Coaching For Leaders

Effective leaders learn from the good practices of other leaders in order to be more effective. In this special episode, I turn the reigns over to our community to share stories about great leadership moments that were meaningful to them. Join me for five stories than we can all learn something from to help us lead better. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Leadership stories from our listening community: Mary Lou Jan Will Kirk Jesse Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Thank you to Alexandra Masia for liking our Facebook fan page! Wherever you are in the world, whatever is on your agenda today, take one idea from this show to engage and develop someone you lead.

A great mentoring program can help both the organization and its people achieve incredible results. In this episode, I welcome mentoring expert Stella Cowan to discuss what leaders should consider when designing and implementing a formal mentoring program in their organizations. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Interview with Stella Cowan Here are the resources Stella mentioned on the show, along with some additional tools: Dr. Lois Zachary (Center for Mentoring Excellence) Ida Abbott (home page) Stella recommends her articles “Beyond Mentors, the Need for Champions" and “Mentoring Groups and Mentoring Circles”) Stella recommends two to us during training/orientation and to provide continued support to mentors and mentees are: “Being an Effective Mentor: 101 Practical Strategies for Success,” and “Working with a Mentor:  50 Practical Strategies for Success.” So You Want to Be Mentored by Stella Cowan* Inte

Interview with listener Stefan Three lessons from Stefan's story: The importance of leaders to be willing to admit mistakes Why creating results over time helps you stand out from the crowd The power of a long-term vision Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic.

Bonni Stachowiak: Teaching in Higher Ed Bonni Stachowiak is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, a professor of business and management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, Bonni was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. She joins me monthly to respond to listener questions. I heard throughout my life that I should always honor those who are older than me and I've always been asked to lead them. In this episode, Bonni and I discuss situations where we've both been asked to lead people older than us and identify seven principles that can help you do this successfully as well. 1. Everyone is your superior in some way. “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson 2. Focus on the right questions instead of the right answers. 3. Befriend people who are older than you are - and younger too. 4. Remember each person will be very young and very old. Movie

I wish I could tell you that I've always felt confident as a leader, but I used to be a real scaredy cat. In this episode, I discuss six ways that I learned to have more confidence in my leadership abilities and not be consumed by the fear and worry about giving feedback to others. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com 1) Set expectations early: If expectations aren’t there with followers, create them. If they aren’t clear, clarify. Do it early or as soon as you can. 2) Be willing to change directions: A mentor gave me great advice when they said, “No leader is perfect. You can always acknowledge to a follower that something has been OK up until now, but that you are now making a different decision going forward.” 3) Ask a trusted colleague for feedback: I discovered that asking for advice from a person I trusted often gave me new ideas. 4) Respond in 24 hours: Zig Ziglar said, “If you need to eat a frog, you don’t want to l

It sure would be nice if we could all learn to be more effective leaders without making any mistakes. However, while none of us would wish for mistakes, many of us learn the most from past missteps. In this episode, I talk about the value of mistakes and highlight six mistakes that I have made as the host of this show. I discuss the mistakes that I made in starting my first business many years ago and what I learned from these mistakes. I the more recent past, here are the six mistakes that I've made hosting this show: 1) Being too structured I mention the book Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz by Frank Barrett that was featured on a recent HBR Ideacast. "If you're not making a mistake, it's a mistake." -Miles Davis One of my mentors once said, "Any strength overused, becomes a liability." 2) Assuming everyone listens the way I do We have listeners on Zune, iTunes, Stitcher, and BlackBerry - and even more places than those. 3) Forgetting the reason behind the goal 4) Driving t

Almost all of us are doing more virtually than we ever have before - and that includes our leadership responsibilities. Virtual leadership has become the norm in many organizations and leaders have had to adapt in order to influence effectively across distance. In this week's episode, I speak with virtual teams expert Mike Demas on what strategies leaders can use in order to be as effective as possible in a virtual environment. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Special Guest: Mike Demas, Director at Micron Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com The four elements that Mike mentioned: Trust Flexibility Availability Investment early in the relationship I am accepting subscriptions to my free newsletter. If you would to receive more leadership resources, you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. Also, you'll receive as a bonus, a video and down-loadable list of t

Leaders face difficult situations when their organizations struggle through budgetary challenges. My guest, Dr. Carol Taylor, is all too familiar with such challenges and tells the story of the crisis that faced Vanguard University when she was appointed president. She is the author of "Leading a Turnaround and the Joy of a Third Class Ticket" found in Thriving Leadership, edited by Karen Longman, and joins me on this episode to share her leadership journey at Vanguard. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Special Guest: Dr. Carol Taylor President, Vanguard University Author of Leading a Turnaround and the Joy of a Third Class Ticket, found in Thriving Leadership, edited by Karen Longman Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Two challenges for you after listening to today's show: Visit the Vanguard University website for inspiration on what wonde

Authentic leaders know that there's more to an apology than simply the words "I'm sorry" - although that's a good starting point. Mistakes are inevitable, but few leaders are able to communicate a genuine apology. This week, Bonni Stachowiak returns to discuss how we can make our apologies more meaningful and genuine to the people who receive them. Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com Components of an authentic apology: 1) State "I'm sorry" or "I apologize" with sincerity 2) Be specific about what you are apologizing for and own it 3) Discuss what you will do to avoid the mistake in the future Tell me what you did to incorporate something from our discussion above - I want to know what is working for you! Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com The TED Talk on vulnerability we mentioned can be found here: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

Getting results isn't always easy, but the process is simple. In this episode, I'll review the 3 steps that you need to get the best results from the people you lead. I'll also point out many of the common mistakes that lots of us make when trying to follow these simple guidelines. If you aren't getting what you expect from people, this show is a must-listen for you. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback What do I want for you? People know what outcomes you want People know when you're going to check-in People expect consequences 1) Establish outcomes up front Dictating the process makes it yours and takes away innovation Establish the metrics for success Let people decide how they will get there 2) Agree to regular check-ins People don't need to feel micromanaged if check-ins are scheduled If they are mostly on track, leave them alone… If they are going off track, provide coaching… 3) Provide accountability If something doesn't match the expectations - call people on it Ac

If you are doing any type of serious leadership, you are going to hear complaining. As I discuss in this episode, complaining isn't always a bad thing, but you need to handle it appropriately as a leader. In this episode, I discuss seven ways to handle complainers in your organization. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback 1. Expect ingratitude “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” - Colin Powell 2. Give people time and a venue to complain People don't always want a solution to their problems Limit this time 3. Set the agenda in advance (and time frames) Have them bring an agenda to the meeting Follow that agenda If they aren't ready for that, you set agenda and send to them in advance 4. Require solutions to problems Ask people to always bring a realistic solution along with any complaint They know th

Questions are the language of coaches. Stories are the language of leaders. In this episode, I welcome Sandie Morgan, Director of the Global Center for Women & Justice at Vanguard University of Southern California, to speak about how she utilizes storytelling to influence the world. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Interview with Sandie Morgan Director, Global Center for Women & Justice Vanguard University of Southern California Hear Sandie and Dave biweekly on the Ending Human Trafficking Podcast Community Feedback USA: (949) 38-LEARN Global: +1 (949) 385-3276 Twitter: #CFLshow feedback@coachingforleaders.com I am moving the show away from a focus on series and instead towards a new topic each episode. Towards that goal, next week I'll be responding to a topic suggestion from Tom on how to handle complaining in your organization...especially from a repeat offender. Thank you to Eric, Kim, Kathy, Sandrine, Eveliina, Garry, Jennifer, Bill, Grace, and others for subscribing to the fo

It's been a full year since I launched Coaching for Leaders, so in this special anniversary episode, Bonni and I look at a more personal topic: what leadership lessons we've learned from our son Luke in the first six months of his life. As you'll see, the lessons could apply to many relationships, both personal and professional. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback What leadership lessons we've learned (or been reminded of) in our first six months of parenting: Sleep deprivation can take down anybody. Expectations are huge…and a bit of grace goes a long way. No matter how organized you are, you will get barfed on. There is true joy to be found anywhere and everywhere. It's really not about you most of the time. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback I'm announcing the Coaching for Leaders e-newsletter! If you would like to subscribe to receive monthly articles, interviews, videos, and other leadership resources, you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. Also, you'll receive as a bonus, a

Almost all of us are put into leadership roles where we need to influence people that we can't bark orders to. It's essential for all of us to learn how to lead without a formal title. In this episode, I explore 6 things you can do to lead others outside of title and position that will create better results for both of you. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback 1) Find out what's important to people - and then help them get it Appreciate the past Understand the present Picture the future Identify passions ARTICLE LINK: 4 Ways to Prepare Your Team to See The Future 2) Go out of your way to recognize people Write thank you notes - I write at least 1-2 each week Do everyone possible to share people's name is a positive way publicly Use people's names 3) Make decisions for the long-run 4) Don't love 'em and leave 'em 5) Engage your opponents Take time to listen to people who disagree with you You don't have to agree - but understand where they are coming from 6) Have a sense of

All of us would like to believe that we can lead in such a way where people would never drive us nuts. Of course, that's not reality - and we've all had to deal with people many times that push our buttons in all the wrong ways. In this episode, I share a recent experience I had where someone was driving me nuts and what mistakes I made (and advise I have) for leading when this happens. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Here are nine things you can do to lead when someone is driving you nuts: 1) Ask yourself, it is personality or performance? Rarely do we get to decide what personalities we get to work with and lead. If it's personality, challenge yourself to be flexible. 2) Give people the benefit of the doubt. Almost nobody wakes up in the morning with the goal to make other people miserable. 3) Address non-performance early. If there is a clear performance issue, address it early. Trust your instincts and those of the people around you. What should it be? For me, 2 inciden

Everyone interacts with the world differently, but there are two broad ends of the spectrum that can help us understand how we see the world and how we can support those that we lead. In this episode, we'll look extensive at the judging-perceiving personality type preference and how appreciating both sides can help you to understand and lead others more effectively. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Are you a Chaos Muppet or an Order Muppet? Check out this article from Slate. Judging preference Organized Scheduled Planned Energized by planning Tips for leaders who prefer judging: Not everyone will have planned things out as well as you have Watch out for micromanagement You're going to need to be flexible with the real world How to lead those with a judging preference: Get them in the room when doing long-term planning and scheduling Coach them if they get too caught up in their planning Help people recognize when they need to be flexible Perceiving preference Spontane

We all make decision as leaders, but we don't all make decisions the same way. Our personalities influence what becomes important and prominent in our decision-making. In this episode, I explore the two dichotomies that help explain how we make decisions. Then, I discuss strategies leaders can use with folks who have preferences for each dichotomy in order to understand how we can make better decisions. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Thinking preference Analysis Objective Egalitarian Tips for leaders who prefer thinking: Watch out for over-analysis Listen to how people feel about the situation Know that you can't always be perfectly objective - consider the other side too How to lead those with a thinking preference: They are going to want data Coach them if they might appear cold to others Watch out for impact on one person Feeling preference Impact on people Values-based (my work - what inspires me) Individual considered Tips for leaders who prefer feeling: Spe

Everyone takes in information differently. Our personalities influence what we see and don't see. In this episode, I explore the two dichotomies that help explain how people take in information. Then, I discuss strategies leaders can use with folks who have preferences for each dichotomy in order to maximize the impact of what we take in and how we communicate that to others. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Sensing preference Tangible realities Concrete information from five senses Orientated towards present reality Real-life experience Take time to reach conclusions Need details to put together concepts and theories Experience Tips for leaders who prefer sensing: Tell people where you are going You can't ever collect it all Get help thinking about the future Watch out for missing the big picture How to lead those with a sensing preference: Talk about the here and now Give plenty of details up front and lead them through to the conclusion Reference how practical expe

Susan Cain: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Those of us who have a preference for introversion often are misunderstood by colleagues and organizations. In this episode, we explore how introverts can bring value to organizations and highlight the research of Susan Cain, author of the New York Times Bestseller, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Special Guest: Susan Cain I interview Susan on her New York Times Bestseller, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Thank you to Stefan Schulz for liking our page on Facebook. If what you've heard on this week's show has been valuable to you or if you've benefited from past episodes, please leave us a review on iTunes. You can do this at coachingforleaders.com/itunes and then click "View in iTunes." We are very grateful for your feedback! Wherever you are in the world

While we all enjoy many aspects of our personality, most of us trend towards either extraversion or introversion in how we engage with the world. In this episode, Dave & Bonni Stachowiak discuss this dichotomy, how to lead those who have preferences in each area, and advice for your own leadership style. Community Feedback CoachingforLeaders.com/feedback Special Guest: Dr. Bonni Stachowiak How to lead those with an extraversion preference: Give them opportunities to communicate ideas and thoughts Help them use their preferences in sales interactions Recognize that they may become impatient with a slow pace, so give them indicators of movement, when possible Use feedback regularly How to lead if you have an extraversion preference: Take time to listen Ask others how they want to be led Avoid using "thinking out loud" as an excuse for not treating others well Give yourself "time outs" when you need them Recognize that venting does not actually live up to its reputation How to lead those with