It happened during the most crucial go/no-go meeting of our mission-critical project. “Are we ready to go live”? I asked my project team leads. “Please pull out a piece of paper and write down 3 things: Your Name, Your Answer (Yes or No), and the...
One of my main functions as an executive coach is to help my clients build high-performing teams. In our first or second session, I ask my clients the following questions. If you are interested in building a high-performing team, I invite you to take a moment...
The other day I was listening to a lecture by Professor Warren Bennis, one of the foremost gurus in the field of leadership. He was talking about the three most fatal failures of a leader. Examples he used include Julius Caesar, Margaret Thatcher, Howell Raines...
Strategic Thinking is not the same as Strategic Planning. The latter is a formal process of developing an organization’s future business plans. Strategic Thinking is a process of thinking about a situation or a dilemma, and deciding upon a creative solution that will bring about the...
“I cannot take this anymore,” said Darren at our coaching session. “I am so frustrated with my boss. I wish I had the guts to just pack up and go somewhere else.” I paused for a moment and then I asked Darren: “And how would...
“How could you possibly do this?” Barked the Vice President of IT. “I told you explicitly that I do not approve adding the cost of this software tool to your project budget.” Jane, the Project Director, was standing in front of the Project Executive Committee, feeling...
I was sitting in front of the CEO of a well-known global company. “I need you to coach my Senior VP,” he said. “He is one of our most talented executives. He is bright, hard-working, and has lots of experience. But if he does not...
The more I coach my professional and executive clients, the more I learn about what has worked for them in their lives and careers and what has inhibited their progress. Not only am I learning about my clients, but I am also learning also about...
Over the past few years, I have been searching for the answer to the question: “What makes a great leader? Are leaders born, made, or a combination of the two?” Most leadership gurus agree on the important qualities that make a high-performing leader. But they...
[caption id="attachment_5136" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Me on the left[/caption] The Boy with the Bleeding Nose I punched the little boy in the face a little harder than I intended to. He lost his balance and fell on his back, and to my horror, I saw that he was...
