Do you know how you impact people when you enter a room? When presenting your case in an important meeting, does your voice change if challenged by a superior? Is your “default face” a blank stare or a scowl that discourages others from contributing? Do you always follow a humorous remark with a forced laugh?… [Read More]
Are You a “Hitter?”
Recently, I was meeting with a 40-something client of mine, a long-time Managing Director at a successful middle-market private equity firm. He described the process by which he had just landed a seat on the board of advisors of a very prestigious international studies program at his alma mater. “Somehow my name came to the… [Read More]
Learning to Say “No!”
“I have so little time for myself and the things that are really important in my life. This has got to stop!” I was listening to the strained voice of one of my clients whom I had been coaching for over a year. Over the prior three years, he had agreed to take significant leadership… [Read More]
Goal Setting
As we enter the first weeks of 2012, it is the time that many of choose to set goals for the coming year. In thinking about your professional and personal goals, I challenge you to stretch, think HUGE and set goals that take you out of your comfort zone. Most of us spend too much… [Read More]
When Things Go Wrong
My sons and I decided to go four wheeling up in the White River National Forest on Saturday in our recently acquired Land Rover. What transpired over the next five hours was a wonderfully rich experience that, looking back, I realize had many lessons for managing through problems at work. We piled into the car… [Read More]
On Limiting and Negative Thoughts
I have a friend – we’ll call him Fred – who is the COO of a $1 billion+ revenue consumer products company. Fred is a very seasoned, self-aware executive and authentic business leader. Thus, he surprised me the other day as we were out on a Sunday morning bike ride. We were discussing some of… [Read More]