connections

How to Build Self-Trust as a Leader

I was just reading an article from the co-founder of Netflix, Marc Randolph, about the 25 year anniversary of the company. He shared that “they simply believed that there “had to be a better way” to rent movies but along the way, we ended up not just changing the way the world consumes content, but how that content is created.” He also mentioned that every single person told him in the beginning that what he wanted to create with Netflix “would never…
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How to Have Meaningful Discussions with Leaders Above You

I met with a client the other day who wanted to meet with a VP in her organization. However, in the next breath, she said, “but I can’t meet with him and have a conversation, I wouldn’t know what to say.” This is a common response from clients who are meeting with someone at a higher level than they are or it is the first time that they are having a conversation together. It is understandable to feel that way…
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Vulnerability Can Change Everything for You

I was sitting in a book editing retreat to learn the best ways to edit my book a few years ago. It was a small group event held in a beautiful resort in upstate New York to teach all the future authors in the room how to edit our books. During one of the first days of the event, each of us was supposed to take a turn reading a small selection of one of our chapters to the rest…
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How Well Do You Know Your Team?

What does a leader who develops their people do, that other leaders don’t? I am sure that just like me, you could look back over your career, and see leaders that you enjoyed working for and some that you did not. What were the differences between those two groups of people? In my own experience, there were 4 things that made a difference: Did they actually take the time to connect with me? Did they care about my development? Did…
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Trusted Leaders Create Trusting Teams

Have you been on a team that had huge success, accomplished great things and had fun doing it? What made it different than any other team? One of the biggest reasons that a team will have success or failure comes down to trust. It is incumbent upon the leader to create a foundation that is built on trust. Having that foundation is key to be able to challenge each other and create great outcomes as a team. Here are three…
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How Can You Positively Influence Someone?

Let me share a story that I recently heard. Gloria was in the grocery store line and had six cans of beans in her cart. She put her six cans on the conveyor belt. Suddenly, the cashier stopped her. He said, there is a limit on the beans. You can only buy four cans of beans, so you have to put two of them back. The woman didn’t know that there was a limit of only four cans per person in…
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Are You Connecting in the Right Way With Your Team?

Looking back over your career, there were leaders that you enjoyed work for and some that you did not. What were the differences between those two groups of people? I can share from my own experience, that there were 4 things that made a difference: Did they actually take the time to connect with me? Did they care about my development? Did they support me when things went well and when they didn’t? Did they give me the chance to…
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Are You Prepared to Share Your Story?

I was at a chamber of commerce event last night with over 70 booths and lots of attendees. Many people came by our booth and chatted with us about coaching, our new program we are launching and having assessments done. Having chocolate is never a bad thing, so a big container of Hershey’s miniature chocolates on our table was also a big draw. I met people who were already helping people in their businesses, some who were looking to learn…
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Are You Going to Be the Person to Make It Happen?

I am really grateful that there are so many ways to stay in touch with people electronically using LinkedIn, Facebook, Text and Email. Snapchat is also another way (and sometimes the only way) to connect with the millennials in your life. I am by no means an expert on that one, but it is a great way to connect to them. All of these electronic options have definitely helped me and many others stay connected when we left our jobs…
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Mastering the Art of Personal Branding: Building an Authentic Image

Many of your peers have great experiences, skills and knowledge that might be similar to yours, so what makes you different? How do you add value? What makes you unique? Everyone has to figure out this answer for themselves. Being able to articulate your brand through conversations and actions can make a big difference with people who can have an influence on your career. What is your personal brand? I love to ask clients to describe their personal brand at…
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Managerial Alignment Makes All The Difference For Your Success

I have had several conversations this week on the importance of aligning with managers and stakeholders. It seems like common sense, but in the day to day of getting stuff done, it is something that may be forgotten. When I ask them about it, they usually think that their manager “probably” knows what they are doing, but they aren’t sure. It is important to always consider whether you have done it or need to do it. This is a type…
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Making a Big Impact on Your Team

Have you stopped to consider what type of impact you are making as a leader? There may be big things that you have done to support a team member or on a project, but most of the time it is how you show up in the little moments that count. These are the moments that team members remember forever. Here are some ways that leaders show up that make a difference: There are hundreds of examples that I could have…
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