Coaching

Cat on John's shoulder looking at you

(Influential Leadership) Develop Your KPIs

To paraphrase something the Cheshire Cat said to Alice, “If you don’t have a goal, any path will lead you there.”   I would add to this, if you don’t have metrics, it will take a much longer time to get there.   Think about how this applies to achieving your goals and being seen

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John Hadley striding across the street

(Influential Leadership) Lead In Both Directions

  It’s easy to ‘influence’ our subordinates and get them to follow. After all, we hold the purse strings, so they have a real incentive to follow, or at least to look like they are.   We’re tackling a more difficult challenge when we seek to influence peers and others who don’t have that same

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Woman Steering a sailboat

(Influential Leadership) Be A Big Fish in a Small Pond

Niche marketing is all about making your product a big fish in a small pond, so that everyone fishing there wants to catch it. Why not apply that to your own career objectives?   Many people seem to fear niche-ing. They are afraid that if they don’t present themselves as qualified for a wide range

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Little boy drawing on a poster board

(Influential Leadership) Use Your Entire ToolBox

Abraham Maslow said, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.”   This is especially true when it comes to your leadership style. Many managers approach every employee and every situation using the same approach – typically, a directive style. Sometimes that style may be

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Micah Pollster 20250418

(Influential Leadership) Choose Role Models Wisely

When I joined the Leadership Somerset program, we were all asked to name leaders.   Out came the obvious choices: Colin Powell, Abe Lincoln, George Washington, Alan Greenspan, and a host of other presidents, historical and political figures, business leaders, and role models, including the general category of “my parents”.   Then the facilitator asked,

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New suit

(Influential Leadership) Are You A Leader Or A Manager?

I heard an interview on National Public Radio with an international recruiter who commented that everyone can be a manager, but few are leaders.   Many assume themselves to be leaders because they have management authority. “Doesn’t my position as someone with people reporting to me make me a leader of people?”   I agree

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(Influential Leadership) Delegate Intelligently

Do you struggle with the concept of delegation?   If you are like most leaders, you do.   Delegation involves a dilemma: we want to give up the responsibility, but this is what we must keep. We also want to keep the authority, but this is what we must give up!   The three most common

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Made A Mistake

(Influential Leadership) Master Communications To Strengthen Relationships (Part 2)

Last time we shared key principles for how to have a conversation that truly empowers the relationship when misunderstandings occur.   Now let’s look at a real-life workplace situation and how to apply those principles to create a better relationship result.   Scenario: Where’s Bill?   Let’s start with the anatomy of this conversation.  

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Man Sitting On Bridge

(Influential Leadership) Master Communications To Strengthen Relationships

Last time we talked about a tool called The Reality Checklist (designed by Tony Robbins). This tool is very effective at helping one handle relational upsets in their personal and professional lives. You know, those misunderstandings that cause us to question another person’s intentions.   Now let’s look at the anatomy of a conversation that

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