A lot of my clients are at that point in their careers where they’ve been successful as subject matter experts. They’ve gotten promoted for being good at the work and then they discover that higher levels of leadership call for a whole different set of competencies—primarily around managing people. Marshall Goldsmith wrote a book entitled “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” and that’s exactly what I’m pointing to.
Livable Leadership in a World of Polarities
Lately I’ve been thinking about what might cause motivated leaders to contemplate stepping down from their roles.
Here’s one explanation: Leadership used to be simpler. At least it felt that way. Problems were discrete. Answers were clearer. And conditions felt more predictable.
Today’s leaders face something different.
When Trying Harder Isn't the Answer
Most leaders I coach describe a constant stretch: deliver results, care for their teams, navigate organizational politics, and somehow avoid burning out. They tell me, “If I can just get through the next quarter, it’ll let up.” Or “We’re down three team members and I’m covering their work. Once we fill those positions, I’ll feel some relief.”
These are real pressures but they rest on a powerful assumption: If I just try harder, I’ll finally get ahead of it.
But what if the problem isn’t effort?
From Expert to Strategist: A Simple Way to Rethink Everyday Tasks
“My boss told me I need to be more of a strategic thinker,” Charles told me.
“What does that mean to you?” I asked.
“To be honest, I’m not sure. I didn’t want to ask her because it might make me look like I wasn’t up for the promotion I just got. But I don’t really know how being a strategic thinker would change what I do.”
Charles isn’t alone. Many leaders are told to “be more strategic” without anyone explaining what that looks like day to day. Does that sound familiar? If so, keep reading for a few simple ways to bring strategic thinking into your everyday responsibilities.
5 Ways to Find Your Balance When You're Scattered
Do you ever feel like your brain is going in a million directions at once? If so, read on!
All summer our moving plans were stalled. We did everything we could: staged the house nicely, said yes to every open house and showing, priced it right…we even buried a statue of St. Joseph, the patron saint of home sellers.
For what felt like forever, we waited and hoped something would happen before winter.
And then it did.
Why I Wake Up in the Morning: Leadership Lessons from Blue Zones
In mid-July I participated in a conference sponsored by FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention. The gathering kicked off a year-long leadership institute for people working in child abuse prevention around the country. The FRIENDS Leadership Institute’s purpose is to develop a cohort of leaders with the skill to move their organizations toward family-strengthened primary prevention whatever positions they are in. The conference featured national leadership experts and many opportunities for peer learning. It aimed to expose participants to thought provoking systems leadership that participants might adapt to their own contexts.
The institute opened with a presentation describing the work of an organization called Blue Zones.
Discovering a Good Fit for Your Talents
You may be weighing your next career move and wondering what a good fit might be. If so, the questions below could help you reflect on possible next steps. They were developed to help a coaching client who wants to use his leadership strengths more fully in his next position. We used a technique called Exploratory Writing to explore Questions 1 and 2 and then debriefed with the follow-up questions.
How to Plan for an Uncertain Future
This is a repost of a piece I published in November, 2020. Given all the uncertainty swirling around so many of us at this time, it seemed to offer some helpful tools to stay grounded during what feels like a hurricane of change. I hope you find it useful. Please leave your suggestions on planning for an uncertain future in the comments below.
Instilling Self-Accountability
What’s your definition of accountability?
We often think of it as something done by someone to another person. Even our language suggests that it’s a one-way street: “I’m going to hold you accountable for…”
I wrote a blog post on that topic in January 2024. In that piece, I commented on the pitfalls of believing it’s the leader’s responsibility to hold their people accountable. Instead, I proposed that accountability might be framed as a mutual set of responsibilities that are established by setting clear expectations & shared agreements up front. When agreements are broken (which is where accountability can get challenging), the parties explore and adjust without blame.
In my post, I wondered whether that notion might be too “pie in the sky” based on conversations with clients who manage significant performance issues.
Finding Time for What's Important
It was February 21, 1900. I was in my last semester of grad school and working full time.
I had just walked into my office after a meeting in Connecticut. Hadn’t even taken off my coat when the phone rang. It was my husband.
“Are you sitting down?” he asked.
“Seriously? Who says that?” I protested.
“No, I mean it. Sit down.” To humor him, I complied. “Our house is burning down,” he told me.
Is Time on Your Side?
You’ve finally managed to secure an appointment with someone you look up to as a leader. You’ve watched her TED Talks and read her articles. Getting an actual appointment was a long shot; you’re excited to be able to meet her in person. In fact, you’ve been working on some ideas for a new project that you can’t wait to get her perspective on.
You show up at her place of business, only to find a line of people outside her office, snaking down the hall. This is disconcerting and doesn’t fit with your image of how such a leader would manage her commitments, but, after all, she is a busy person and so important. You take your place in the line. After an hour, you are first in line.
Lose the Angst: Making Decisions with Ease
Does your current approach to decision-making cause stress and lead to procrastination, wasted time and energy? Have you tried various techniques but still haven’t got a great “formula” that works for you?
If so, you’re not alone. Some of my clients struggle with this, too, and I can totally relate. There are times when I can make life altering decisions without hesitating. Other times, I’m paralyzed with indecision for weeks about something that seems minor.
Wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what goes into making an effective decision and how to decide with ease? Read on for some factors that go into a good decision and what gets in the way.
Transitions: Making the Most of Them
As I’m writing this, it’s my husband’s last day of work before his retirement. It’s also the day before his 70th birthday. The past few weeks have included signing up for Medicare, applying for Social Security benefits, and fitting in medical appointments that may not be covered after his health insurance ends. And that doesn’t even include being on the verge of starting construction on our house.
What One Person Can Do to Help with Burnout
Is there someone in your life who you think is on the verge of burnout? Maybe it’s a person you supervise or a friend or partner.
How would you know? The World Health Organization defines occupational burnout as a syndrome … resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
According to the WHO, burnout has three dimensions: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and 3) a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment.
The 4 Best Ways to Get People Excited About Doing Their Job
Upholding the Common Good in Your Area of Influence
At a time when the world grapples with political polarization, global health issues, climate change, and debates over military aid, leaders in human services face a related challenge. What do these global issues have in common with the difficulties faced by those in human services? They share an underlying dynamic that has to do with balancing individual self-interest with the common good.
Is Your Team on the Verge of Burnout? Here’s How You Might Be Contributing (and What to Do About It)
I’m working with several organizations that have invested heavily in initiatives designed to enhance the wellbeing and psychological safety of their employees. In spite of that, they still continue to report high degrees of burnout among their workforce.
Why is it burnout still so prevalent?
One clue might be a little recognized change in how people must do their work.
Letting Go of Resentment
Here’s a thought experiment. Bring to mind a relationship that causes you to feel resentful at times. It could be with a family member, a colleague, a boss or a friend. In spite of attempts to deal with these feelings—possibly on both sides—you just can’t seem to clear the air once and for all. And the relationship is not one that you’re likely to walk away from.
Reframing Accountability
Many of the leaders I work with struggle with holding their people accountable, regardless of what level they are in the organization. According to a CEO Benchmarking Report, holding people accountable is difficult—even for leaders who head up companies. 18% of the CEOs surveyed cited “holding people accountable” as their biggest weakness. Additionally, 15% struggle with “letting go of underperformers.”
Is this challenging for you, too?
Embrace the New: Finding Meaning in Setbacks
It’s that time of year again. Yes, it’s time to gather with family, overindulge a bit and grab some sorely needed down time.
But it’s also the time of year to look back, reflect, and use the fruits of your reflections to lay a foundation for the new year.
I’d like to be your virtual reflection partner. After all, isn’t the hard work of reflection more enjoyable when it’s shared?