Delegating to team members is a challenge for any manager whether they are brand new or have been leading teams for years. It requires a shift in mindset on the best way way to get the work done through others and not do it themselves. I was talking with a client this morning. He shared that he had too many meetings on his calendar and had no time to plan or be strategic. We talked about the work he has, the…
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I met with a new client the other day and he mentioned that he wanted to work on influence. I asked him to share more about what influence meant for him. He said, “I see influence as one of the more important things that you can do as a leader. I should use it with my team, my management, clients, and peers, but I don’t.” When I pressed him to share why, he said “I think it is fear. What…
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John was an intern and proved that he could succeed in multiple areas of the company. They offered him a full-time role and he did a great job. As the company grew they decided to give him people management responsibilities. He began having challenges with the transition from being a doer to becoming a leader of a team. When I met with John he was excited about his new role, but felt unsure of himself. He had never led people before…
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Sarah and I met to discuss her visibility goals. She had a big career plan that she wanted to achieve and that meant finding ways to get in front of her leadership. We went through the process and created a detailed plan for her to follow. She had everything that she needed to execute the plan and we set a date for a follow-up session a few weeks later. She called me for her session and I could tell by the…
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Every time a leader moves up to the next level it brings excitement, but it also brings out the doubts and insecurities. It can also happen when you take on more responsibilities that are new to you. One of my business mentors referred to it as a new “first.” This is when you go through something for the first time. It feels uncomfortable and it is filled with unknowns. It is completely normal and the same experience that everyone goes through…
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Renee worked hard and loved to be the one who had all the answers. She prided herself on her subject matter expertise and it made her feel important that she had the information that others needed. As Renee discussed her career goals with her manager, he mentioned a new project he wanted to her to lead. He asked her if she had documented all the processes and procedures in her area so that there would be a good handoff should…
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As I talk to leaders about how to be more visible, I notice that they choose ideas that are in their comfort zone. They haven’t had the exposure to something else or they have some fear that gets in the way. They will select ideas that will give them a little more visibility than they have now, but when I push them to think bigger, it is amazing to see what happens! My questions create thinking that generates bigger ideas. That allows them to create bigger…
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If I took a poll right now and asked leaders to share what their biggest challenge is, I bet lack of time would be near the top of the list. If I asked them what is taking up all of their time, I might hear too many meetings, bigger workload, less resources and very little time to think. Everyone gets the same 24 hours each day so how do some make it work, while others struggle? How do you want to be perceived?…
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Julie came out of another meeting without saying a word. She was beating herself up for missing out on another opportunity to speak up in front of her management. She walked slowly back to her desk and stared at her computer. Why don’t I speak up in these meetings? I know many of the answers, but I let other people say them instead. That doesn’t make any sense and it doesn’t help me. This was the story that Julie relayed to me…
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My book editor taught me a concept that says “show don’t tell.” It is used to help readers understand the situation through the story or the information that you use to describe it, instead of telling them what happened. It is more impactful for people because they can remember the story and the lesson that you are teaching. It helps them visualize the setting and they can experience the moment that you went through. This can also be applied in the…
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