Team

Assumptions Limit Leaders’ Ability to Influence Positive Results

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“Too often, we allow assumptions to get in our way. The truth is, we can stop them but usually don’t!” Jeannette Seibly

Leaders often take the tiniest bits of information and make various assumptions. The problem? It lacks accurate, objective data. These assumptions cause a lot of mischief, brouhaha, and negativity in the workplace. Also, these assumptions influence the ability to work with and through the team to achieve intended results. Sadly, once they occur, they are often irreversible.

The truth … we are often wrong about our assumptions. Yet we use them to justify how we treat people and view situations. And as a current or future leader, these assumptions can sideline your career.

With his boss’s support, a young man presented at his company’s board meeting. The presentation went well. The problem occurred when a board member said, “S*#T.” So, the young man mimicked him, believing it made him sound business-like. Based on this one utterance, the board assumed he didn’t have the career maturity or potential they had hoped for. His career was sidelined and he was never told why!

These types of issues occur too frequently when we rely on our assumptions. Here are some ways to avoid this career trap and cause your results to improve dramatically.

Seven Tips to Reduce Assumptions and Improve Results

  1. Check the facts. Read more than the salacious headlines from news media by deep diving and researching for the truth. In addition, ask for guidance from mentors and/or your executive coach.
  2. Embrace listening and curiosity. Leaders that listen objectively, ask good questions, and engage others in conversations are more successful. Why? People feel honored to be asked, heard, and valued! It reduces assumptions and creates new possibilities.
  3. Stop making things mean so much. When you overreact, you lose objectivity for people, situations, and things. Just because someone didn’t smile at you or return your “good morning” greeting doesn’t mean they are upset with you. Stop. Ask, “How are you today?” Then, listen. Often, their reaction had nothing to do with you!
  4. Stop invalidating people for the risks they take. Example, a condo owner listed his home $50K above market. His neighbors assumed that he was taking an unnecessary risk and that it would not sell! But when his condo sold at $20K above-market a month later, his neighbors increased the equity in their homes! (You’re welcome!) This is an example of a win-win-win! Where have you listened to someone who invalidated you and/or your risk based on poorly informed assumptions?
  5. Learn how to negotiate. It’s good to negotiate a price when buying certain items. Some businesses will allow these types of transactions, while many will not. Remember, the critical factor in making it a win-win-win process is setting aside your assumptions (e.g., they won’t give me what I want). Keys: Do not become emotionally attached to your position, price, or how it should work! This ensures a rewarding outcome for both parties.
  6. Develop emotional intelligence. Stop making everything about you. If others can easily trigger you, work with a therapist to become more astute as a leader. If you’re black and white in your thinking, learn how to include the human factor in your decisions.
  7. Stop inferring or making assumptions about people’s personalities. This is true when hiring, coaching, and managing people. For example, we infer that if a person didn’t bring a pen to a job interview, they don’t come prepared to meetings! Or when a person makes a mistake, they are in the wrong job. Nonsense! Get real! Use qualified job-fit assessments to discover a person’s true job fit traits and how to coach them for success.

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about making assumptions. We’ve all heard the saying, “Assuming makes an ass out of you and me.” The problem is, we still do it way too often! This trap hurts our relationships, results, and ability to keep great talent and customers! Do you need help overcoming this insidious habit and mindset? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Overcome your assumptions during the hiring and selection process. It’ll increase your retention, revenues, and results! To improve your interviewing techniques, grab your FREE copy of 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

Embrace New Ideas to Build Loyalty

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Recently, I talked with a business leader who wanted people to show up and do their work. “I know what needs to be done; they simply need to do what I tell them to do.”

While this type of mindset worked decades ago, it no longer does. Instead, every successful leader must create an innovative workplace culture that embraces new ideas while focusing on intended results. That’s how you build loyalty to yourself, your company, and company brand. And, the bonus is that your top talent will stay and continue to excel (think, improve retention).

Four Tips to Build Loyalty for Required Results

LISTEN as though your results depend on it … because they do! Your team members often have the best answers. Put aside your automatic judgment about the idea’s feasibility and who offered it. Now, listen.

Exercise: Ban electronic gadgets and ensure everyone has the opportunity to voice their ideas or concerns. When you run into naysayers, have them create five reasons why the idea could work. Now, review and allow these reasons to spark new solutions everyone can align on.

LEARN how to brainstorm … it’s not hard … get out of the way. You will not build loyalty or innovation when you are an automatic “No!” Authentically brainstorm new ideas, processes, and procedures. Be willing to go outside the box of how things have been done normally.

Exercise: Put together your goal, action plan, and timetable. Then, move the timetable back by 50% (example: if the goal is due in one year, make it six months). You’ll be surprised by the loyalty, commitment, and new ideas that can cause you to succeed when you don’t overthink them.   (Read about Pfizer’s achieving the impossible by getting the COVID vaccines to market quickly and effectively.)

OPEN your mind to new possibilities. While this sounds easy, it’s genuinely not. It’s very easy to stay comfortable, not rock the boat, and allow your biases to get in the way! Now is a great time to expand your thinking, the way work is done, and improve harnessing your team’s ideas!

Exercise: To build loyalty and new ideas, you must acknowledge each and every idea that is shared. It doesn’t mean you’ll use these ideas. But when you say, “Great idea” or “Interesting idea, tell me more,” you open up the conversations and people’s minds for new solutions.

BE RESPONSIBLE and manage for results, not personalities. Manage the project and plan of action every day or week (depending on how soon the result is needed). Stay focused on the processes and milestones.

Exercise: Ask the tough questions to ensure people are on track and not just telling you what you want to hear. Remember, it’s better to learn about problems now than after the plan or project has been launched! If there’s team conflict, resolve it by using straight talk.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2010-2022  All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about building loyalty for required results: Too often, you fall into the trap of wanting your team to do the work assigned and not offer new ideas. You might believe those ideas will make your job more time-consuming. Sadly, this belief keeps you in your comfort zone and will not build loyalty or retain top talent! Building loyalty and exceptional team results is not hard but requires you, as the leader, to get out of the way! Still having challenges getting your team to excel and achieve required results? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Building a solid team that excels requires selecting the right person for the right job! Team results reflect your ability to hire and choose the right team members. Unfortunately, too many bosses today rely on intuitive hiring. Then, they wonder why only 10% of their teams produce the required results! To improve your interviewing techniques, grab your FREE copy of 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

Are Likable Leaders Really Effective Leaders?

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“If you want people to relate to you as an effective leader, focus on respect and likability.” Jeannette Seibly

When a leader’s primary need is to be likable, it’s a fool’s game. If this is your focus, you will make poor decisions, focus on yourself (aka ego), and accept mediocrity while failing to provide much-needed feedback to your team!

Over 90% of employees complain that communication issues make their leaders ineffective. (Inc.com) These leaders focus on being likable and are unable (and unwilling) to provide truthful feedback, acknowledge others’ efforts and ideas, and even fail to learn their employees’ names.

In other words, they are ineffective leaders.

So, what is missing? Respect!

To be an effective leader today, focus on developing both: being likable and respected! Being both requires YOU to focus on others while improving team development, customer satisfaction, performance, productivity, and profitability.

Common Ways to Boost Being Likable and Respected

Develop Your Emotional Intelligence. Be present and aware, and use mindful resilience to guide you in developing your teams and team members. Remember, as a leader, your focus is on having them excel.

Ask these questions:

  • What do they need? Ask, listen, and make it happen!
  • What are their professional and personal goals? Ask, listen, and offer them opportunities!
  • How can I acknowledge their successes? Look for ways to say, “Great work!”

Share Feedback by Talking Straight or Soften Your Approach. It’s best to tell the truth appropriately. While some welcome the straight-talk approach, some team members may be uncomfortable or intimated. Example: “Is that report done yet?” In these cases, soften your approach. Keep it short and simple. Example: “I have an early morning meeting and would like to review the report before my meeting. Is it possible to get it this afternoon?”

Ask for Input and Build Results. When you come across as a know-it-all, team members stop participating. It shows blatant disrespect! Instead of talking over them or ignoring their ideas, ask questions to learn more. Then, use their input to build better outcomes and results. (Don’t forget to say, “Thank you for your great ideas!”)

Give Assignments Based on People’s Strengths. Use a qualified job fit assessment to help you effectively manage and coach your team. Remember, assigning the “bad jobs” to people you don’t like, or the “fun or good jobs” to your favorites will cause dissension and possible litigation (e.g., EEO lawsuits). Also, you can use this same assessment to build a diverse team and train team members to appreciate everyone’s differences.

Seek Ways to Develop Each and Every Team Member. Use 1:1 meetings to ask about their goals and offer opportunities to develop required skills. Example: If someone wants to become a manager of a big project, offer to hire a coach NOW for the person to develop the right presentation, people management, and project management skills.

Make the Right Decisions and Share “Why” with the Team. Making win-win-win decisions is crucial—sharing “why” with your team builds trust. To avoid trial and error and common miscommunication, hire yourself an executive coach. You will broaden your perspective before, during, and after decisions are made (your decisions create an impact: good, bad, and not-so-good). Also, find one or two industry mentors to guide you along the way. Now, ask for help, listen, and be coachable!

©Jeannette Seibly 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a likable and respected effective leader: Can you be both likable and respected? Yes! Both are required to be highly effective in today’s workplace. What do you need to develop for your team to like and respect you? Are you feeling challenged in this area? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

I’ve been interviewing people for jobs for well over 30 years. Although the economy and types of jobs have changed dramatically, many hiring practices have not. You will miss out if you have not upgraded your interview and selection processes to attract top talent. To improve your interviewing techniques, grab your FREE copy of 16 Tips to Conduct Effective and Productive Hiring Interviews Today.

Hey Results Producers, Why Aren’t You Producing Required Results?

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“Indulging in our comfort zones impedes our ability to produce amazing results.” Jeannette Seibly

Believe it or not, you’re the reason.

You’ve allowed yourself to get in your own way! You’ve accepted mediocrity. But mediocrity doesn’t keep customers and a great team, or get you promoted. It also disrupts others’ perceptions of you as a valued leader, boss, or team member.

The good news?

Many of you have already:

  • Become results producers who can produce the required results.
  • Received the right coaching from your boss, team, and/or coach.
  • Developed the insights, experience, and skills needed to make a positive difference.
  • Moved past perceived limitations and other issues that generally get in the way.

So, what’s in the way? Hubris, ego, and excuses now dominate your mind and get in the way of achieving the required results (e.g., resolving team conflict, going the extra mile for a customer, learning a new skill, etc.).

You may say, “But I’m tired. I want to be comfortable. I want to do the minimum to keep my job.” Consider none of that is true. Instead, pay attention … the most interesting phenomenon is that you feel energized when you become a results producer producing the required results!

How to be Energized and Produce Required Results

Take the nudge and get energized to get the most out of this article! Go beyond just reading these examples and take focused-action on a project or task, or complete a difficult conversation. This movement will cause you to be a results producer that produces the required results!

Be Coachable. Yes, there are bad coaches out there! But don’t let that stop you from finding the right coach! Then, listen. Take responsibility for correcting any actions that have taken you off track with your team, customers, and/or boss! (Apologies work wonders when not accompanied by excuses!) Remember, every results producer, leader, and boss has a coach! It’s up to you to be coachable … whether you feel like it or not!

Example: An author was a good mystery writer and won awards. Yet failed to sell books. Every time the coach would tell him to focus on selling and give him doable ideas, he’d come up with a list of excuses. His favorite is, “I just don’t feel it would make a difference.” Needless to say, he has 100s of books sitting in his garage.

Work With and Through the Team. We all have teams, bosses, and customers for whom we are responsible for providing excellent service! The issue is that when you have a challenge or problem, you rely on the familiar thought, “I’ve got it all handled.” Consider you don’t, and you fail to get into the type of action that produces required results. Instead, learn to work with and through others to get the job done well (e.g., delegate) and stop settling for mediocrity. The mark of a great results producer and leader/boss.

Example: A general manager proudly shared the 40% turnover in his management staff. “I now have the right team in place and have it all handled.” The consultant who was listening replied, “You’ve been saying that each year for the past four years. How is this year going to be any different? You’ve been unwilling to get real about the issues that cause the turnover and poor results.” (Hint: The real issue was the general manager’s inability to lead a team to produce required results.)

Distinguish Leadership Blind Spots that Impede Your Results. Going above and beyond is often needed to become and remain a results producer. It also requires working with your coach and identifying blind spots that impede your progress on an ongoing basis. Example: after attending a great motivational event or listening to a great speaker, you believe you can now move mountains. Yet days go by, and pretty soon, even the smallest hills look impossible. What happened? You allowed your blind spots to get in the way and relied on work/life circumstances to stop you.

Example: A business owner was not coachable and hated having her blind spots pointed out. Yet she was willing to spend every dollar she had in her business account to take a program with a renowned motivator who had built a million-dollar business. She hoped to learn from her and attended all the sessions. Several months later, she shared the outcome with a friend; and she was angry and upset. There was no positive difference in her business and finances. Finally, later in the conversation, she confessed, “I have to get real and take responsibility for not doing the work and taking the coaching. But it was an expensive lesson.” 

These three powerful keys to are required to become a consistent results producer. It starts by going beyond your comfort zone and standard excuses!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Still unable to achieve the results you need to keep your customers, team, or job? Don’t wait! It won’t get better without help! Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a results producer that produces required results: this can be a tricky conversation when you rely on excuses and life circumstances to get in the way of achieving required results. Sometimes it only takes a tweak here and there, and you’re back on track. Other times, it entails a come down to reality conversation to become the results producer you know you can be. Do you want clarity? Contact me for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. Yet we allow our life circumstances and feelings of “not now” to get in the way. So STOP indulging in the excuses! Instead, get into action today and grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

Easy Ways to Combat Energy Zappers

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“Many people love to procrastinate and blame boredom, stress, and toxic people. But the truth is when you fail to honor your commitments to yourself and others, your energy gets zapped daily.” Jeannette Seibly

What is our #1 energy zapper? Our excuses! Stress, boredom, and toxic people, along with lack of sleep, too much sugar, and caffeine, rank right up there as energy zappers too! And, these will occur on a regular basis when not managed.

But procrastination and the excuses we mentally create to justify it win as #1. Ironically, it takes more energy to avoid doing the task or job than it does to get the work done. It’s incredible how much time we waste looking for excuses, feeding our procrastination, and seeking out “why” we don’t want to get it done.

When you have a job, task, or client need, the bottom line is that you want to get into focused-action as quickly as possible. If you don’t, you will experience diminished self-confidence and self-worth. And, you will find future career opportunities, and sales get zapped too.

6 Strategies to Stop Energy Zappers

Schedule. Use an online or hand-written calendar, scheduler, and/or planner. Schedule the time needed to get the task done. Now, honor it as an appointment with a VIP (very important person).  

I remember using an online planner to get my first book written and published. Every week I would receive a notification of activities for the week. And I honored it! This process eliminated the excuses I usually created for not getting my book written and published sooner.

Do or Delegate. Just because you don’t want to do it doesn’t mean others won’t welcome the opportunity. Don’t be afraid to delegate the task or job to someone who would welcome it. Remember, they won’t do it the same way you would … but they often do it better because they enjoy the work!

Brandon hated accounting. But as an entrepreneur knew, it was essential to have up-to-date numbers. So, he set aside his excuses and hired a bookkeeper who completed the weekly work within a couple of hours. Now, Brandon can speak intelligently with banks, his coach, and his team about where they need to focus their attention and be profitable.

Set Aside 20 minutes. If you’re still finding or looking for excuses, STOP! Set a timer for 20 minutes and focus on doing the task during that time and see how far you progress. If, at the end of the 20 minutes, you’re ready to do more, go for it!

One sales rep avoided making his calls and following up with potential customers. His excuse was, “They don’t want to buy from me anyway.” When he worked with his sales manager and coach, he learned how to use those 20 minutes to follow-up and follow-through. His sales improved dramatically.

Hire a Coach and Find an Accountability Partner. Find someone to be your cheerleader. This person will keep you in action. And guide you through complex situations and/or relationships that can also be energy zappers.

Write It Out, Walk It Out, and Talk It Out. These three activities will help you overcome the normal energy zappers of day-to-day stress, boredom, and toxic people.

© Jeannette L. Seibly, 2010-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant and keynote speaker. Have trouble getting into focused action and feeling energized to get your job done and goals completed? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Note from Jeannette about energy zappers. Honoring our commitments has become more critical today than ever. Keeping your commitments make you a top talent that your customers enjoy working with. Unfortunately, too many people fail to understand the impact of not keeping their commitments. Contact me today to confidentially talk about your energy zappers.

Being a top influencer means honoring your word and getting the job done in a high-quality and timely manner. So, grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

 

2022 is the Year of Hiring!

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“Hiring the right people to fit the right positions creates stellar performance, productivity, and profitability.” Jeannette Seibly

This is the year of hiring! The Great Resignation saw a record 4.5 million Americans quit or change their jobs in November (Washington Post). Many of you are now attempting to fill these positions. Or review changes to current employees’ work assignments, which will lead to more employees leaving due to poor job fit with their new job duties.

It’s important to remember that this is a great time to level up, or your company will be left behind!

Here are 4 often overlooked tips as you move forward in your selection and hiring process. And, remember, when you use a qualified job fit assessment, you will improve your hiring decisions with objective data. If you have any questions or need someone to bounce off ideas, let me know. I’ve been hiring, coaching, training, and managing people for over 30 years.

Keep your word. Recruiters and hiring managers can give your company a bad name. While it may be obvious, there are way too many stories about recruiters and hiring managers not keeping promises. Or, they ghost candidates and/or lie about the job responsibilities. Consider how you treat candidates will impact your sales results and ability to attract top talent.

Can they work remotely? Not all employees are capable of working independently in a virtual environment due to a variety of reasons. Therefore, it’s essential to establish your expectations upfront and design your interview to ask the hard questions.

3 interview questions to get started:

  1. Why do you believe you would enjoy working in a remote job?
  2. Have you done this before? If yes, what did you like and dislike?
  3. Do you prefer working in a hybrid or fully remote position? Why?

Ask about mistakes. While everyone makes them, many job candidates don’t feel comfortable sharing them. But when they share the error and what they did to correct and learn from it, you’ll know they have the confidence and self-awareness needed for your company. If not, they will most likely become your future blamers and complainers.

One example (remember to keep the question open-ended): “Everyone makes mistakes. Please tell me about a recent one and what you did to correct it.”

Most expensive mistake companies make when promoting an employee! Failure to conduct due diligence before promoting employees IS a costly mistake. Avoid this by going through the same interview hiring process as an outside candidate. If you don’t, and they fail, they will leave taking other top talent and top customers. Use a selection process designed to include objective data.

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select/PXT Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

Being a top influencer in 2022 is a great goal. But now you need to put the right action-plan into place and follow it!  Get started today with your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

 

Stop Sabotaging Your Results with Busyness

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“Busyness is the #1 bad habit we need to disrupt for an amazing 2022!” Jeannette Seibly

The best advice I can provide you this new year is to stop busyness from sabotaging your results!

But how? What is getting in the way?

You have dreams and goals you hope to achieve someday. Some of you want a job promotion, early retirement, to travel, or to write a book. Consider that someday is today!

That’s why busyness must need disruption.

Busyness is a mindset, a bad habit. People pride themselves on being busy. It’s their way of feeling fulfilled and living a purposeful life. But they lose sight of what really makes them happy, fulfilled, and living a life on purpose.

Yesterday I wrestled with my own “busyness” and resisted writing this article/blog post. So, I took my own advice and went for a walk! It was just the disruptor I needed. I came back and wrote two articles, including this one! Then, I completed the other items I resisted that were on my list too!

For a successful 2022, let’s make it a year of success now and stop sabotaging future results with today’s busyness!

7 Ways to Stop Busyness from Sabotaging Your Results!

  1. Find Work that Is Important to You. With the Great Resignation, there are many employers today begging for employees. The challenge? Over 70% of you hated your job because it didn’t fit your natural thinking, core behaviors, and occupational interests! So first, use a qualified job fit assessment to clarify what engages you objectively. Then, work with your executive coach to design the job and goals that engage and inspire you into action.
  2. Limit Social Media. It’s a big-time suck! The biggest issue? You compare your life to others and become depressed, which gets in your way of taking the required actions. Remember, these posts are only quick snapshots of a moment. They don’t reflect the efforts needed! Do something you enjoy for a few hours a week if you feel stuck. Not social media. Volunteer for a cause. Help a neighbor or friend. Take a fun class or get a certification. This “feel-good” will expand into other areas of your life and inspire you to do the work necessary to achieve your results!
  3. Get Out in Nature. Many times, taking a 20-minute walk can rejuvenate you! Don’t listen to podcasts or talk on your cell. Walk. Breathe. Stop the inner mental chatter. Enjoy the sights. Now, you’re refreshed and ready to focus on the next step in your action plan. Just like I did yesterday.
  4. Create Something New. Don’t be afraid to stretch and create a new process, product, or book. But don’t let it take you off-track from your goal (which often happens when you allow busyness to intercede). You don’t have to be highly creative. Instead, ask yourself, “How can I simplify this to save time?” This question energizes your mind, body, and soul to expand, which they love to do!
  5. Truly Listen and Engage in the Conversation. Truly listening to others stops the distracting internal mental chatter. Nothing is more rewarding than the feeling of being truly heard! When you listen to others, they will listen to you. Together, you can create fantastic new opportunities in life and business!
  6. Enjoy Silence. Instead of running off to the next meeting or task, set aside a few minutes to enjoy the silence. Taking the time will reenergize and de-stress you while making you more alert for the next meeting or task.
  7. K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple and Smart! We often love to make everything too complicated (and, at times, impossible). It sabotages your self-confidence and the results needed to achieve your dreams and goals. Number 1! Hire the right coach for you to get unstuck and create clarity. Number 2! Take focused action. It’s the best way to overcome the busyness saboteur! Number 3! Start right NOW!

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020-2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, she has become an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Have questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about achieving results now and overcoming the busyness saboteur! You have dreams and goals you hope to achieve (e.g., a promotion, early retirement, travel, writing a book, etc.). The question I have for you … “Why can’t you achieve them now?” The answer … You allow busyness to get in the way and use it to sabotage your results. Do you feel stuck and not clear on how to get started? If yes, contact me for a confidential conversation.

You are an influencer! But when you lack awareness of your intentions, it sabotages your results. 2022 is the year to be a positive influencer! Get started today with your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

Leadership in 2022 … What Skills Do You Need to Embrace to Become Great?

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“Every leader, no matter how talented, has skills to develop. What are you doing in 2022 to grow as a leader?” Jeannette Seibly

Do you want to develop as a leader and go from so-so to good to great? Leadership in 2022 is changing how companies grow beyond crunching numbers and using data. Great leaders embrace developing themselves and their teams in less than obvious ways.

7 Key Tips to Develop Your Leadership

Pick one or two areas to focus on with your coach, and enjoy your progress!

Developing emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial. With a record 4.5 million Americans quitting their jobs in November (Business in San Diego), workers want leaders that develop them! But first, you need to create a genuine interest in their dreams and a willingness to help them achieve their goals. The key is to use objective data from a qualified job fit assessment as a foundational guide. This is the fastest and easiest way to appreciate each and every team member for who they are, not whom you think they should be. Sharing the results will create a new level of EI for you and others.

Stop relying on your job title to win people over. Many customers, teams, and businesses are no longer impressed by a person’s job title! In addition, titles say nothing about your character. Instead, focus on showing others you are trustworthy, have integrity, and achieve the results you promised. Remember, focused-actions and results speak louder than words!

Be able to spot shifts and be proactive in making needed changes. Being able to spot shifts in the market, financials, and the company’s culture can help you get ahead of the curve. Conduct meetings by asking good business questions and listening. This is not the time to be a know-it-all. Compile the data to support changes needed and think from a win-win-win perspective (e.g., customer, company, team).

Only give advice when asked. There are way too many people giving unsolicited advice today. People have stopped listening even if you’re an influencer and trusted leader. Realize advice or feedback or coaching often falls on deaf ears. People will resent you for it, especially when you’re right. EXCEPTION: As a leader and boss, it’s your job to offer feedback and make it specific, on-target, and actionable, whether requested or not! For help, contact your coach now.

It’s what you say, not how you look. Looking professional is essential. But building credibility is much more critical. Your credibility is how you engage and call your teams into focused-action. This is where your choice of words matter. Develop clear messages and share a plan to resolve problems. Remember, work with your coach to ensure nonverbal gestures, tone of voice, facial and other body movements convey the same message as your words.

Learning begins with listening. Talking too much is the fastest way to derail your credibility, and ultimately your career. While this isn’t new, leaders often feel the urge to say or post their opinions and feelings on social media. Many call it being authentic until it gets them in trouble. Remember, as a leader, it’s no longer about you. You represent your customers, team members, and company. Listen first.

Self-talk impacts your results. Remember, completing your brag work on a weekly or monthly basis facilitates healthier self-talk and self-confidence.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2022 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is The Leadership Results Coach. She has guided the creation of three millionaires and countless 6-figure income professionals. During the past 29 years, her brags include being an award-winning international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She has been an Authorized PXT Select Partner with Wiley/Profiles International for 30 years, guiding companies to hire the right person the first time. Ask questions? Need help? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about being a great leader in 2022. As a leader, your work is never done. That includes embracing and developing new skills needed to be a results-producer for your company, customers, and team. Do you have a question (or two) about how to get started or where to focus? If yes, contact me for a confidential conversation.

2022 is the year of the influencer! Become one by learning how. Grab your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence.

How to Stop Tactless Remarks from Hurting Your Leadership

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“Words matter … so choose your words responsibly.” Jeannette Seibly

It only takes a second to blurt out a tactless remark, but it can take hours, weeks, and even years for your team, boss, or customer to forget … if they ever do.

As a leader, your words reverberate throughout the company and impact your team’s results. You have a choice … your words will either inspire or deflate others.

The words you choose will impact the results you, your team, and your business strive to achieve.

Words Matter to Achieve Team Results

Here are 7 common tactless remarks guaranteed to create conflict, frustration, and poor results. So again, choose your words wisely.

Yeah, but…! This only invokes debate, defensiveness, and poor solutions! Listen with an open mind and heart. You will learn something new!

“That’s stupid.” This tactless remark is a great way to block others from wanting to share their ideas and solutions! While you may not want to hear their ideas, get over it. It’s your job as a leader to listen. Instead, ask, “That’s interesting…how would that work?” Now ask yourself, “What new insights did I learn?”

“I have the wrong team.” Although this is a common remark, it’s doubtful you have the wrong team! In reality, there may be one or two underperforming team members not committed to the goal or causing team conflict. It’s your job to get everyone on the same page. While training and developing your team, you will uncover the real issues that have hindered progress. Now, it’s time to have the tough conversations without blaming others.

“I hate this project or customer.” Expressing this remark hurts your team’s ability to produce intended results. When you “hate” something, you limit new ideas and make bad decisions. It also limits your ability to be a positive influencer. Work with your executive coach and a mentor to transform this mindset.

“I never liked working here.” Did you know, according to Gallup, that over 70% of employees are in jobs that don’t fit them … including leaders? (Numbers are now climbing!) Use a qualified job fit assessment to clarify the reason for your dissatisfaction. Now, get back in action and build the leadership skills required to engage your team and produce dynamic results.

“My team or customer or boss is a moron…jerk…narrow-minded (the list is endless)” Insulting someone’s intelligence or labeling them hurts team productivity and results. And, unfortunately, your team (and others) will mimic you! Remember, there will be times you must effectively work with and through others to achieve win-win-win outcomes. So, make it a practice to facilitate good working relationships along the way!

[absolute silence].  When tragedy, terminal illness, or a life difficulty happens to a team member, saying something is better than saying nothing. Pick up the phone (don’t text or send emails). Let the person know, “I’m sorry” or “My thoughts are with you” and “Let me know if you need anything.” You only have this one chance to let the person know they are valued. Your effort, or lack of, will impact your team members and their results for a long time. In these situations, silence is not golden.

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020-2021 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 international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She is now an international Amazon Bestselling author of, The Old Wooden Rocker. Have questions? Need a speaker or facilitator? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette: How to Stop Tactless Remarks from Hurting Your Leadership. Every leader has made tactless remarks, even if it was only one time. While it may only take a moment to make a tactless remark, it can take hours, weeks, and even years for the team or person to forget. Apologize immediately when this happens. If the issue is still hanging around, call me now for a confidential conversation … let’s get it fixed now before it’s too late!

Know you’re making a difference by being a positive influencer. Learn how to share so that others will listen. Get your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence

How to Develop Your Blind Spots into Savvy Leadership

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“Undistinguished blinds spots sabotage your ability to be a savvy leader.” Jeannette Seibly

Are you impatient? Fearful of conflict? Easily triggered? Turn your blind spots into strengths and grow your leadership savvy.

All leaders have blind spots. These are complex and many times impossible to distinguish. Yet, left unidentified, these weaknesses can be costly to you, your company, your team, and your customers. You will sabotage your impact, results, and career options. Therefore, it’s critical to identify them and develop your leadership savvy by working with your executive coach.

How Do You Define Blind Spots?

Leadership blind spots are the specific areas where a leader … even a very successful leader … is missing something. A blind spot can be a lack of attention to a certain area or a part of your skillset that never really developed. ALL leaders have blind spots. Exceptional Leader’s Lab

No matter how hard you try to be self-aware and mindful, you cannot readily self-identify your blind spots.

Self-analysis is of little value since, by definition, it’s nearly impossible to know what your blind spots are and the impact they have on others.

The challenge is to hire the right executive coach to uncover your blind spots before they damage your leadership reputation and future opportunities.

What Are the Top 10 Leadership Blind Spots?

While some blind spots may be easy to spot, according to Inc. Magazine, here are the top 10 blind spots.

Which ones do you recognize for yourself?

Top 10 blind spots are:

  1. Going it alone
  2. Being insensitive of your behavior on others
  3. Having an “I know” attitude
  4. Avoiding the difficult conversations
  5. Blaming others or circumstances
  6. Treating commitments casually
  7. Conspiring against others
  8. Withholding emotional commitment
  9. Not taking a stand
  10. Tolerating “good enough”
“Identifying your blind spots and overcoming these hurdles are critical to developing your savvy leadership.” Jeannette Seibly

How to Flip Blind Spots into Savvy Leadership

  1. Use assessments and 360-degree feedback to discover your inherent strengths and weaknesses (aka blind spots). There are three types of assessments: 1) assessments that uncover how you want to be seen, 2) assessments to show how you really are, and 3) assessments that show how others see you. All three provide you with great 20/20 vision. But, now, the real work begins. Work with a qualified executive coach to review the assessment results and guide you to develop a laser-focused action plan.
  2. Hire the right executive coach and LISTEN. Listening is crucial to improve your influence and leadership savvy. It eliminates the typical trial and error that otherwise occurs. Do NOT focus on conceptual conversations regarding the merits and demerits of your blind spots. Just listen, and then, implement.
  3. Engage with an industry mentor. The right mentor(s) is an invaluable source of information and will be knowledgeable about your company, management team, and industry. The right mentor can also guide you through complex situations and sticky political relationships.
  4. Listen to your team’s feedback. Your team does want you to succeed. However, while you may believe you want to hear feedback from your team, honestly, in many cases, you’d rather not. Use a qualified 360-feedback assessment to encourage your team, and yourself, to talk through the feedback results. Then, most importantly, learn from and implement these invaluable insights.
  5. Dial-up your humbleness. Take part in emotional intelligence workshops. During these programs, set aside your ego since it can be your most significant hurdle to overcoming blind spots and developing savvy leadership. Remember, authentic practice is required to achieve mastery!
  6. Improve your all-important communication skills. Your ability to write, speak, and talk with others is critical to your success. Don’t fall into the trap of “I have it all handled.” Instead, take workshops designed to recognize your biases (aka blind spots) and develop your inner confidence.
  7. Identify triggers and biases. We all have them. To uncover triggers and biases, work with your executive coach to talk through the issues and develop ways to handle them when they arise. (Note: You may also need to work with a licensed therapist to remove the very stubborn barriers.)

©Jeannette Seibly, 2020 – 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 international executive and family business management consultant, and keynote speaker. Recently, she was able to add another brag. She is now an international Amazon Bestselling author of, The Old Wooden Rocker. Have questions? Need a speaker or facilitator? Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation.

A Note from Jeannette about how to develop your blind spots into savvy leadership. If you are impatient, fear conflict, and easily triggered, keep reading! Even if you believe you’re not, it’s essential to realize that ALL leaders have blind spots. An important goal for 2022 is to turn your blind spots into strengths and grow your leadership savvy. If you’re stuck and uncertain about how to get started, contact me for a confidential conversation.

Want to grow your career? Be offered new career opportunities? Be ready for promotions? Become an influencer! Get your FREE copy of Eight Tips to Increase Your Ability to Influence