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Leadership Coaching
How to Turn A Group of People Into A Great Team
The Challenge. Leaders, owners and managers have been sharing things with me recently like: “My team is fragmented.” “They’re good workers, but they’re not an aligned team.” “How do I get my team to genuinely care?” “I’m experiencing divisiveness between the front end and back end.” Whether it’s retail and service, different departments, or simply people pulling in different directions, a group of good people doesn’t automatically become a great team. The Desired Outcome.
leslie4872
2 min read
How to Turn A Group of People Into A Great Team
The Challenge. Leaders, owners and managers have been sharing things with me recently like: “My team is fragmented.” “They’re good workers, but they’re not an aligned team.” “How do I get my team to genuinely care?” “I’m experiencing divisiveness between the front end and back end.” Whether it’s retail and service, different departments, or simply people pulling in different directions, a group of good people doesn’t automatically become a great team. The Desired Outcome.
leslie4872
Oct 72 min read
What Does the Team Member In Front of You Uniquely Need?
Have you ever had a team member who seems to be getting in the way of the team, the culture, the vision, or the outcome you're trying to achieve? You try harder. You repeat yourself. You set boundaries. You may even find yourself digging your heels in and thinking, “Why aren't they doing what I want them to do?” And when it fails to produce the desired results, you try the exact same leadership approach again. ; ) Not because it was effective, but because it's the only
leslie4872
Sep 234 min read
The Fish Stinks From the Head
I was interviewing John Yokoyama, owner of the world-famous Pike Place Fish Market, on my radio show over a decade ago. I still remember John Yokoyama telling me that they had a saying around the market, and that saying was: The fish stinks from the head! “The fish stinks from the head!” Meaning, if something isn’t working in your business, you need to look at yourself first. In other words, if employees aren’t providing exceptional customer service, you need to take a ha
leslie4872
Sep 92 min read
Don't Let A Tough Job Market Decide Who You Hire
Lately, during my presentations and consultations with leaders and management teams, I inevitably hear the same concern: “It’s so hard to find good people right now!” Leaders tell me they’ve had job openings posted for months. They’re worried that if they don’t fill the position quickly, they, their managers, or their employees will have to work overtime to fill the gap. And that’s when the “warm body hiring process” can begin. You hire someone simply because you need s
leslie4872
Aug 264 min read
The Hidden Cost of Avoidance
Avoiding accountability conversations doesn’t make problems go away. It just delays them. And the longer we delay them, the more they quietly drain a business of energy, focus, alignment, and revenue. It’s a lot like waiting for Old Faithful to erupt, a famous geyser in Yellowstone National Park that erupts on a predictable cycle. You know it will happen. You just don’t know exactly when. And in work, that delay has a cost. Procrastinated conversations don’t solve problem
leslie4872
Aug 44 min read
The Way Out Is In
If you are an owner, founder, partner, or leader of a team who deeply cares about helping the people you lead, this letter is written for you. In my work with thousands of owners, team leaders, and their employees, pretty much every leader has come to me with a desire to get their team, whether it is their leadership team, their employees, or their company as a whole, to trust each other, align, care more, and achieve greater results. When it comes to retail, they especia
leslie4872
Jul 315 min read
Here's to you, being a leader who is making a difference.
As growth-minded leaders, we are often focused on the next action, milestone, or goal. While that drive helps us grow, it can also cause us to be our own toughest critics and focus more on where we are falling short than the difference we are already making. I invite you to pause for a moment and reflect on how you showed up and contributed to someone at work or in life. When did you make a difference, whether in a big or small way? Maybe it was through a difficult but me
leslie4872
Jul 222 min read
The Question That Changes How You Lead
I carry a small 4 x 3 inch notebook with me throughout my workday. I call it my “Extraordinary Results Notebook.” Before I begin a new task, project, or important conversation, I take a few moments to answer two questions: 1. What is my big WHY for this?2. What outcome or result do I want to create? These simple questions help me shift from simply completing a task to being intentional about the impact I want to make. When I feel unmotivated or find myself avoiding so
leslie4872
Jul 163 min read
The Thinking That Keeps Leaders Stuck
"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein Imagine the absurdity of trying to play basketball on a football field. The basketball would barely bounce on the turf. There are no hoops to shoot at, no place to make a layup or slam dunk, and no way to score any points. As silly as this sounds, it's exactly what many of us do as leaders when we're confronted with challenges on our team. We tell people what to do, b
leslie4872
Jul 23 min read
The Power of Acknowledgement: One Simple Action Can Transform Your Team
WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I FIRST STARTED DATING, we would constantly give each other compliments. It seemed like we couldn’t say enough nice things to one another. I would get emails and notes from him with sweet, thoughtful sayings. We weren’t an anomaly; during the dating stage of relationships, it is not uncommon for compliments to exceed negative comments by as many as nine to one. And at this stage, couples often feel the most in love. What does this have to do with leaders
leslie4872
Jun 173 min read
Why Your Team (Or That One Person) Isn't Changing
Over the past several weeks, leaders have been sharing some common frustrations with me... How do I get my staff to believe in what they're doing instead of just selling stuff? I avoid confrontation and having difficult conversations. I'm butting heads with other leaders. Our staff is complacent. We're not unified as a leadership team. There's a lack of trust. Our employees aren't embracing our values. Our employees think they know best and know more than the leadership team
leslie4872
Jun 83 min read
Remember Your ABC's Next Time You Feel Frustrated During A Hard Conversation
Consider that anything and everything we want in leadership and in life is available through being in relationship and engaging in conversations. An essential skill to master is learning how to engage in accountability conversations that actually impact and transform behaviors and performance in the people we lead. I am including just the first 3 basic steps to master when engaging in accountability conversations. Think of it like learning how to play the piano, ride a bike
leslie4872
May 283 min read
Stop Managing. Start Leading.
How to become the kind of leader people actually want to follow. AS A YOUNG GIRL, I was fascinated with why some people had amazing lives and why others failed. Nearly 10 years ago when I began coaching entrepreneurs and business owners, I became intrigued by what distinguished a good business from an extraordinary business. In both growing my own business and coaching my clients, I’ve learned the secret lies in transforming yourself from manager to leader. Your business is e
leslie4872
May 187 min read
Vision: The Secret to Passion, Productivity + Profits
GROWING UP, I was always deeply inspired by stories about people coming together to accomplish something far greater than what they could as individuals. Whether it was a small group helping a person in crisis, neighbors helping neighbors or a business interacting with its customers, all intended to make an impact. Years later, after becoming a certified business coach and consultant, I added talk-show radio host to my resume with a weekly two-hour business show. During
leslie4872
May 133 min read
Why Leadership Feels so Lonely
“It’s lonely at the top,” an owner shared with me recently. “You can talk to your spouse, but you have to be thoughtful about how much you share. And when their eyes start glazing over (which doesn’t take long), that’s a sign it’s time to stop. And besides, it’s not the same as being able to talk to someone who understands what you’re going through.” He went on to share the challenge of not knowing if you’re making the right decisions, like whether to fire someone or keep
leslie4872
May 63 min read
What to Say When A Team Member Doesn't Follow Through
Many of the owners and leaders I’ve been talking to lately are feeling pretty frustrated. Not because they don’t care. But because these accountability conversations just aren’t landing the way they want them to. They are sharing things like: “How do I hold people accountable without damaging the relationship?”“How do I get follow-through without sounding like a scolding teacher?” If you’ve ever thought that… you’re definitely not alone. And there’s actually a reason it kee
leslie4872
Apr 302 min read
A Real Life Moment That Reminded Me Of What Actually Works
Recently, life has been giving me the opportunity to practice having accountability conversations in spades (insert self-conscious laughter and uncomfortable shifting in my seat ; ) I’m genuinely excited to connect with you today, heart to heart, as a person committed to transforming yourself as a leader—so you can have conversations that make a difference with the people you lead, at work and in life. So, let me tell you about my most recent accountability conversation.
leslie4872
Apr 83 min read
What You Are Allowing Might Be the Issue
The boundary you may be avoiding matters most... Engage in A Difference-Making Conversation A Small, Intentional Practice to Shift How You Lead Today. Notice one area at work (or at home) where you feel resentful or frustrated. That frustration is often a signal. What are you allowing that needs a clear boundary? Who do you need to talk to? What request would you be willing to consider making today? Here’s to YOU making a difference with the people you lead, both at w
leslie4872
Apr 11 min read
The Fish Stinks From the Head
If something isn’t working in your business (or life, for that matter) look at yourself first. That’s easy to agree with and harder to do. Most of us go straight to blaming the team. I remember a time I was frustrated with my husband during a home flooring project. I had asked for help and he said no. My immediate reaction was to blame and criticize him in my mind. Then I caught myself and asked, “What’s my part in this?” The answer was immediate. I wasn’t making it
leslie4872
Mar 302 min read
A Simple Leadership Question That Made A Difference For Me...
From time to time, I try to intentionally step away from my daily schedule and busy pace and allow myself a little honest reflection. Recently, I asked myself, “Am I living my life like a daring adventure?Or am I playing it safe, keeping myself small and contained?” I’ve found that life offers me clear breadcrumbs of clues that I can’t ignore. When I am playing it safe, I don’t feel as energized, and experience an ever-so-slight undercurrent of dissatisfaction. After a
leslie4872
Mar 122 min read
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