Sales Manager

5 Ways to Turn Stressful Family Gatherings into Fun, Positive Conversations!

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“The memories we make with our family either create future harmony or frustration.” Jeannette Seibly

Family traditions die hard … if ever … especially at the holiday table, where old conversations get retold over and over, usually at someone’s expense.

To transform these conversations, it takes the willingness to work through the resistance. Remember, gossiping, “stink eye,” and negative comments are bad habits. And, many of these have been handed down from generation to generation. It’s up to you to change them for positive conversations.

5 Tips for Fun, Positive Conversations with Family

Tip #1: Have everyone share what they are grateful for … include everyone. Example: I’m grateful for a good job and the ability to work from home.

Tip #2:  Have each person share something good about another person during dinner. Be sure to include everyone! Example: I’m impressed by your willingness to work and go to school at the same time.

Tip #3: Create a “Family Bingo Card” (google it) and have each person complete one. Then, have everyone share their results.

Tip #4: Turn gossip and negative comments about someone into a positive. For example: “Did you hear about xx getting canned from his second job?” Turn it around. “Did you talk with him and get his side of the story? You know that company can be a difficult one to work for.”

Tip #5: Have an electronic-free meal and table. Have everyone turn off their phone or electronic devices during the meal and stash them. Focus on the tips above.

These 5 tips are guaranteed to encourage fun, positive conversations! The bonus? You get to listen as the old conversations transform into new ones.

©Jeannette Seibly 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals for almost 30 years. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She became an Amazon Bestselling author of her first novel, The Old Wooden Rocker … a family saga of hope for a better future. Have questions? Need a speaker or facilitator? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about creating fun family get-togethers. Tis the season for family meals and get-togethers. While some enjoy being with family, according to a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, over 17M family feuds are occurring. Many of these are avoidable by creating fun, positive conversations about each other. Start by taking responsibility for how you talk about members of your family and encourage others to do the same. Want to know how? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Leaders Today Must Increase Trust to Reduce Workplace Stress

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“Building trust as a leader requires a daily practice of mindful awareness.” Jeannette Seibly

Many leaders today are uncertain and confused by what they need to do to keep top talent.

The key is to be a trustworthy leader. When you are, you will reduce the workplace stress on your team members. They can trust you to not over-react to mistakes … be fair when handling conflict … and, support them in developing skills for their next job or career.

Employees in high-trust organizations are more productive, have more energy at work, collaborate better with their colleagues, and stay with their employers longer than people working at low-trust companies. They also suffer less chronic stress and are happier with their lives, and these factors fuel stronger performance. Harvard Business Review

How to Build Trust and Reduce Stress

  1. Have Compassion. Empathy, optimism, and understanding can go a long way towards building trust. Team members will know that you care by what you say and do. Remember, over-the-top optimism can backfire … be positive without becoming a Pollyanna.
  2. Develop Mindful Awareness. Subtle gestures, words, and tone of voice (aka microaggressions) can diminish trust fast! Hire an executive coach to guide you in developing a positive and diverse workplace culture.
  3. Build Credibility. Use brags, share acknowledgments, and encourage the self-promotion of team members. This encourages them to trust their successes and understand the impact they have on others. In turn, they will trust your leadership.
  4. Self-Care. Take care of yourself. This may be the one area that is most often overlooked. When you take care of yourself, you set a positive tone for team members to develop trust in you as their leader. In turn, the team will relax, take better care of themselves, and create a health-focused workplace culture.
  5. Talk Straight. Conversations that make a positive difference are focused on feedback needed to achieve objectives and results.  Listen! Ask questions! Get them talking! These conversations are also “trust-building” opportunities to show that you are “there for them!”
  6. Walk the Talk. Practice doing what you say. If you’re a stickler for having team members arrive at meetings on time and prepared, you need to do so too.
  7. Be Fearless. Resolve conflicts or poor teamwork habits NOW. Your team members are watching to see if and how you’ll resolve these workplace saboteurs. How you handle these situations will either calm their stress levels or have them send out resumes.

©Jeannette Seibly 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals for almost 30 years. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she became an Amazon Bestselling author of her first novel, The Old Wooden Rocker. Have questions? Need a speaker or facilitator? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about becoming a trustworthy leader. Trust is more important today than ever. If you’re a trusted leader, then team members’ stress levels will be low. But you need to develop “trust” over time and do the right things the right way each time. If you don’t, trust will disappear. Are you uncertain how to get started? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Frequent Conversations Are Required to Achieve Intended Results

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“Frequent conversations that are productive stay focused on moving forward.” Jeannette Seibly

Have you ever wondered why we need frequent conversations to achieve intended results? Especially, if you’re a leader with too many demands.

Due to many team members working from home and frequent changes in business, staying focused and staying in communication can be hard.

And, the best way to keep everyone focused on the objectives and key results is through frequent conversations. It encourages progress, keeps everyone productive, and allows for innovative ideas.

How to Have Conversations that Achieve Intended Results

  1. Meet Weekly. When working on any project, meet every week. This encourages team members to get their work done and keeps everyone focused on the objectives and key results.
  2. Keep Meetings On-Point. Put together a short agenda. Review before starting the meeting. Remember, general meetings are a time to keep everyone updated, not a time to tell someone how to do their work. Effective meetings focus on the who, what, when, where, and why of a project.
  3. Use Check-Ins. Instead of meeting with the whole team, meet 1:1 with the team leader and/or team members to stay updated. Also, this is a good way to address specific issues and get resolutions faster.
  4. Create Accountability. At the start of each project, no matter how big or small, create the goal and milestones. Once done, assign each team member to their area of expertise to manage. Now, as a leader, have frequent conversations to review progress and stay updated on any changes.
  5. Stay in Communication. When a team member becomes confronted by an issue, don’t allow the person to isolate. It’s important for everyone to rally together as a team by using straight-talk conversations to help members move forward. And, if the issue is of a personal nature, offer assistance.
  6. Listen to Learn. Instead of listening to rebut (which most of us do), listen to learn. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to request examples (e.g., show me). This keeps lines of communication open and avoids surprises.
  7. Brag! It’s meaningful to acknowledge each and every person with kudos and congrats on the steps taken and the results achieved. When you sincerely acknowledge someone, your results will magically improve!
  8. Give Meaningful Feedback. Instead of saying, “This needs improvement.” Say, “There are a couple of things I would recommend changing. Can I share them with you?” Then, keep it simple and on-point. Don’t tell them how to do it (unless they ask). Also, be open to their feedback regarding the changes you have asked to be made.
  9. Develop Trust. Trust is critical. It starts with straight talk. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about having frequent conversations to achieve intended results. With many team members working remotely, it’s important for you to have frequent conversations with team members. If you don’t, it will negatively impact achieving intended results. If you want to learn how to manage conversations with a diverse and remote workforce, contact me for a confidential conversation. Your team and customers will thank you!

 

Create a Practice of Feedback and See Your Results Improve

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“Want to achieve dynamic results? Then, give and receive feedback.” Jeannette Seibly

Why do we hate giving or receiving feedback? Why are we so attached to doing things our own way … even when we produce mediocre results?

The answer is, feedback triggers our brains to react in flight, fright, or freeze mode. When our boss or team member (or someone else) provides any feedback, our points of view and self-perceptions often feel threatened. Yes, it’s unwarranted. But these fears get in the way too often … and our results suffer.

Many leaders and bosses hesitate and avoid giving needed feedback out of fear of retaliation. Jeannette Seibly

Why is feedback so important? It gives you the ability to …

  • Grow as a successful leader
  • Take your team results from good to great
  • Work with different types of people, including “difficult team members”

Remember, feedback requires tact and diplomacy and requires practice. Otherwise, you will escalate a conflict, create hurt feelings, or derail your career.

6 Tips to Give and Receive Feedback

1. Be Open to Receiving. People will provide feedback, whether you ask for it or not (or want it). Strong leaders listen to feedback regardless of their feelings. If you don’t, you will miss hearing important information. Ask questions for clarification while not sounding defensive. Then, review the feedback with your coach before making any changes.

2. Use a Qualified Job Fit Assessment. Objective feedback about your inherent leadership style is a gift! Take a qualified job-fit assessment and review the results with your executive coach. You will gain job clarity, uncover blind spots, and gain insider career insights into how to effectively work with others while appreciating their differences.  

3. Value 360-degree feedback assessments and conversations. Use these quarterly, annually, and/or after major projects. These tools provide confidential feedback when done right. Make sure to select the right tool that has the validation and reliability to provide laser-like feedback. 360-degree assessments are invaluable tools to provide feedback and improve results.

4. Ask for Feedback. This simple question can make a profound difference in your results. After a project, conduct a team debrief … or after a meeting, ask for feedback from the team and event host. Start by asking “What worked? and “What didn’t work?” Listen. Take notes. Then, review with your coach before making any changes.

5. Develop a Straight Talk Approach. When offering feedback, talk straight. If you filter too much, you camouflage the true issue.

For example, Dave, a VP-HR, provided feedback to Judy, a VP-Marketing, about her gossiping with employees and vendors. During the next coaching call, Judy’s coach could tell that she didn’t understand what Dave had said. He had sugar-coated it. Straight talk is important in order for behavioral changes to happen. Developing the skills to give and receive feedback takes practice … just like any other leadership skill.

6. Learn Different Feedback Methods. The same approach doesn’t work for everyone! Here are two good approaches to get you started:

a. Direct Approach works for people who want you to bottom-line it. Be clear about the facts and share them, after getting their permission to do so.

For example: “Josie, are you open to feedback from your presentation this morning?” She nods yes. “Super. There was too much information on your slides and you read it to us. It’s important to engage the audience, not lecture them, to learn about these new safety procedures.”

b. Sandwich Approach is for less tough-minded people. Share 2 positives, 2 specific areas that need improvement, and wrap up with 2 positives.

For example: “Joe, you’re a valued member of our team and we appreciate your involvement.” (2 positives)

“And, we need you to read the minutes before each meeting and put away your phone during the meeting. It’s very distracting when you’re not fully engaged in the conversation. Remember, multitasking is a myth.” (2 specific areas for improvement)

“Again, we appreciate your commitment to the project and look forward to hearing your ideas.” (2 positives)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020-2021

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about giving and receiving feedback. Many of you hate giving or receiving feedback even though you have a commitment to achieving dynamic results. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I not open to using this valuable leadership tool?” If you want to improve your ability to give and receive feedback, contact me for a confidential conversation. Your career will thank you!

Appreciate Others Everyday by Saying, “Thank you!”

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“Appreciating others provides a greater reward than anything else you can do!” Jeannette Seibly

Saying, “Thank you!” isn’t hard to do … but many fail to do it! As a result, team members feel less valued and underappreciated. When you don’t say appreciate others, you appear to your team, vendors, and boss as stingy, rude, or Grinch-like.

Today it’s more important than ever for leaders, bosses, and team members to say, “thank you” and/or “I appreciate you.” Studies show these simple expressions on a daily basis are more impactful than bonuses or other perks.

7 Easy Ways to Let Others Know You Appreciate Them

Listen to Their Ideas. Yes, this is a silent way of saying, “I appreciate you.” It requires you to set aside your internal mental chatter and electronic distractions. Just listen!

Ask for Their Ideas. Introverts are not as likely to volunteer ideas and solutions … but it doesn’t mean they don’t have good ones. Be sure to ask each and every team member for their input before making decisions. It says, “I value your contributions.”

Coach Them to Solve Problems. Every job has its challenges. When team members share their frustrations, ask, “How would you recommend resolving it?” Then, coach them to put in place the recommendation. Be sure to follow up to hear about the outcome. This follow-through speaks volumes and lets them know they matter.

Let Them Make Decisions. Give each team member the ability to schedule time off, sign up for training programs, or create brainstorming sessions without your OK. This way of showing trust is an important way of acknowledging them.

Give Praise Often. Too often you look for what is wrong and not working. This will always be getting in the way of others feeling valued. Ask team members to share how they got a project or job done. Be open and curious … encourage them to share any Herculean efforts. This praise will boost their ingenuity, commitment, and perseverance while building their self-confidence.

Encourage Participation. Recommend to your team members they get involved in a service project, lead a team meeting, or attend trade/industry association meetings. This provides opportunities to build their skills and show your confidence in them. Be available to provide coaching and feedback when they feel stuck.

Say “Please” and “Thank You”. These magical words probably seem too simple to make a difference. Yet they speak volumes and let team members (and others) know they are valued. Use them frequently.

©Jeannette Seibly 2020-2021

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. Do you have questions? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about appreciating others. It’s so easy. But many leaders, bosses, and managers fail to say, “thank you” and/or “I appreciate you.” This leaves team members feeling less valued and appreciated. Need help to develop this very important habit? I have a great exercise that helps teams feel valued. Contact me for further details.

Do You Need to Hire Salespeople … What Are 5 Key Tips?

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“Hiring the right salespeople impacts your customer’s experience and fulfillment … and your bottom line.” Jeannette Seibly

Hiring salespeople can be a challenge. Many will look and/or talk the part. But when hired, fail to produce the required results.

Remember, it’s always faster and easier (and so much less expensive) to determine their ability to sell before you hire them. If you don’t, you’ll spend too much money and energy, and face sleepless nights attempting to fix them (and this never works out well for anyone).

5 Tips to Improve Your Selection Process

1. Are They Listening? Can they hear you? Do they respond appropriately? Ask the candidate to summarize the interview or various parts of the conversation by asking, “Tell me what you heard?”

2. Do They Ask Questions? Do they have questions about your company, product, management style, etc.? If not, move on. Candidates that don’t ask questions lack the curiosity and skills to inquire further.

3. Are They Calm and Patient? Does the person squirm in his/her seat? Does the candidate rush the conversation or attempt to finish your sentences? Does the candidate look at you when speaking or listening? While closing is a required skill and requires the ability to not be too patient, failure to have the prospect feel comfortable is critical.

4. Do They Fit the Job? To determine key traits, most salespeople need prospecting, presenting, and closing. Use a qualified job-fit assessment. Can they do these things? Will they do these things? And, can they do these things for your company and product?

5. Do They Tell the Truth? To objectively answer this question, first, use an honesty/integrity assessment to uncover omissions that are not part of a public record. It saves time and money by not talking with candidates that stretch the truth (think, customer expectations and fulfillment). Second, with final candidates, check background, education, and other accomplishments.

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. If you continue to struggle to hire salespeople who can actually sell, now is a great time to contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about hiring salespeople that can actually sell. Many candidates for sales positions look and/or talk the part. The problem is, they fail to produce the required results. It’s up to you to improve your selection process to uncover salespeople that can actually sell your product and service. Need help? Contact me to improve your hiring and selection processes.

Do You Know How to Listen to Succeed?

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“Misunderstandings, bad decisions, and team conflict create poor results. Avoid them by simply listening!” Jeannette Seibly

Most people would say, “Sure, I listen if …”

  • It’s something that interests me.
  • The speaker is engaging.
  • The boss is saying something that I need to hear.

But listening selectively doesn’t work.

Poor listening skills are the #1 reason for poor communication today! It impacts everything, everywhere in our lives, careers, and businesses…and leads to poor results.

There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak. Simon Sinek

You’re not listening when you are …

  • Engaging with the internal chatter in your head
  • Multi-tasking
  • Thinking about other things to do
  • Replaying old upsets (Hint: listening can resolve them)
  • Creating a new job and not engaged in the one you have

The costs of not listening are many. A select few include:

  • Teamwork and comradery are lost
  • New ideas and opportunities are missed
  • Logical discernment and cost-saving processes are overlooked
  • Trust — people feeling valued and respected disappears

8 Tips to Improve Your Listening and Your Results

1. Set Aside Your Ego. It’s the #1 reason you don’t listen. You believe you know-it-all or have already heard it! The truth is, you haven’t. Stop finishing people’s sentences or ideas. Not only is this rude, but you’re also usually incorrect. When your team does not speak up to correct you…you lose time and cost-saving ideas.

Max was a CFO for a large company. He had an uncanny ability to listen and sought out others’ ideas and opinions before making decisions. He didn’t just rely on executives’ opinions, he talked with others that would be impacted too. As a result, his decisions were better accepted and easier to implement. He’d learned the value of listening early in his career and believed it built trust. He was right!

2. Deep Dive. Hearing a tidbit of info and expanding and expounding on it isn’t listening. It’s your ego at work … and often it can be wrong. Listening and asking questions are part of developing critical thinking skills.

3. Stop the Internal Chatter. You have an internal chatterbox. (We all do!) It operates full-time every day, and many times keeps you awake at night too. Learn to meditate and disengage from mental chatter. Now, use these skills for listening.

4. Be Present. Focus and concentrate in the moment when interacting with others. This simple, but rarely used, listening practice makes all experiences more authentic and meaningful. Bonus … others will feel and see the difference too!

5. Set Aside Your Point of View. Set aside mental ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ about the person, task, or situation. This gets in the way of listening and hearing more than the words said. The creation of new ideas begins by listening and engaging in “Tell me more.”

Sabrina, a project manager had tons of experience and so she didn’t listen to anyone that didn’t agree with her. She said, “no” more than, “Tell me more.” As a result, she lost the trust of her team. They felt disrespected. In turn, they only did the work necessary making it difficult for Sabrina to execute customer projects. They also blamed her for not listening to them whenever something went wrong.

6. Don’t Shoot the Messenger. This metaphoric phrase is used to blame the bearer of bad news. (Wikipedia) Be willing to hear what you don’t want to hear. This. Is. Critical. (Yes, it’s hard, but worth the effort.) It will improve your results, save time and money, and have others feel respected. Also, it will save your job and career.

7. Show Me. Many people are not confident when sharing their concerns. They’ve learned that others don’t want to listen. So, if you’re not clear, don’t dismiss their concerns as unimportant. Instead, say, “Show me the concern.” Have the person physically show you from start to finish to ensure clarity.

8. Stop Multi-tasking. Everyone believes they are the exception to the rule and think they know how to multitask and listen at the same time. They don’t! This egocentric habit (lots of us have it) gets in the way of listening and paying attention to the details. When people need to repeat what they have already said, they don’t feel valued or respected. When you truly listen, it saves time and builds trust in you since you actually heard them!

Becky had a habit of sitting through “boring” meetings thumbing through her social media posts and texts. As a result, she missed her boss’s announcement about meeting with executive management. She didn’t show up prepared with the required 3-minute PPT and she attempted to wing-it. When asked by her boss why she didn’t come prepared, she said, “I’m too busy putting out fires.” His response was, “If you learned to listen, you wouldn’t have so many fires to extinguish.”

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags also include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. If you’re struggling to get unstuck, now is a great time to contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A note from Jeannette about listening to succeed. The #1 communication skill overlooked today is listening! We are too focused on standing up and speaking up and forget to listen first! Contact me about providing the workshop, Everyone Is Talking, But No One Is Listening! for you and your leaders.

The 6 C’s Required to Create Crazy Amazing Success Starting Now!

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“Achievement can only happen when you are willing to pursue what you really, really, really want.” Jeannette Seibly

It’s Q4! The craziness of 2021 is winding down. It’s time, if you haven’t done so already, to create new goals or pull them out from hiding in your drawer. Now, deal with the little negative voice in your head! Let’s create real success to support your goals for now and 2022.

The 6 C’s to Practice for Success

CREATE a Vision. What do you really, really, really want to achieve? Put aside what your parents and/or family and/or friends believe is the right vision. If it is a work goal, create the initial goal, plan, and budget before sharing it with your boss.

COURAGE is an Inside Job. Success requires authentically telling the truth about who you are and what you really want to achieve. Then, create the goal and take action instead of waiting for the perfect time (since it’ll never come). If this is an entrepreneurial pursuit, keep your day job until you have enough income to leave.

CONVERSATIONS Must Level Up. The conversations in your head and with others must focus on the outcomes you want to achieve, not on excuses or negativity. These only get in the way of success. Talk like a business person or community advocate when sharing your vision.

For example: Stop talking about feeling unmotivated this past year. Instead, talk about the new book you are writing. Or, the new project you are leading. Or, the new effort to create a community/family garden. The possibilities are endless. Share why it’s important and why it makes a positive difference for you and others. (PS: When having these types of quality conversations, allow others to contribute.)

COMMITMENT Requires Focused Action. Telling yourself, “I’m committed,” but not taking the right focused actions, normally creates failure. If you’re truly committed, create a blueprint supported by actions that lead to your intended results! Now, follow it! Do not create busyness as your new excuse.

CONSISTENCY Each and Every Day. Be bold and audacious by taking one step forward each day. Write in your journal (for your eyes only) and share your brags daily. This will motivate you to stay in action. If you have a day job, find the time and ask for help (e.g., have your family do chores, hire someone to tutor your kids, etc.). Then, honor the time you’ve set aside.

COACHABILITY: The Secret for Success. Asking for help and being coachable starts with hiring the right coach. It makes all the difference. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners fear a coach will change things and they will no longer be in control. Get over it! Be more committed to your success than your ego!

For example, an entrepreneur loved creating new products. But she hated creating the business infrastructure required to grow. She continued to struggle with sales until she learned how to work with her coach and do the work required.

Following these 6 C’s you will achieve crazy amazing success!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. During the past 29 years, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. Her brags also include being an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker. If you’re struggling to get unstuck, now is a great time to contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note About Achieving Crazy Amazing Success from Jeannette. It’s Q4! 2022 is only three months away. Although 2021 has not been business as usual, it’s offered many new opportunities for entrepreneurs. Don’t despair if you’re still thinking about your dream! Q4 is the time to learn the 6 C’s and take focused action. Need help? (We all do from time to time.) Contact me!

Want to Become Authentic? It Starts with Self-Awareness

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“It takes courage to become who you authentically are and have others listen.” Jeannette Seibly

Being a chameleon or politically correct has its benefits. But so does being authentic and self-expressed. Both can bolster career and promotion aspirations. Both can also limit achieving these very same goals!

“… authenticity means you’re true to your own personality, values, and spirit, regardless of the pressure that you’re under to act otherwise.” (MindTools.com)

Self-awareness is when you’re being honest with yourself and others. Most importantly, you take responsibility for what you say and do, and the impact that it has on others.

7 Reasons You May Struggle with Authenticity:

You…

  1. Need to be part of the team
  2. Fear judgment or ridicule
  3. Suppress insights and ideas, even when they are correct
  4. Are unwilling to admit a blunder or mistake
  5. Dismiss emotional feelings with rational excuses
  6. Seek others’ approval as more important than your own values
  7. Fall victim to socially approved qualities that are not your own (e.g., extrovert v introvert; agreeable v being self-focused, etc.) (ScientificAmerican.com)

As a leader, right now your team (and your career) need your authenticity more than ever. But to be successful, you must also develop a strong self-awareness so that your authenticity creates a positive difference.

10 Tips to Develop Authenticity and Self-Awareness

1. Stop Worrying About What Everyone Else Thinks. (Yes, it’s easier said than done.) Worrying is an excuse for you to hide out and justify why you’re not sharing your ideas and experiences. When you recognize this, stop. Ask yourself, “What is my true commitment to this project and team?’ Now act authentically.

Richard worried about rocking the boat with a new idea since he was new on the team. So, he stayed silent. After the team failed to deliver the results to the customer, Richard shared his idea with his boss. His boss coached him to practice sharing his ideas in the mirror … this would help him set aside his fears and feel comfortable speaking up at team meetings.

2. Set Aside Your Ego. Dial-up your humbleness and dial down the ego when authentically sharing ideas and insights. It makes it easier for others to hear you.

3. Learn the Basics…It’s Time Well-Spent. When you learn the basics in your job, you will build inner confidence and self-expression that helps you create bold win-win-win outcomes.

4. Listen and Learn to Expand Your Beliefs. Confident people are open to listening to others’ ideas and opinions. It’s a great opportunity to stretch limitations without sacrificing your personal and professional values…or authenticity.

5. Take Responsibility for Mistakes by Apologizing. Say, “My apologies.” OR “I’m sorry.” These simple phrases when said authentically help build positive relationships.

6. Forgive and Love Yourself. When you’ve made an error in judgment, a mistake, or a blunder, it’s important to forgive yourself. The key is, what are you doing to “own it” and “make it right?”

7. Listen to Your Feelings. This is a slippery slope. Feelings and logic are both important when making decisions, but are not the same as intuition or gut reactions. Learn the difference. If it doesn’t “feel” right, keep looking for the “why.” It helps you reduce your biases and expand your beliefs.

Joan wanted to build a strong relationship with a new group of businesswomen. While she was self-expressed, her judgmental feelings about members got in the way of developing alliances. She relied on her feelings, calling them ‘intuition.’ These feelings stopped her from being part of the group.

8. Brag or Self-Promotion. Standing up and speaking up is important. But do so in a respectful manner. Also, share your own achievements in a way that guides others to pursue their dreams. Pretending you’re not proud of your achievements is being inauthentic.

9. Be Present. Focus and concentrate in the moment when interacting with others, completing tasks, and engaging in other activities. This simple, but rarely used, practice makes all experiences more authentic and meaningful … others will feel and see the difference too!

10. Develop the Self-Respect and Courage to Do the Right Things the Right Way. Ask for help and accept it. Be a parrot and repeat yourself when people don’t understand the issue after you have reviewed your concerns with your coach.

Jon was concerned about Tom’s decision and shared this with him. But Tom dismissed the concerns as being important. So, Jon spoke with his coach to develop a better way of sharing the impact of Tom’s decision before talking with him again. Tom listened and replied, “I appreciate you speaking up. It takes courage and a positive belief in yourself.” 

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker for over 28 years. Her focus is getting leaders and their teams unstuck and able to achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation. 

A note from Jeannette about developing your authenticity and being self-aware.  Being authentic starts with self-awareness of what you say and do and its impact on others! As a leader, right now your team (and career) need your authenticity more than ever. But to be successful, you must also develop a strong self-awareness so that your authenticity creates a positive difference for yourself and others. Need help to discover your authenticity? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

How to Ask for Help and Not Feel Weak When You Do

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“Deep down inside each of us is a fear that ‘we’re not good enough.’ We overcome this fear by asking for help and discover, ‘we are good enough.’” Jeannette Seibly

“Asking for help is indeed not a weakness. It’s super powerful to understand when to ask.” Simon Sinek

Do you know how to ask for the help you need? Many would say, “sometimes.”

You’re not alone. No matter where you are in your career, understand all current and future leaders have the same fear and confusion. “When is the right time to ask for help?” and “How do I ask for help and not feel weak?”

The issue is, you, and many others, subscribe to the saying, “If they need help, they’ll ask.” But this is seldom true. That’s why your boss or project manager seldom asks you, “How can I help you?” They are waiting for you to ask or fear being labeled a micromanager. Either way, making assumptions doesn’t work.

When a project is late, you have a dissatisfied customer, or the boss keeps making changes, it’s time to ask for help! It’s time to stop the do-it-yourself thoughts. Otherwise, you risk poor work quality, team conflict, and team members watching from the sidelines. This bad habit will cost you future career opportunities.

Susan, a long-time project manager, knew from experience how to get the customer’s project done. She’d achieved great bragging rights. But refused to ask for her team’s help in building on past results. She didn’t trust their insights and experience. Even when team members would ask, “How can I/we help?” she ignored their questions and did it her way. But when the customer complained that Susan wasn’t listening, her boss interceded. “You need to delegate and allow others to help. If you don’t know the answer, don’t dismiss that it was unimportant. Ask the team for help! Otherwise, I’ll replace you with someone open to asking for help and accepting it.” Susan felt unappreciated after that meeting and quit her job the next day.

She failed to see the lost opportunity for leadership growth by asking for and accepting help.

Six Tips to Ask for Help and Feel Confident

1. Set Aside Your Ego. This is critical. If you’re unwilling to ask for help and listen to someone’s ideas, you will lose out on new ways to get the results that work for you and/or your project. For example, “But this is the way I was told it must be done at a recent workshop.” This is what it looks like when your ego takes over.

2. Don’t Wait Too Long or Until You’re Stuck. The sooner you anticipate needing help the better. It’s harder to ask for help once you’ve sabotaged yourself (usually unintentionally) and created a lot of excuses that now feel like facts. For example, “It’s due to the economy and COVID. Otherwise, I’d have gotten that promotion and pay increase by now.” Clearly, this person waited too long and failed to ask for help.

3. Don’t Wait for Clarity. (It seems counter-intuitive.) Instead, ask a person that is not a member of your team to act as an independent reviewer. Ask for their insights and take notes. This is NOT the time to defend and protect your own ideas of how you believe things should be done.

Share in concise statements:

  1. Goal of project or issue
  2. What has been done to-date
  3. What is slated for the future

Then, ask for help: “What do you see is missing?”

4. Be Coachable. Listen and learn from the “coach” or “mentor.” Don’t defend beliefs that can sabotage your success.

Recently an author told me that bragging was nonsense to her. She had a lot of experience and didn’t have time or the need to learn how to brag. Yet, marketing her book and self-promotion is paramount to selling copies! Instead of being coachable, she kept repeating, “I don’t see the value and I’m too busy.” Even after others chimed in, she refused their help to overcome a self-limiting belief of promoting herself for success.

5. Make Asking for Help a Habit. It helps you produce results faster and easier each time. It also helps you grow professionally and become a recognized leader when you are being coachable. For example, acting like you have it all handled, and failing to ask for help or ignoring help will derail your career.

6. Make Your Requests for Help Clear and Concise. Allow for the team member to say, “yes” or “no.” Also, include other’s ideas to make the “yes” work for everyone.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2021 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has been an award-winning executive coach, management consultant, and keynote speaker for over 28 years. Her focus is getting leaders and their teams unstuck and able to achieve dynamic results. Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation. 

A note from Jeannette about asking for help. Asking for help is a skill everyone needs to develop to achieve desired results. If you don’t develop this habit, you will risk losing out on good ideas, intended cost-effective results, and credibility. Do you fear looking weak when you ask for help? Do you want to become successful as a leader? If you do, it’s critical to develop the habit of asking for the help you need. Ask for help now … contact me for a confidential conversation.