! We celebrated!

A question I received from a reader was, “How do I put myself in the driver’s seat?” This is a great question that needs to be asked more often!

The answer: Being the driver requires a conscious decision and commitment regardless of the external changes and internal company changes – it sets you and your team up to win!

How Do You Avoid Being Pushed into the Passenger Seat?

Be Uncomfortable. The good news? You’re moving forward. The not-so-good news. You want to stop and feel comfortable again. Allow the doubt, fear, and upset to hang around. Don’t use it as an excuse to get off the road required to achieve your goal. When you give up the driver’s seat, you miss the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to win, succeed, and be a great leader! When you can work through the discomforts, you become resilient, proficient, and achieve unprecedented results.

How can you use these “uncomfortable” times to build a strong team and outcome?

There will be conflict – learn how to resolve it for win-win-win outcomes.
There will be miscommunication – learn how to listen and speak to create and build trust.
You may go over budget or exceed the timeline – learn how to manage money, time, and people.

Be Willing to Participate. Being an observer and swooping in when the team seems stuck is not participating. You need to get involved in the creation process, manage differing opinions, and guide your team through the ups and downs. Remember, once you’ve given up the driver’s seat, it’s difficult to get it back and steer towards the intended results!

Find Counsel. Ask for help. Don’t seek advice on social media. While AI may offer an interesting perspective, your answers will come from talking with one or two confidants. Hire an experienced executive coach – think of the person as AAA or GPS — who provides counsel by listening and guiding. Just because you’re in the driver’s seat doesn’t mean you won’t have vehicle or road issues to navigate.

Think as the Driver. How do you keep your passengers (team members) engaged and allow them to periodically drive?

Share your experiences of having worked through past challenges.
Speak with the result in mind and keep it brief and on point.
Be open to brainstorming new ideas when the current ones are not working, but beware of unnecessary detours.
Acknowledge initiatives and steps taken by team members, individually and as a group.
Be authentic, and know you don’t have all the answers!

Celebrate! Too many drivers fail to honor their team members individually and as a group. It’s called the “rules of the road.” Many are unwritten. Being aware is how you win! Remember that lessons can be learned when experiencing failures. Resilience is reinforced by telling the truth and making appropriate corrections on the map. Conduct a group debrief of what worked and what didn’t work? Celebrate achievements and lessons learned. Create brags! The process honors you as the driver and your team members, too!

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 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.