Sales Manager

Leaders, Want to Excel Fast? Be Coachable!

by

Coachability is critical in any position, especially for those in leadership!

Yet, many leaders will say they’re coachable. But when someone offers feedback, an opinion, or observation, the feedback (and person offering it) is often shut down.

  • “I’m not interested.”
  • “I didn’t ask for your input.”
  • “Nobody else said that.”

For leaders, this is dangerous. When you’re not coachable, performance stalls, teams disengage, and results suffer.

What Are You Afraid of Hearing?

These fears show up in everyday leadership behaviors, often without leaders realizing it.

You fear:

  • Being seen as incompetent. You avoid feedback, over-control decisions, and shut down conversations that might expose gaps.
  • Being an imposter. You rely on bravado, hesitate to collaborate, or over‑prepare to avoid being “found out.”
  • Looking imperfect. You hide mistakes, blame others, and resist learning new approaches.
  • Others’ opinions about you. You delay decisions, avoid tough conversations, and sidestep accountability.
  • Hearing the truth and being offended. You react defensively, shutting down honest dialogue and discouraging team input.

How This Impedes Your Success

  • Blind spots. When you reject feedback, blind spots become performance barriers that derail results.
  • Poor job fit. Misaligned leaders create chaos and turnover, while stalling initiatives.
  • Everyone makes mistakes and experiences failures. Uncoachable leaders repeat errors and blame others.
  • Resilience, flexibility, initiative are ignored. These traits collapse when leaders resist input and cling to outdated approaches.

Many times, leaders who are not coachable know they are not a good fit with the job duties, or lack the skills required and are afraid to say, “I need help!”

One man was upset he wasn’t considered for a manager position. His personality made it difficult for others to work with him. Instead of asking how to improve, he stated, “I should have had that job.” When someone offered advice, he’d shut them down by saying, “I’ve already done that.”

His lack of coachability didn’t just cost him the promotion, it damaged trust, reinforced his blind spots, and confirmed he wasn’t ready to lead others.

Everyone Makes Mistakes. Are You Able to Handle Yours?

This is the real test of leadership. Coachable leaders own mistakes and failures. They learn quickly, and move forward. Uncoachable leaders defend, deny, or deflect — and their teams notice.

Seven Ways to Fast‑Track Your Leadership Success

1.Job Fit. Learn about your blind spots by taking a PXT Select® assessment. It provides objective data and insights into who you are and why you do what you do.

  • Do you talk a lot and fail to listen? Highly Sociable leaders struggle with that.
  • Do you insist your way is the only right way? Highly Assertive leaders often do.
  • Are you often in a hurry and lack patience? Highly Energetic leaders exhibit impatience.

Can you imagine working with someone with all three traits? Any or all of these can be difficult for many team members.

Remember, your personality traits normally don’t change; but being coachable helps you use these traits effectively and to your advantage.

  1. Get Your Brag On. Most leaders have never taken an inventory of their accomplishments, results, and impacts. This exercise builds confidence, strengthens decision‑making, and helps you communicate your value. Keep it updated and review, especially on tough days.
  2. Hire a Coach and Choose a Mentor. Hire an external executive coach who is a vault (someone who doesn’t talk about you to others). Select one or two industry/company mentors. Meet regularly and follow through on their advice.

Years ago, as a new entrepreneur, I remember working with a mentor who was also a business owner. She was great. When she recommended certain approaches or processes, I followed them and excelled. When I asked why she gave me the time she did, she said, “Because you are coachable and follow-through. Most do not; thinking they already know it all. It’s why they’ve failed.”

  1. Take Workshops and Participate. Stop thinking you already know it all or are waiting to figure it all out on your own. Face‑to‑face (in person or on screen) learning builds diplomacy, candor, and executive presence. Leaders who fail to participate don’t avoid looking bad, they create it.
  2. Listen to Videos and Podcasts. Many are well‑done and provide insights into leadership, communication, and accountability. Use them to expand your thinking and stay current. Again, use these new skills and work with your coach to ensure you’re using them effectively.
  3. Listen. Silence. Presence. These three often overlooked communication traits, elevate your leadership and effectiveness. A strong coach will help you master them, especially when you forget to use them.
  4. Project Management. This is where many leaders fail. You may have great ideas but poor follow‑through. Or you may excel at details but struggle with alternatives and moving the project forward (aka perfection, which is a myth). Execution requires alignment and keeping the team in action every step of the way.

Final Leadership Takeaway

If you want to fast‑track your leadership success, address these seven points by getting into focused action. Mastery takes time and coachability accelerates everything.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 34 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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

When You Make Hiring Mistakes, It’s Very Costly!

by

Can you relate to one or more of these stories?

  • A CEO knew within six months he’d hired the wrong person. Instead of addressing the issue, he built systems to work around the person’s poor job fit. Customers and top talent left.
  • A company rehired three previous employees who had left. Two of them were fired after a couple of months. The other is currently blaming customer service staff for loss of customers.
  • A company’s VP and CEO had been talking with a job candidate for six months. When they learned he was not a good fit for the manager job, they hired him anyway since they had already invested so much time. He was fired 60 days later.
  • A company thought it was ahead of the industry curve by relying on AI for hiring advice. The problem? AI cannot deep dive into concerns, and is not defensible in a court of law.

Every company likes to think they are doing the best they can. Their leaders tell themselves they’re doing everything right: interview questions, assessments, due diligence, and hiring teams. So why does it still go so very wrong?

Weak Selection Practices Let Candidates Control the Narrative

Interviewing Fails to Uncover the Truth

People are poor lie detectors. To determine who to interview, we rely on resumes (over 90% contain inaccuracies and are written by AI). Then, to make matters worse, we fail to ask job-related questions and probe for specifics. Many interviewers rely on intuition, body language, and other subjective methods that are influenced by bias and provide no defensible hiring data.

Candidates know this. They rehearse polished answers, mirror the interviewer’s values, and present stories that sound impressive but reveal little about actual performance. Without probing for specific actions, decisions, and results, interviewers miss exaggerations and false claims about accomplishments, leadership responsibilities, and contributions.

Inappropriate Assessments Fail to Verify Job Fit and Capability

Many companies rely on assessments that lack the validity and reliability required for selection decisions (hiring, job promotions, and job transitions). As a result, candidates can easily present themselves as more capable than they actually are.

Many candidates exaggerate technical expertise, leadership skills, or job-related experience. Others answer assessments based on what they believe the employer wants to hear. Without using validated and reliable assessments, job simulations, and skill verification, employers have no objective way to distinguish genuine capability from self-promotion.

Incomplete Due Diligence Fails to Confirm the Facts

Candidate dishonesty is one of the biggest reasons organizations hire the wrong people. Yet many employers fail to verify employment history, credentials, certifications, references, and reported accomplishments.

Candidates exploit these gaps. Some fabricate employers, degrees, certifications, or job titles. Others inflate accomplishments, conceal failures, and disguise job-hopping by rewriting their work history. Some simply overestimate their abilities and focus on getting the offer rather than determining whether the role is the right fit. When hiring managers become excited about a candidate and skip proper verification, misrepresentations often remain hidden until after the hiring decision has been made.

How Do These Hiring Mistakes Impact You as a business leader, entrepreneur, and boss?

  • Leaders feel duped. Bad hires create simmering resentment because leaders feel duped, misled, or forced to clean up messes they didn’t create. This upset and frustration often leaks into conversations, decisions, and team dynamics.
  • Employees no longer feel safe. They worry mistakes will be blamed on them or that leadership won’t protect them (psychological safety) when they feel uncomfortable with new team members failing to learn the company’s systems and practices.
  • Frustration and sleepless nights. Leaders lie awake replaying interviews, questioning their judgment, and worrying about how to fix the fallout. They fear letting the person go, especially if the person is well-liked but incompetent.
  • Loss of customers. Poor job fit shows up fast: missed deadlines, sloppy work, bad interactions, and broken promises. The new employee blames the company systems and products for customers leaving. But customers don’t care why it happened … they simply leave.
  • Broken systems and slow processes. When someone can’t do the job, everyone else compensates. Workarounds multiply. Processes slow down. Systems stop working as designed. Silos and factions get created and customers leave.
  • Loss of revenues, results, and retention. All bad hires drain money: rework, turnover, mediocrity, customer churn, stalled projects, and missed opportunities. Top talent leaves because they’re tired of carrying the load … and the blame.

How many times have you hired “the best person,” only to realize, shortly after they start the job, that you made another mistake?

Let’s Get Real

I’ve been saying this for more than 34 years: most companies are still hiring people who do not fit the job duties. This is due to the company’s poor hiring practices! It’s expensive to the company and demoralizing to great employees who are tired of carrying the load to cover up the mistakes.

How Do You Transform hiring, job promotion, and job transitioning practices into great selection decisions?

Create a structured strategic selection process. Hiring isn’t easy or fun. Work with an experienced talent advisor who has actually hired and fired people, and understands the cost of mistakes. Create a system and follow it! Once it starts working DON’T STOP!  A VP had great results making a new hire under the new hiring process; but quickly reverted back to her old ways (subjective hiring) with bad results, citing the new system took too much time. It hadn’t occurred to her that working with a bad employee actually cost significantly more time, money, customers, and good employees.

Conduct annual training for hiring bosses. Especially for leaders who hire infrequently or rely on social media “tips and tricks.” (“Hire Amazing Employees: How to Increase Retention, Revenues and Results!”) Now, hold all hiring bosses accountable for their hiring results.

Create job‑focused interview questions. Skip the cutesy questions which are indefensible (e.g., “Tell me about your favorite book or movie.” “What is your favorite animal or color.”) Use questions that uncover real job fit. Don’t be afraid to deep-dive into their responses to ascertain the level of skills they have for the job. (Hire Amazing Employees: How to Increase Retention, Revenues and Results! As one employment attorney said: “The cost of this book is worth the interview and reference checking questions!”)

Use qualified job‑fit and honesty/integrity assessments. Over 95% of assessments do not comply with Department of Labor guidelines for pre‑employment, job promotion, and job transitioning use. (Hire Amazing Employees, Ch. 9) Get real and use the right tool for incredible results!

Conduct real due diligence. Background checks, employment and education verifications, honesty/integrity assessments, and reference checks matter … especially now with so many people seeking jobs and using AI. (Hire Amazing Employees, Part 3, Ch. 16–17)

Job offer letters with due dates. If someone needs more than a couple of days to decide, move on. “I want to think about it” usually means they’re waiting for a counteroffer and those never work out well for the current and future employers. (Hire Amazing Employees, Ch. 18–19)

Onboard with intention. Most companies do this poorly; I’m not surprised when new top talent leaves. Create a 180‑Day Success Plan and follow it with all new hires, job promotions, and job transitions. (Hire Amazing Employees, Ch. 6 & 20)

Hiring, job promotions, and job transitions may sound easy. But getting the right person in the right job is not! As you move through Q4 and into 2027, commit to improving your selection process using real tools and best practices. It directly impacts your profitability and your credibility. Now, hold the hiring bosses accountable for their hiring results!

© Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 34 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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

Leaders, Are You Using Leadership Double-Talk?

by

A major communication challenge many leaders face is relying on leadership double‑talk instead of speaking with strategic candor and tact with a backbone.

When leaders default to politeness to avoid accountability, their courtesy becomes a liability … and people stop listening. The line between diplomacy and double‑talk is razor thin, and when leaders use civility (surface‑level courtesy) to sidestep responsibility for what they say and do, trust and respect erode quickly.

Lack of awareness costs:

  • Revenues, retention, and results
  • Customers
  • Personal and professional reputation
  • Credibility
  • Trust (words and actions don’t match)

Teams and customers don’t want “nicer” leaders; they want leaders who use tact and diplomacy to tell the truth and avoid duplicity. People quickly lose trust when leaders say the right thing but choose to do what’s convenient for them.

Develop Diplomacy While Telling the Truth

Civility is a double‑edged sword in leadership. While it reduces friction and supports collaboration, it can also make leaders appear duplicitous. Teams and customers quickly sense gaps between words and actions. It’s essential to say what you mean and mean what you say.

Work with your executive coach and AI to develop a brief outline. Then practice in front of the mirror until the person looking back at you “can own what you’re saying.”

Have intentional conversations. Come prepared. Use diplomacy with honest intent and tact. Avoid polite language designed to avoid, misdirect, or self‑protect, especially during tough conversations or negotiations. These are moments when your words carry a lot of weight.

Say What Needs to Be Said

When surface politeness replaces direct communication, you’re in trouble. Your team and customers have stopped listening. Your credibility requires tact with a backbone … substance in what you say, belief in what you say, and actions that support it. Example, saying we value hiring the right people, but using assessments that don’t qualify for pre‑employment use.

Hold Yourself Accountable

Don’t hedge. Talk straight. Expecting others to take the blame for not understanding you creates frustration and confusion.

  • If you say you’ll do X, do it.
  • If you have a policy, follow it.
  • Don’t blame others when you’ve forgotten or decided you don’t want to follow through.

Preparation is important:

  • Use a quick outline for what you wish to say.
  • Review company policies and note what is required.
  • Take notes during meetings on ideas offered by others.
  • Write down what you promised to deliver.

Put Your Team’s Interests Above Your Own Comfort

Too often, leaders claim, “I didn’t feel like it,” or “I didn’t hear it that way.” Yet that moment can come back to haunt you for years. Gaslighting is another way leaders avoid accountability.

Example: When the president of a company asked the only female director a question, he then looked at the men for the answer. When she shared this with her boss, he told her she was overreacting instead of talking it through with her and creating effective ways to handle these types of situations in the future.

In Summary, Diplomatic Leadership with a Backbone Looks Like:

  • Direct communication delivered respectfully
  • Clear expectations paired with consistent follow‑through
  • Timely accountability conversations
  • Alignment between message, behavior, and decisions
  • Saying what you mean with no coded language, jargon, or vague niceties
  • Addressing issues early instead of talking around them
  • Checking alignment between words and actions by asking what the other person heard
  • Inviting honest dialogue and model it
  • Holding yourself accountable first

Tact with a backbone is when your diplomacy strengthens your leadership. You earn trust by being both respectful and direct. You become someone people can rely on to do what you say.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 34 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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

How Do You Bridge Communication Gaps and Create Positive Results?

by

Leaders often wait for a miracle to get the team on the same page. Yet, unfortunately, it rarely happens without the directed effort of the leader.

In an article, Are Your Relationships Working? I mentioned “Bridge Communication Gaps” as one of the essential tips for building good and effective working relationships.

Yet, many leaders are perplexed about how to do this in today’s workplace due to diversity, remote work options, and differences of opinion.

5 Essential Ways to Bridge Communication Gaps between Teams and Results

Appreciate Differences … Where Do I Start? You start by using a qualified job fit assessment that provides objective information (not the type of assessment that shows how people want to be seen). For many years, I’ve used the granddaddy of objective job-fit assessment products: PXT Select.

Example: When team members (and business partners, boss/employee) are in conflict, I use it to provide an objective review of what’s working and where the communication problems exist. Everyone thinks they know the answers. But 99% of the time, there are surprises. This process and the knowledge you gain can build comradery and resolve misperceptions.   

Get Everyone on the Same Page. Share the goal, budget, and deadline with the team and allow them to contribute their ideas, thoughts, and opinions. Yes, this often requires training for you and the team on developing and using the skills necessary to communicate, create strategies, and execute results.

Include Everyone’s Ideas. It doesn’t mean all of their ideas are viable and will be used. But when everyone’s ideas are heard and acknowledged, they feel respected and valued. This closes many communication gaps while building positive working relationships.

Brainstorm for Solutions. The same mindset that created the problem will not solve the issue. It requires listening outside the norm and allowing new, off-the-wall ideas to take hold. It will require setting aside egos and judging what is or is not a good idea. Encourage everyone to construct the solution by asking questions for clarification.

Celebrate the Wins and Learn from the Failures. This is critical and often overlooked. Complete an exercise of What Worked? / What Didn’t Work? for each and every project. (For details, Get Your Brag On!, Chapter 20.) This  type of objective review is also a great way to get unstuck in a project, acknowledge the team, and fully appreciate their efforts.

©Jeannette Seibly 2023 -2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Leadership Results Coach, Talent Advisor, and Business Author with 34 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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

 

Oops! I Made a Mistake. Now, How Do I Resolve It?

by

Normally when bosses and leaders make mistakes, they blame others, have thoughts of retribution, or hide out. The problem? They fail to take responsibility and hold themselves accountable for fixing it.

When leaders fail to admit or own their mistakes, they often attempt to hide the mistake or talk over it. This ripple effect impacts the team, customers, and bottom line. Trust has been eroded and is usually difficult to regain.

Tips to Resolving Mistakes

Complete What Worked? / What Didn’t Work? This simple exercise will objectively clarify what happened when you use specific numbers and/or other metrics. When you complete the exercise, you will see what needs to be done to move forward. (See the full exercise, Get Your Brag On!)

Talk with Your Boss. Be in communication! The worst thing is having the boss learn about your mistake from others. Use the exercise above to clarify. Ask him/her for input and any other insights without being defensive.

Hire an Executive Coach. Many times, guilt or other emotions can get in the way of doing what’s best for the team, company, and client. Hiring an executive coach allows for confidential conversations. These sessions can guide you through the best way to resolve it. It also supports your self-esteem and self-worth after having made a mistake or experienced a failure, especially if others have warned you ahead of time.

Apologize. Apologizing is the hardest skill for most bosses and leaders to learn! We either ignore the need to do it, or overdo it! A simple “I’m sorry” works, whether it is to an individual or the team. Use the word “I” and don’t repeat yourself more than once!

Listen to the Feedback. Hearing what happened from others’ perspectives is important. It rebuilds trust if you’ve done the work required to correct the mistake. Remember, owning the mistake is important, and not allowing others to place the blame on the company, client, or economy … or each other! (It’s a short-lived feel good. But long-term, doesn’t resolve the mistake or failure.)

Listen for the Unsaid. Practice listening for the unsaid from your team members, customers, or boss … they may not realize they have the solution! Be careful because your ego may get in the way of your ability to truly listen.

Create a Recovery Plan. After acknowledging the mistake, outline the steps to resolve it. Identify the root cause, clarify responsibilities, set timelines, and follow up. This reinforces accountability and demonstrates leadership maturity. Always listen for feedback to avoid repeating the mistake or causing a different one!

©Jeannette Seibly 2024-2026 All Rights Reserved

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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

How to Hear What is Not Being Spoken

by

Every leader has had to learn how to listen beyond the words being said. And with so many team members working from home today, it’s more important than ever to listen more closely.

Being able to develop the skill of hearing or sensing what is not being said or spoken is important for current and future leaders. As leaders, it’s important to have intentional conversations, listen with attention, and ask open‑ended questions to dive deeper. Developing these skills will fine-tune your ability to hear the unsaid.

Virtual meetings provide an opportunity to hide out. It’s harder to recognize and pick up on the 80 percent of non-verbal communication cues. And when you miss what’s unsaid, you risk missing deadlines, making wrong assumptions, and encountering costly rework.

Question: Have you ever talked with someone and you (and they) believed you were both on the same page? However, two weeks later you find out you were both not on the same page. That’s the gap between what was said and what was actually heard. And why it’s critical to for you to tune-up your listening!

  • Some people tell you what they think you want to hear.
  • Different people learn differently: without appropriate auditory or visual cues, they lose part of the conversation.
  • You’re using jargon or words that are not readily understood.
  • You’re rephrasing words they used instead of using the same words they used (e.g., calling someone upset when they believe they are only frustrated – different words have different meanings to people).

7 Tips to Hear What Is Not Being Said

  1. Yes. Especially if what they say has triggered you.
  2. Set aside any distractions. Listening is an art … and doing it well is a requirement for all leaders. Multi-tasking as a productive way to manage your time is a myth.
  3. Quiet the mind. Set aside any internal mental chatter and emotional reactions — that literally creates a blank slate. Otherwise, all your biases, judgments, and other POVs will get in the way.
  4. Ask open-ended questions without sounding like an interrogator when something doesn’t add up or sound right. (Remember, you could be wrong.)
  5. Pay attention to your internal antenna. For me, when my imaginary antenna starts waving, I trust it. I wait, and if the antenna is still waving, I asked open-ended questions. This allows me to “hear” or get to the true core issue or solution.

For example:

  • “Interesting. You said XYZ, now you’re saying ABC. What is the difference?”
  • At first, they will deny the discrepancy.
  • Keep your tone even‑keeled. “Interesting, I’m not clear how that works—what can you show me to help explain this?” (Diagrams and pictures can make a positive difference.)
  1. Ask them to repeat back what they heard you say and how they will proceed. Some people are great at repeating what was said without comprehending what it means. This requires patience since they are not used to sharing what they heard.
  2. Practice daily. Spend one minute after each conversation asking yourself: What did I hear? What didn’t I hear? What felt off? This simple reflection builds your “hearing the unsaid” muscle quicker.

Remember, you are not a mind‑reader … although you may like to think you are. When you are able to hear what is not being expressed, and needs to be said, it can make a huge difference in achieving the required results.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

How to Improve an Underperforming Remote Team Member

by

Remote work has expanded flexibility and reduced costs. But it has also exposed personal and professional challenges leaders must address when a remote team member is underperforming. When the employee’s performance declines, the issue must be addressed quickly, clearly, and professionally—while recognizing that there may be outside influences and other obstacles contributing to the problem.

It can be difficult if you’re a leader who relies on “seeing” issues, instead of “hearing what is not said.”  Or, you fail to manage by a work plan with defined goals. Many underperforming employees may not see the impact that their home work environment has on their productivity.

Remember, performance issues don’t resolve themselves. They compound. And they impact customers, team members, and business outcomes. Entrepreneurial leaders bring courage, clarity, and accountability to the conversation.

Why Remote Employees Can Underperform

  • Unclear Expectations. The employee may not fully understand deliverables, timelines, or quality standards. Leaders often assume clarity when none exists.
  • Home Environment Disruptions. Noise, unsafe surroundings, intrusive neighbors, unstable internet, or lack of a dedicated workspace can derail productivity.
  • Caregiver Responsibilities. Elder care, child care, medical appointments, or emergencies can interfere with schedules and concentration.
  • Poor Job Fit. The employee may not have the skills, temperament, or interest required for remote work, even if they were previously successful onsite.
  • Lack of Accountability. Without structure, deadlines, or regular check‑ins, some employees drift or prioritize personal issues over work.
  • Emotional Stress or Overwhelm. Personal crises, burnout, or chronic stress reduce motivation and follow‑through.
  • Avoidance or Fear. Employees may avoid tasks they find difficult or fear making mistakes, leading to delays and incomplete work. They fail to ask for help.
  • Poor Integrity. The employee may engage in activities that are not conducive to being a good neighbor (e.g., excessive vaping or smoking while working, participation in illegal activities). These reduce the employee’s attention to detail and availability to talk with customers.

These factors cannot be ignored or left unmanaged.

The Leadership Balancing Act

Entrepreneurial leaders must balance accountability with empathy. The goal is a win‑win‑win: for the employee, the team, and the business.

  • Have intentional conversations
  • Be a committed listener (hearing the unsaid)
  • Provide feedback and coaching
  • Clarify expectations without assumptions
  • Avoid rescuing or enabling
  • Focus on performance outcomes, not personality
  • Reinforce that remote work is still work and deliverables matter
  • Expect integrity and adherence to policies while on the company clock

Conducting an Intentional and Productive Conversation

A strong conversation is direct, supportive, and grounded in facts and is not based on assumptions.

  • Clarify Expectations — timelines, deliverables, communication standards
  • Identify Barriers — ask direct, professional questions about what’s getting in the way of their performance. Listen. Ask open-ended questions.
  • Document Agreements — written follow‑ups, timelines, and commitments must be followed-through for effectiveness

Be supportive but firm in expectations. While some flexibility may be required (e.g., work hours), there are times being flexible will not provide the change required (e.g., poor job fit).

These conversations set the foundation for accountability. But their effectiveness depends on you, the leader, to follow-up and follow-through on a consistent basis and hold the employee accountable for their results.

Create a Realistic Action Plan

Entrepreneurial leaders help employees succeed, but do not lower standards.

  • Adjust workload temporarily if appropriate
  • Set short‑term checkpoints
  • Encourage boundaries at home or hiring help (e.g., a caregiver)
  • Understand the company policies and benefit packages to assist employee in finding resources
  • Have employee talk with HR about external community support groups that are available

The plan must be measurable, time‑bound, and documented.

When Performance Still Doesn’t Improve

If the employee continues to struggle:

  • Revisit expectations and commitments
  • Determine whether the role is a good job fit for the employee to succeed
  • Consider schedule, responsibilities, or environment changes
  • Protect team performance, customer commitments, and business outcomes
  • Talk with HR and legal counsel to determine what you next steps are

Entrepreneurial leaders act decisively. Delaying action only increases risk.

Leadership Requires Courage and Clarity

Remote work doesn’t eliminate leadership responsibilities. It intensifies them. Leaders who address issues early prevent bigger problems later. Supporting employees while holding them accountable builds trust, results, and long‑term success.

Entrepreneurial leadership is about workability and creating conditions where people can succeed and where the business can thrive while their team members work remotely.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

We All Think We Have the Time to Do It Later

by

After reading several tributes to Dolly Parton, it reminded me that I too don’t have time to continue thinking about it, hoping for it, or wishing life wasn’t the way it is. And many of you readers have the same challenge. You believe since you’ve hit or surpassed age 55 it’s downhill. Time to coast. Too tired to do anything or create anything new.

Nonsense! Let’s look at what can be done.

We all participate in the illusion of time, a myth of unlimited tomorrows. But the truth is we all have the same 24/7. Some people make the most of this time, while many others bide their time waiting for a different day, month, or year (maybe a decade). Time is not elastic; it’s the one resource that only shrinks as we get older. And opportunities have a tendency to evaporate if we’re taking too much time to “think about it.”

Today is the only day you can act. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is a guess.

There is a quiet wake‑up call that arrives after age 55: awareness that time we have left is not infinite. We start to think that time is our enemy, but, in reality, our assumptions about growing older is the true enemy.

Why “I’ll do it time later” Is the Most Dangerous Phrase for You

  • Later feels responsible, but it’s actually avoiding the steps needed to move forward.
  • Later is how days, months, and years disappear without meaningful change.
  • Later creates regrets.
  • Later allows us to remain stuck in habits, mindsets, and relying on emotional barometers.
  • Later fails to prioritize self.
  • Later lacks urgency.
  • Later often means hanging on to past mistakes and failures.

Time to Pivot: Choose Legacy, Not Survival

“What do you really, really, really want?” is rarely asked for many reasons. Because we’ve never asked this question, we don’t have the answer. And, often use that as an excuse for staying stuck.

The #1 excuse is the fear of failure.

You’re allowed to want more at ages 55, 65, 75, and beyond. Wanting isn’t selfish. It’s being honest. But waiting until the perfect moment has you sabotage yourself.

How to Move Forward

What Matters? Get focused on what truly matters and set aside “busy-ness.”  Do not analyze or wait in an attempt to feel the feelings. What is your commitment? Getting an oil change won’t be a feel-good action for most people, but it shows a commitment to a car that works.

Finish What’s Unfinished. Write down anything that is unfinished, instead of allowing unfinished projects or people to drain your energy and confidence. Now, give yourself permission to cross off those things you know you will not do (get real – will never do)! Be honest. Remember, time isn’t going to wait for it to “feel right.”  

Review current list and take one step daily (e.g., change a light bulb, clean cat box, talk with a neighbor about parking, make the phone call, schedule a doctor or dentist appointment).

Find Support. Be sure the person is committed to your success. Get in action and don’t wait for them to say yes or find the time! Move on to another person.

The Turning Point Question: “If Not Now, When?”

To get you moving in the right direction, journal the above question with direct responses. Don’t hide. Directness disrupts complacency. This allows you to reframe your legacy/dream/goal as a current responsibility, not a future project.

Legacy begins the moment you see yourself as someone who creates, not someone who expects time to wait until you’re ready.

One Action Today: The Legacy Accelerator

Choose One Commitment. Make a list to get started and write all your thoughts and ideas. Cross off all but the top 4. Now rank them in order. Do not spend time analyzing them. The truth is, numbers 2, 3, and 4 may happen when you achieve commitment #1.

Why write it down? Writing engages the brain in a manner that allows new and different ideas or ways to pop open and achieve intended results.

Make It Meaningful Enough. What do you really, really, really want? Yes, write it down. Stop analyzing or trying to feel the “real” feeling! And, don’t talk yourself out of it!

Make it Visible. Write down your #1 goal and post it on your mirror or laptop.

Make it Do-able Today. Remember, one step at a time, every day. Do not get stopped by imperfection, mistakes, or failures. Ask, “What did I learn?”

When New Ideas Pop Up. During this time, new ideas and other items will appear (e.g., an idea to sell items online that you were holding to sell someday). Write them down. Set them aside for now.

Celebrate Your Wins! Each step forward is a win! Celebrate by bragging and acknowledging yourself.

Time Isn’t the Issue. Your alignment and relationship with time is.

Repeat daily: “I choose to thrive today and I am in action fulfilling my goals.”

Now, take at least one action that feels urgent, grounded, and empowering. Remember small aligned actions repeated daily build a legacy faster than waiting to find the “time” and “energy.” Waiting for the opportunity to take the “one big effort” gets you nowhere.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a legacy‑driven Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and 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.

When Your Ego Causes You to Lose Credibility

by

Leaders who make reactive decisions when blocking someone, withholding support, and escalating conflict will lose credibility. These costly types of actions and decisions occur because their ego felt threatened. These ego‑driven reactions can stall initiatives, derail team performance, and limit future opportunities for leaders.

When your ego hijacks judgment and common sense, costing you credibility and future opportunities, it’s important to pivot immediately and regain trust without over explaining or defending.

What happens when your ego gets in the way with people or situations?

When you attempt to influence decisions that aren’t yours (e.g., promotions, assignments, board choices, political dynamics, strategy), it damages your reputation. Especially if others feel you are wrong, lack enough of the right information, or you rely on your feelings and disregard facts. It’s important to develop the discipline of respecting boundaries and being aware of company politics.

If someone has asked for help, ask questions instead of stating opinions that often overlook important details.

  • Start by having the person briefly explain the concern.
  • Ask open-ended questions.
  • Be a committed listener (listening without comment and staying focused on the speaker) and allow the person to find their own answers.
  • Acknowledge the work they’ve done in the conversation.

What do you do when you’ve been wrong about someone?

There will be times when your ego blocked a person and you declared them to be incompetent, ineffective, or in the wrong job (poor job fit). But the truth is, they are exceptional.

It’s important to:

  • Acknowledge misjudgment without losing face
  • Rebuild a working relationship
  • Avoid doubling down on your reasons why to justify your mistake
  • Turn up your humbleness and apologize

How do you stay professional when you believe someone made the wrong decision?

Leaders often behave poorly when they feel overlooked, undervalued, or not heard. Especially if someone else made what you believe is a bad decision (e.g., hiring, work project, handling a client issue). This poor EI (emotional intelligence) will come back to bite you if you insist you are right and they are wrong.

Instead:

  • Use emotional detachment and talk with your executive coach to develop this all-important skill
  • Avoid self-sabotage by doing what is needed and remaining an important part of the team
  • Maintain composure under pressure when there are problems (and there will be) – avoid “I told you so” actions or comments
  • Offer appropriate ideas or suggestions when asked
  • Do not manipulate the decision to reflect what you believe is the only “right” way
  • By following the above points, your leadership and professionalism will be recognized … if you stay humble

How do you handle leadership blind spots when your ego is triggered due to stress?

When you feel threatened, career-limiting derailers will surface and you will default to manipulation, defensiveness, avoidance, and overconfidence (traits of an unhealthy ego). It’s time to hire an executive coach and use the PXT Select® assessment to learn why and how to develop your leadership humbleness.

  • Stay silent until you’ve worked with your executive coach, industry mentor, and therapist (when needed) or you risk damaging long-term credibility
  • Allow real data from the PXT Select® to reveal blind spots and learn from them
  • Be coachable and trainable – you can always learn new skills and how to use them effectively
  • Apologize as needed, journal your upsets or frustrations (do NOT share), and don’t allow your annoyance (aka your ego) with others to run the show

As a leader, current and future, developing a healthy ego is required when making decisions or being at the effect of decisions others make. Entrepreneurial leaders who practice humility make better strategic choices, foster innovation, and strengthen team alignment … key drivers for long-term success.

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.

Be a Leader Who Congratulates Others

by

Leaders and bosses will rarely admit it — but many get nervous or feel fearful or feel threatened when a team member succeeds. If that’s you, it’s time to reassess why you’re in a leadership role.

Sadly, everyone has had to work with a boss or leader who fears others’ success. When that carries over into their inability to congratulate their team and team members, a change must happen or you will lose top talent, customers, results, and revenues.

Entrepreneurial leaders understand that acknowledging others is not simply “being nice”—it’s a strategic business advantage that accelerates innovation, strengthens loyalty, and expands the company’s capacity to win.

When leaders fear their employees succeeding, they attempt to hide their insecurities by criticizing and nitpicking results, claiming it’s to help them improve. Others try to be extra nice to cover up their true feelings but lack a genuine tone. None of these approaches are effective. You will still be a leader who doesn’t want others to succeed and they respond accordingly (e.g., lack of initiative, poor solutions, mediocrity).

A woman had a great idea for a client. As requested by her boss, she submitted the idea in writing but didn’t hear anything back. A week later she learned her idea had been implemented and the client was pleased. But the client gave all the credit to her “wonderful boss.” When she asked her boss about it, the boss shrugged. “Well … it’s done. Maybe next time. Ok?” (This diminishing of another’s idea will eventually backfire. In this case, the client learned the truth and requested a different project team lead, saying. “We need to be able to trust the whole team working on our important project.”)

Successful leaders have learned to set aside any fears of others’ success. They know there is plenty of applause to go around.

Why Leaders Fear Others’ Success

  • Paranoia or lack of trust due to previous bad decisions
  • Inability to create solutions for a problem
  • Lack of confidence and self-esteem
  • No acknowledgement of their successes from bosses or boards
  • Incompetence due to poor job fit
  • Needing the “win” to feel good about themselves, especially after a recent failure

As a leader, if your goal is to keep your employees from leaving or surpassing you in the company, you need to work with a coach or mental health professional to create a workplace culture of psychological safety and trust.

Remember, psychological safety erodes quickly when leaders refuse to give credit and congratulate their teams. In turn, the teams withhold information, allow for mediocrity, and withdraw from contributing. You, the team, and customers all pay the price.

Have the Confidence to Encourage Others to Succeed

Leadership is built on you becoming a great boss. Your job is to provide the resources and opportunities for your employees and teams to grow and excel. Holding someone back or diminishing their ideas and work quality due to your fears of their successes and wins does not work. Remember, their work effort reflects back on you!

Own Your Leadership First

Be clear about your responsibilities. As the boss, your primary job is to produce intended results for the company and your customers. This requires a great team, and a team that is engaged in their work. Your lack of acknowledgement will cause the team to falter, make mistakes, and leave (along with your customers).

Have intentional conversations. Hold weekly meetings that make a positive difference. Work with your executive coach to learn meeting protocol and team dynamics. Share the goals, progress made, and learning moments when mistakes have occurred. Don’t forget to acknowledge and congratulate successes.

Protect Your Leadership Legacy

Keep your boss apprised. Document progress of a project or situation. This allows your boss and board to be informed and aware of what is happening on the team. Be sure to provide credit individually and for the team due to their accomplishments, wins, and solving tough challenges.

Acknowledgement. Use please and thank you. Include individual praise and team congrats too. Host a monthly (or more frequently) “brag fest.” This allows team members to share accomplishments that you and others are unaware of or have overlooked. SEE “Get Your Brag On!” for how to do it.

Use Tools That Strengthen Your Leadership

Hire an executive coach. A coach helps you navigate the politics, stay focused on results, and avoid reacting negatively to others successes. The right coach ensures you are offering well-deserved acknowledgement to yourself and others.

Take a PXT Select®. A PXT Select assessment provides real leadership data you need to understand your strengths, blind spots, and communication style and how to effectively interact with your team. When you (and your team) have objective insights, you can adjust your approach, reduce friction, and position yourself as the person who gets things done regardless of your own fears of others’ success. Building confidence is key to building a strong team.

Your Team Relies on Your Leadership

Great leaders are fearless in acknowledging and congratulating their team and team members, and produce amazing results, improve retention, and increase revenues.

What do you need to do to become a great leader?

©Jeannette Seibly 2026 All Rights Reserved

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 in empowering themselves to lead with clarity and impact.