Transform the Organization

Change Management: The Biggest, Costliest Mistake Many Leaders Make

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“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

🔍 Due Diligence for Systems vs. People

Organizations routinely invest time and resources into vetting changes to systems, operations, technology, and financials. Yet when it comes to hiring, promoting, or transitioning employees, decisions are often made based on gut instinct, biased assumptions, or incomplete data—leading to costly missteps.

“Hiring the right person for the wrong job equals poor job fit. And no amount of training and development will make them a superstar.” — Jeannette Seibly

💥 The Cost of a Misguided Promotion

A bank promoted a young man deemed a “future leader” by upper management. What did they fail to uncover? He lacked respect from both clients and colleagues. Within six weeks, he was fired. The fallout included lost trust, team disruption, and reputational damage.

This could have been avoided by using a strategic job fit selection system and a validated assessment to objectively measure leadership potential, decision-making style, and interpersonal effectiveness.

🧠 Hire with Eyes Wide Open

Promotion and transition errors are a hidden, costly drain on performance, trust, and compliance. The uncomfortable truth? Leaders often stumble for preventable reasons:

  • Gut over data. Nearly 62% of hiring decisions are influenced by managerial bias rather than objective performance indicators (Harvard Business Review, 2023).
  • Resumes are increasingly unreliable. With 45% of job seekers using AI tools (ResumeBuilder, 2024), the résumé is often a polished illusion.
  • Performance appraisals are broken. 66% of employees say reviews are unfair, and 95% of managers are dissatisfied with the process (Gallup, 2022). People are promoted due to politics, not performance.
  • Boomerang hires rely on memory, not metrics. Approximately 35% of new hires are returning employees, yet few organizations analyze the reasons for employee exits or their readiness for current roles (Workforce Institute, 2023).
  • Assessments must meet federal standards. The EEOC and DOL require pre-employment tests to be validated, job-related, and non-discriminatory. Many are not.

💸 Fact: 82% of companies promote the wrong person into management, leading to productivity loss, morale damage, and client attrition—costs that ripple far beyond salary figures (Dove Development).

📈 Promotion: Beyond Performance

Promoting someone based solely on past performance—like a top salesperson to a manager role—often backfires. Leadership demands empathy, communication, and delegation, not just technical skill.

Without proper evaluation and coaching, these transitions frequently lead to disengagement, increased turnover, and missed revenue targets. Objective tools give leaders clarity about who’s truly ready to step up.

🔄 Job Transitioning: A Strategic Imperative

When employees relocate, shift roles, or take on new responsibilities, success hinges on job fit. Often overlooked:

  • Career pathing offers a structured roadmap aligned with organizational needs and personal aspirations
  • Personalized development (mentoring, coaching, tailored skills-building) helps talent thrive
  • Onboarding plans bridge early gaps and reinforce role clarity and cultural alignment

Together, these elements form the backbone of a strategic job fit selection system that improves role transitions and strengthens succession planning.

💸 Fact: Poor promotions and misaligned job transitions can cost organizations up to 10x the employee’s annual salary, especially in leadership roles—making clarity and fit essential to long-term success (Lucent Global, HRMorning).

🚀 Call to Action: Elevate Your Leadership with Strategic People Decisions

The alternative isn’t guesswork—it’s strategy. Smart leaders don’t gamble—they build infrastructure that earns trust and delivers results. They implement a strategic job fit selection system that ensures every promotion and talent transition is intentional, data-informed, and compliant.

That includes:

✅ Validated job fit assessments to predict performance, leadership readiness, and interpersonal strengths

✅ Structured, compliant hiring and promotion processes—standardized interviews and role-specific decision criteria

✅ Manager training to reduce bias and support confident decision-making

✅ Intentional promotion and job transition planning to build trust, reduce turnover, and align talent with long-term success

Your systems are only as strong as the people running them. Let’s make sure you’ve got the right ones in the right roles.

© Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

🔗 Ready to initiate your next chapter—or refine your role as a powerful contributor? Jeannette specializes in coaching leaders who are ready to build legacies, embrace reinvention, and lead with clarity.

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, has guided thousands of executives and business leaders to achieve remarkable success over the past 32 years. Her specialty is delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges—with excellence and accountability at the core.

🔗 Contact Jeannette for a confidential conversation about smart hiring, insightful promotions, and intentional transitions.

Rebuilding Bridges: Working for a New Boss That Used to Work for You

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“Company restructuring offers new opportunities to become a great leader, even when you have been replaced as the boss.” Jeannette Seibly

A restructuring has flipped the script—a former employee or co-worker you once ignored or disliked is now calling the shots as your new boss.

Your initial reaction? Dust off your resume or escalate concerns to upper management.

But before making an impulsive move, consider this: adapting to these changes presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate resilience, self-awareness, and leadership agility.

Successfully navigating this transition proves your ability to collaborate with anyone, under any circumstances—a desirable trait for all great leaders.

Tips to Develop a Positive Working Relationship

  1. Acknowledge and Accept the Change
  • Extend a professional “congratulations” when the announcement is made. Words matter, but sincerity is key.
  • Proactively request a meeting to clarify expectations and roles due to the restructuring. Beware if the new boss insists there will be no changes—request the meeting to ensure alignment.
  • Set the tone for mutual respect—listening with intention fosters collaboration, regardless of past tensions.
  • Don’t expect instant rapport with the new boss. S/he may not readily trust you due to a lack of confidence or past interactions with you. Be patient and don’t undermine their progress.
  1. Strengthen Professionalism and Awareness
  • Your biases, poor communication skills, and other bad habits may be why you were overlooked in the company restructuring. These must be addressed with your executive coach and therapist for you to excel.
  • This is a great opportunity for professional growth—attend workshops (and actively participate), engage in role-playing exercises, and listen to podcasts that sharpen emotional intelligence, adaptability, and objectivity.
  • Hire your own executive coach and use an objective job fit assessment to understand your inherent strengths and weaknesses. Confidentially, talk about how to become more effective.
  • Remember, awareness alone doesn’t drive change—your leadership style must visibly shift through consistent actions.
  • Be open to receiving feedback and coaching from the new boss, even when you disagree. Ask open-ended questions to discern the true issue.
  1. Develop a Growth Mindset
  • It’s a new day when a company restructures (or is sold). It’s important to be a team player and stop participating in toxic factions or discriminatory cliques (inside and outside the company) that want to hold on to the old way of doing business.
  • Build emotional integrity: Demonstrating personal accountability signals to upper management that you’re invested in long-term success and future leadership opportunities.
  • Find an internal corporate or industry mentor to guide you through the restructuring, new working relationships, and new issues.
  1. Rebuild Trust, If Possible
  • Reliability is key—consistently deliver on commitments and communicate challenges transparently.
  • Seek guidance from the new boss, even on familiar situations. These interactions offer fresh perspectives and demonstrate respect.
  • Support the new boss’s success, especially when s/he makes mistakes or poor decisions. Remember, your words and actions speak loudly.
  • Be an advocate if your former team members are struggling. Talk 1:1 with the new boss and encourage team members to do the same.
  • If met with cool indifference, remain professional—time and consistency will determine whether trust can be rebuilt.
  • Steer clear of office gossip. Instead, publicly support your new boss and contribute to a culture of collaboration.
  1. Apply These Lessons for Long-Term Growth
  • Shift focus to measurable contributions: add value, showcase strengths, and position yourself as a team player despite company changes.
  • Leverage this experience to deepen your understanding of workplace dynamics and to mitigate biases. Learning how to work with and through others for team success is important.
  • Demonstrate ethical leadership and an inclusive mindset—your actions reinforce your credibility and growth.

Leadership is about navigating challenges, adapting with integrity, and fostering alignment. Embrace it. This can be your golden opportunity to elevate, expand, and excel your leadership.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, executives, and managers to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate their performance and reach new heights.

Grab her book, “Hire Amazing Employees,” and confidently redesign and use a strategic selection system to ensure people are placed in the right jobs.

How to Get Past Failure and Move Forward with Confidence

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“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

We’ve all faced setbacks—some were frustrating, others downright humiliating. But instead of retreating and hoping no one notices (they will), the key is to get into action. Failure isn’t a dead end; it’s a detour that redirects you toward better results.

6 Steps to Regain Focus and Drive Success

  1. Reflect with Purpose. Complete the What Worked? / What Didn’t Work? exercise individually, then bring your team together to share insights. This ensures learning, not blame.
  2. Extract Lessons & Adjust. Ask: What did we learn? What can we do differently? Example: If you went over budget, assign clear financial oversight next time. Remember, the key is to tell the truth.
  3. Acknowledge Contributions. Go around the virtual table and recognize each person’s successes. Failure doesn’t erase progress—celebrate what worked and what was learned!
  4. Engage in Honest Conversations. If the failure impacted customers or employees, address it directly. No excuses—just listen, learn, and align on next steps.
  5. Prioritize Alignment Over Consensus. Waiting for full agreement as to what to do next is a fool’s game. Get alignment, make decisions, and move forward. Momentum matters.
  6. Take Action—Now Stop searching for an escape route. Action builds resilience and dissolves resistance. The sooner you move, the faster you recover.

Failure isn’t the end—it’s a pivot point. The faster you embrace it, the stronger your leadership becomes.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, executives, and managers to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Goal Accomplished! Now What?

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“Success brings momentum. Don’t waste it—use it to fuel your next win.” Jeannette Seibly

You did it! You reached your goal—woohoo! 🎉 Now what?

  1. Celebrate! Take a moment to enjoy the win. Share it with your team, friends, and family.
  2. Choose Your Next Goal. What’s next? Pick a new project or find out what your boss or customers need.
  3. Keep Going! Momentum is key. Don’t slow down—build on your success.

8 Ways to Keep the Momentum Going

✅ What Worked? What Didn’t? This step is a must. Every win and every mistake or failure teaches you something. Use this at the start, middle, and end of any project.

✅ Brainstorm! Don’t assume you know the best way forward. Listen to ideas and provide a safe environment so team members are comfortable speaking up.  A theme or solution will pop up, even off-the-wall ideas have merit.

✅ Don’t Fear Risk! Take wild ideas and find five reasons they could work. You don’t have to use them, but they’ll spark new solutions.

✅ Think Like a Winner! Worried about the “what ifs”? Breathe. Start with your goal, set a deadline, and work backward. Break it into smaller steps.

✅ Review Your Plan. Run it by your coach, mentor, or someone outside the project. Then, share it with your team and boss. Aim for alignment—not consensus. Otherwise, you’ll stall.

✅ Get to Work! Make a system to track your progress. When you hit a wall (and you will), talk it out! Use “What Worked? What Didn’t?” to find missing pieces.

✅ Make It Happen! Just planning isn’t enough. Execution takes effort. Have key conversations along the way to stay on track.

✅ Celebrate Again! Another win? YES! 🎉 Don’t forget:

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, specializes in delivering innovative solutions for hiring, coaching, and leadership challenges. Over the past 32 years, she has empowered business owners, executives, and managers to achieve remarkable success. With a steadfast commitment to excellence, Jeannette champions those eager to elevate, expand, and excel in their results.

Job Fit: How To Strategically Hire for Tomorrow’s Results

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“Successful hiring requires aligning skills, values, and potential to ensure resilience and results.” Jeannette Seibly

In a previous article, I focused on what job fit is and what it is not.

To continue, it’s critical to remember, hiring today isn’t just about filling empty seats—it’s about building resilient, adaptable teams that align with your company’s vision and values — and producing intended results. In other words, it’s about selecting employees who will fit the job requirements.

Yet here lies the challenge: too many leaders fail to refine their hiring strategies. Instead, they rely on gut instincts, skip deliberate planning, and ignore the importance of clarifying roles or expectations.

Some might even view a low turnover rate as evidence of a flawless strategic hiring process. But dig deeper, and you will find disengaged employees—doing just enough to avoid attention while costing the business in lost clients, missed opportunities, and sagging morale.

To ensure your team thrives today and tomorrow, it’s essential to rethink how you hire, coach, and manage. Job fit success hinges on prioritizing agility, shared values, and innovation, while using appropriate tools that align seamlessly with your goals.

Do you want to make job fit happen?

1. Hire for Agility and Mental Flexibility

Adaptability is non-negotiable in today’s fast-paced world. Resilient teams navigate change, tackle complexity, and creatively solve problems. Seek candidates who excel in uncertain situations and can pivot when circumstances demand it.

Job fit assessments are invaluable for uncovering potential beyond the resume and interview. These tools evaluate how candidates think, process information, and approach challenges—providing clear insights into how they will drive innovation and thrive in dynamic environments.

2. Prioritize Purpose, Passion, and Shared Values

The strongest teams connect deeply to your company’s mission and values. Candidates that fit the job have purpose and passion and will contribute more than just skills; they bring energy, commitment, and alignment with your culture. However, uncovering these traits requires going beyond superficial interviews.

Use layered questioning techniques, like the Rule of 3, to explore motivations and ensure alignment. Additionally, integrity and honesty assessments add confidence that you’re hiring individuals who genuinely fit your workplace values.

3. Leverage Technology and Predictive Insights

With advancements in AI and analytics, hiring decisions can extend beyond resumes. Modern tools analyze behavioral patterns, validate job fit, and predict compatibility—helping you make smarter, future-focused decisions.

Still, balance is key. Use technology strategically, allowing it to handle tasks like pre-screening or scheduling, but maintain genuine human connection throughout your recruitment process.

Note: Throughout the pre-employment phase, ensure that all assessments and other tools used comply with Department of Labor standards to safeguard fairness and accuracy, as well as other legal requirements (e.g., EEO, ADA).

4. Expand and Diversify Talent Pipelines

To build tomorrow’s results-focused team, broaden your horizons. Go beyond traditional recruitment channels—explore overlooked talent pools, mentorship programs, and upskilling initiatives. Diversity and critical thinking will fuel innovation and strengthen problem-solving within your teams.

Remember, recruitment is just the beginning to discover whether or not the person will fit the job. To keep good employees, robust onboarding processes, clear career paths, and continuous coaching will ensure new hires who fit their jobs stay engaged and committed to your company’s long-term vision.

5. Redefine Success with Growth-Focused Paths

Candidates today seek more than just a paycheck—they’re looking for development opportunities and a meaningful future where they can make a difference. Attract top talent by emphasizing pathways for continuous learning, leadership advancement, and impactful growth.

Expand your definition of success to include sustainability, innovation, and community contributions. Equip employees with the tools to take ownership of their development, fostering engagement and inspiring long-term loyalty.

Hiring for job fit isn’t just about recruitment. It requires refining and leveraging your selection and onboarding systems, prioritizing job fit. This is how you’ll build teams that embody your company’s vision, agility, and shared values.

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 32 years of hands-on experience. Working with small and family businesses, her expertise helps leaders and bosses refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices and achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, all while championing those ready to elevate their game to new heights.

Selling Ideas is Required of Leaders

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“To be an influencer, you must be emotionally unattached to receiving credit.” Jeannette Seibly

As a leader, selling your ideas takes two things: 1) lots of practice and 2) the ability to have the right conversations. Emotional intelligence is also required to be able to read others’ reactions, incorporate their ideas, and be flexible without losing the intention of the idea.

What gets in your way?

• It’s all about you! AKA ego! While it may initially be your idea, the refusal to expand and contract the idea will hurt implementation and execution.

• Immovable. You’re emotionally attached to how it MUST look. The reality? Others will influence the idea’s success.

• Ignoring the Full Impact. You’ve not considered the impact it has on others, the situation, perception (e.g., co-workers, community, clients), cost, and time factors.

• It’s Not the Right Time. And … the reality may be (depending on your team, boss, and company) … it may never be the right time (especially if they don’t like your idea).

• You always have new ideas! People hate change and have tuned you out, especially constant change for the sake of change.

How to Sell Your Ideas and Be Heard

• Share ideas during meetings. Then, research the pros and cons IF there is interest.

• Create ideas during conversations. Be responsible for listening to their feedback and input.

• Share ideas after you’ve researched them. This includes the benefits and costs: objective facts, other’s insights, and company politics.

• Get real — objective facts are key. Look at actual costs, time, and impact on others. Then, include emotional factors.

• Incorporate others’ input. Be responsible for listening, asking open-ended questions, without diminishing the value or the intention of their input or your idea.

• Brag! Use your brags effectively. Selling yourself and your idea at the same time makes a positive difference. For example, when I worked at QRS as a Quality Manager, we talked about a similar idea, and here were the pros and cons. Remember, facts are important!

• Share the credit. Remember, it’s a team effort!

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 32 years of hands-on experience. Her expertise helps leaders and bosses refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices and achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, while championing those ready to elevate their game to new heights.

Secrets to Achieving a Successful 2025

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“What are you doing differently to get the results this year?” Jeannette Seibly

A new year has begun! While some of you as leaders and bosses may be excited, others dread it and hope it’s not another year like last year!

What are the secrets to moving forward and achieving a fabulous year?

No, it’s not creating more resolutions!

It’s expanding your leadership!

Keep reading …

Secrets to Expanding Your Leadership

Be Curious. Take time for reflection on what you really, really, really want to achieve this year for yourself! Expand and think bigger than your normal way—playing small and safe won’t get you a promotion, pay increase, or new job opportunities. Expanding your curiosity requires hiring the right executive coach and doing the work!

Seek Feedback. While you may hate to hear others’ opinions, thoughts, and feelings (most people do), discovering your leadership blind spots is priceless. Suggested questions: “When you think of me, what are my strengths?” “What are one or two areas that you would recommend I improve on?” “Anything else you’d like to say?” Remember, you’ve asked them for their feedback. Do NOT debate. Instead, ask open-ended questions to delve deeper if you desire to do so. If you really want to expand your leadership savvy, do this.

Know Thy True Self. Yes, many people believe they already do. Interestingly, they know themselves by how they want to be seen … not by who they really are (and how others see them). In this era of desired authenticity, knowing your inherent strengths and how to work with these traits to minimize weaknesses is important. This expands your influence and encourages others to listen to your ideas.

Seek Resolutions. Conflict and disagreements can create havoc with your team and your future, especially if you’re someone who likes to sugar-coat the issue or deny the issue exists. Your job as a leader is to help others grow and develop. It starts by having people discover “why” there are differences and how to use critical thinking skills. Learn to expand your results and resolve the situation instead of having the focus on someone’s personality!

Develop Good Working Relationships. You don’t have to love your boss or employees. However, you do need to focus on their positive qualities and learn how to work with them for your success. I’ve worked with many leaders to develop and expand this skill — it made the #1 difference in their success.

Dial Up Your Humbleness. Yes, egos have a way of getting in the way of your success! To avoid burnout, ask for help! Use your coach, boss, and team to improve and expand (or simplify) your ideas for workability.

Self-Care. When you feel overwhelmed by people and situations, breathe! Sounds simple but it’s not automatic it naturally calms you down. Take a walk. Talk it out privately with a confidant. Again, be open to feedback that you may not want to hear. Being a great leader requires expanding knowledge, confidence, and abilities.

Hire a Coach. ALL successful leaders have coaches! Take the leap and hire the right one now!

©Jeannette Seibly 2025 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly, an award-winning Talent Advisor, Leadership Results Coach, and Business Author, boasts over 32 years of hands-on experience. Her expertise helps leaders and bosses refine their hiring, coaching, and management practices and achieve their intended results. Along the journey, she has guided the creation of three millionaires and numerous six-figure earners, all while championing those ready to elevate their game to new heights.

How to Acknowledge Fears Due to Uncertainties

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“It’s important to keep moving forward responsibly during the uncertainties being experienced right now.” Jeannette Seibly

While uncertainties are a natural part of life and can be challenging, they also offer opportunities for growth and adaptation.

There are many uncertainties today due to natural disasters, economic and political confusion, and global impacts. These often elicit fears – fear of change and fear of the unknown. As a boss/leader, it’s essential you acknowledge your own fears and manage them first. Your reactions can encourage innovation, business growth, and new systems … or keep you and others stuck in fear.

Fear is contagious! Don’t disregard your own! (Yes, I’m repeating it since many bosses/leaders fail to acknowledge their own fears!)

• Take the time to talk with your executive coach and stay in action moving forward.
• Use a job fit assessment leadership report to uncover your leadership blind spots … during times of uncertainties, people are more sensitive to your words and actions.
• Keep up-to-date on any industry, business, and company changes, no matter how small.
• Focus on moving your team forward and keeping them engaged. Remember, team members will mimic how you handle these challenging moments of uncertainty.
• Do your homework, admit to not having all the answers, and talk straight.

How to Acknowledge Fears Responsibly

Acknowledge your fears privately. Acknowledge your fears and treat yourself with compassion. Take time for self-reflection. Answer, “What is keeping me awake at night?” Start a private journal (for your eyes only) to address your actual concerns and possible solutions. Also, write down new insights and opportunities that pop up – no matter how off-the-wall they may seem.

Share your concerns appropriately and responsibly. Recognize situations or thoughts that trigger your reactions. These may be unrecognized biases and fears. Acknowledge that they are natural and normal human responses that everyone experiences. But don’t hang onto them. During team meetings, set aside fears and create a “What if …” time for new ideas to flow. Stay away from “How to do it” – that comes later after the brainstorming phase.

Focus on what you can impact. With your team, develop a plan that will provide a sense of direction using new strategies. Set manageable goals by breaking down milestones into small, achievable steps. These “wins” are essential.

Don’t step over acknowledging others’ contributions. Appreciation can minimize others’ fears of change and uncertainty which cause anxiety and impact performance. Share your own fears and growth appropriately and with brevity.

Practice mindfulness. Be aware of words and attitudes (yours and others) that get in the way of team members and others feeling that they are part of the process. Stay present during conversations and other interactions, especially about any issues or team conflicts. Get them resolved immediately. Remember, breathing practices can help calm the mind, alleviate feelings of fear and indecisiveness, and improve the quality of win-win-win outcomes.

Stick to the facts and use numbers/metrics to de-escalate any upsets. Speak responsibly and factually. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t have an answer at the moment.” This builds trust, credibility, and influence. If you engage in hyperbole, your board, team, or client will stop listening and trusting you. Remember, what you say and do will be repeated and possibly recorded.

Stay connected. Again, don’t attempt to go it alone. When confronted by a problem, talk it out with your executive coach, one or two trusted confidants, and with your management team. (Don’t post on social media!) Also, attend trade, industry, and professional meetings — these can provide insights from shared experiences and give a sense of community, making it easier to cope with uncertainties while pursuing new opportunities.

©Jeannette Seibly 2024 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 32 years of practical experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 33 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about these state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

A note from Jeannette: Fear due to change and uncertainty is contagious! As a boss/leader, it’s essential to take care of yourself and your team dynamics during times of uncertainty. This week’s article addresses considerations to guide you and your team to move forward and address the natural fears that are arising at this time. Contact me to start a confidential conversation and address how to resolve what seems unresolvable.

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread doing what is needed to manage your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days! But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully – this includes getting you out of the way and working with and through people effectively to achieve the results required. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Want to Be a Great Leader? Stop Focusing on Your Weaknesses

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“We can all be good-to-great leaders if we’re willing to focus on our true strengths.” Jeannette Seibly

Many leaders can be their own worst critic and give reasons as to why (e.g., bad boss, wrong employees, unreasonable customers, etc. etc.)!

But focusing on weaknesses only makes the weakness more of a problem!

It doesn’t serve you, your employees, or your customers!

Being a good-to-great boss/leader requires getting real about who you are and getting the coaching necessary to develop you and your team members.

How to Focus on Improving Your Leadership

Know Thyself … Not by how you want to be seen because people can see through a fake. Instead, use a leadership report from a qualified job fit assessment to clarify traits that are strengths and how those same strengths can also be considered weaknesses. For example, a sales manager who loves meeting people may have poor listening skills.

Knowing yourself is critical to developing the real skills required to be a great boss/leader.

Hire an Executive Coach. Ninety-nine percent of good-to-great bosses/leaders have an executive coach. The right coach provides a sounding board and someone to guide you through sticky situations and political factions at work.

Complete What Worked? / What Didn’t Work? Use this exercise when you are experiencing a project or team failure. Or, as a way to complete the day/week/month. Don’t forget to include the human side of your job and projects, too.

Stay focused on your strengths and what matters most in building your company, employees, and customers.

Get Frequent Feedback. Use an objective 360-degree feedback assessment — using formal ones provide needed confidentiality and compare you with the working population. Too often, internally developed feedback assessments nitpick at things that don’t matter and reflect the opinions of a few employees. It doesn’t mean you overlook these types of concerns. However, the results from the formal assessment provide objective insight that is needed before having conversations individually with team members and making any adjustments to your leadership style.

Network to Stay in Touch. Reach out on a consistent basis to a select few leaders to talk through company or industry issues.

Develop People Leadership Skills. This is key to being a great leader! While you may have charisma or technical/financial skills, you may lack good interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills. Take workshops every year to develop your emotional intelligence, communication, diversity awareness, and team development skills.

©Jeannette Seibly 2024 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of practical experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 32 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about these state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

A note from Jeannette: You can become the leader you’ve always wanted to be and visualize yourself to be. First, you need to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, then do the work to improve on your strengths on a consistent daily basis. Need guidance on developing your leadership from good to great? Contact me.

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread doing what is needed to manage your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days! But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully – this includes getting you out of the way and working with and through people effectively to achieve the results required. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

It’s Essential to Learn How to Coach Your Employees and Teams

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“Learning and using effective coaching skills improves team results.” Jeannette Seibly

Today, more than ever, coaching is an essential skill for bosses and leaders.

Why? The effectiveness of coaching is reflected in employee and customer retention, employee job satisfaction, and team results.

The challenge? Many bosses/leaders don’t understand what coaching is or how to do it. Or, they’ve tried it, and it didn’t work, leaving employees and teams deflated.

The good news is that bosses and leaders can become good coaches. But like any new skill, it takes consistent practice to improve and become effective.

How to Improve Your Ability to Coach Effectively

First, Let’s Define Coaching. Coaching is not telling employees what to do. That is what supervisors or managers do. Coaching involves guiding, empowering, and helping each employee and team grow by listening, making suggestions for improvements, and allowing the employee and team to stretch – which sometimes means they’ll make mistakes and experience failures.

Let’s Get Started

Create a Learning Environment. When learning, employees increase their natural curiosity and innovative spirits. Ensure you invest in each employee and team and work with them to use the new skills effectively.

Be Specific in Your Praise. Celebrate individual achievements, successes, and wins with specific acknowledgment. Learning how to brag appropriately is also important to build confidence.

Build a Win-Win-Win Decision-Making Model. Involve your team in decision-making processes to build trust and ownership. Remember, this involves true brainstorming, resolving team conflict, and encouraging respectful conversations — each person speaks up and feels comfortable doing so.

Learn from Failure. Everyone has an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and failures – in fact, it’s the best way to learn. This is not the time for “I told you so’s” or other disparaging comments. Instead, use the “What Worked/What Didn’t Work?” and review with the employee or team. Focus on lessons learned and what’s next.

Leverage Strengths. Identify and capitalize on each team member’s strengths using an objective job fit assessment. These objective insights help you, your employees, and your team members grow and develop. With the information provided, you will be able to provide laser-like coaching rather than the hated trial-and-error process which leaves employees disempowered.

Practice Emotional Awareness. Understand and manage your own emotions and those of your team. Use compassion, respect, and a sandwich approach when offering feedback to your team members without being critical or condescending.

Listen. Listen actively and ask open-ended questions. Sometimes, all you need to do is listen and facilitate the conversation. By being a sounding board, it allows the team member to work out the solution and have the confidence to implement it. Don’t forget to ask “By When” it will be done and mark it on your calendar. (An important coaching strategy.)

It’s critical to remember that developing practical coaching skills is an ongoing process and not a one-time event. Don’t forget to hire your own executive coach to guide you through those sticky situations and political working relationships. This helps you coach others!

©Jeannette Seibly 2024 All Rights Reserved

Jeannette Seibly is a Talent Advisor/Leadership Results Coach with over 31 years of practical experience guiding leaders and bosses to improve their hiring, coaching, and managing practices and produce amazing results! And yes, achieving business success always starts with having the right people in the right jobs! She has been an Authorized PXT Select® Partner for over 32 years. Contact Jeannette to learn more about these state-of-the-art job-fit assessment tools or how to coach and manage your people to achieve incredible results.

A note from Jeannette: Today’s bosses and leaders must become effective coaches. Coaching is not the same as managing and telling people what to do. Do you need help developing an effective coaching style as a boss/leader without defaulting to the hated trial-and-error approach? Contact me!

Now is the time to get into focused action! Are there days you dread doing what is needed to manage your people, projects, and team’s financial performance? You’re not alone! Everyone has those days! But continuing to hide behind excuses only hurts you and your future promotability. I have extensive experience and wisdom guiding bosses and leaders to hire, coach, and manage their teams successfully – this includes getting you out of the way and working with and through people effectively to achieve the results required. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching programs.

Are you using your talents and abilities effectively? Many of us are not! Click Here for a Free Download on how to use your talents and enjoy a rewarding career!