As a Coach, I’m most often working with clients on getting unstuck. As a person, I get stuck too. Recently I made headway on something important to me. It was a visceral reminder of the steps that we can take to make progress on even the most difficult changes.
All my life, I’ve wanted to write fiction. As a child, stories had flowed from my hand. Then, for a myriad of reasons (some material, most unconscious) I gave it up.
Emotions at work are on public display these days, whether it’s Serena slamming her tennis racquet to the ground or Kavanaugh yelling at the Senate during his job interview. It makes for interesting news, for sure. And it makes me, a Leadership Coach, think more about the role of emotions at work.
Daniel Goleman’s seminal work on Emotional Intelligence gave HR professionals a way to talk about “soft skills”. EQ frameworks and assessments followed. The EQi 2.0 includes these factors: self-perception,
Reading The New York Times interview with Elon Musk I wanted to say, Let’s coach. His description of the overwhelming amount of work and responsibility, and its personal cost, sounded achingly familiar to me. Many executives (and leaders at all levels) are struggling to meet the requirements of the job. Sure, some will dismiss his raw vulnerability as whining, especially under the lens of privilege. But I am glad to see the often hidden, dark side of success brought to the surface by such a visible role model.
Like most leaders, Sharon* feels a great responsibility to share what she knows. She is generous in giving time to others. She remembers the mentors who guided her, and she is keen to pay-it-forward. Imagine her chagrin when team feedback points to a weakness in this area.
“I can’t believe they say I don’t listen. Or that I don’t delegate enough. And that I am too hands-on! Why, my whole leadership style is about empowering others.” In our Coaching,
We often think that giving the benefit of the doubt is a good habit: It means we assume the best of intentions when others do or say something that we don’t like, or when their actions go against what we’ve agreed to. Team members will often show their loyalty by agreeing in principle to never doubt each others’ best intentions. This is a good habit for those who are quick to criticize, quick to judge intentions as evil,
… Read more Leadership Wisdom: Give the Benefit of Your Doubt
