Tools For Every Day Leaders & Managers With Leadership Coach Kris Plachy

How does your self-worth relate to accountability? As women, we often relate our responsibility in needing to hold people accountable to how we view ourselves. The negative associations of accountability have grown to the point where setting boundaries seems nearly impossible. It’s gotten so bad that some female business owners have considered just ending their businesses altogether. They’re struggling with a nearly overwhelming number of issues: people not following through, not showing up, not keeping their commitments. But is the issue of accountability really a direct reflection of us as female entrepreneurs? No, it isn’t. The core actually comes down to how we view our own worthiness. And there are people that want to work, want to do a good job, want to be part of something amazing. They exist. You just need to find them. And you need to reframe your beliefs to embrace that you – and your business – are both worthy and worth it. “The reason that we allow people to not fully meet the expectations that w

Why is holding people accountable so difficult as a female business owner? How did simply holding people accountable become associated with being bitchy? Why do not only others tend to think that but we, as women, can even think that about ourselves? It’s not right! In this episode, I tackle the problem of holding people accountable. It seems that in today’s age, this can be harder than ever before. But it shouldn’t be. All you’re actually doing is expecting people to do what they agreed to do. It’s not unreasonable. I’ve found that the most important and impactful form of accountability is holding ourselves accountable. What do I mean by that? Let’s talk about how to hold people accountable, without anger and while showing one of the highest forms of love. “Women, over time, learn to not hold themselves to account when other people disregard, disrespect, do not follow through on – or just ignore – a grievance.  Because they don’t want to be thought of as aggressive or bitchy… They get left out of the tribe.

Finding the right people to work, especially in the last couple of years, has become very tangled. People have started new businesses, closed businesses, changed jobs, juggled an ever-changing job landscape… and so on. While experts in fields have become more scarce, many entrepreneurs have had businesses explode before they are even ready. And thus, they need help but it has been rather chaotic. The frustration of finding enough good people has become very real. Business owners are finding what they’re seeking for their business is no longer matching what those who are skilled want. So does that mean it’s not going to work? Is it time to hang it up? Or is it time to approach and frame things differently? “First of all, our clarity in how we design roles is critical… I need people who can think about what to do and they can actually do it... I have to hire strategists that also produce.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Where have all the experts gone? Segmented help People who actually know how to execute

Is CEO a noun or a verb? You may have never contemplated that question but the differences it implies are significant. What do you think of, what comes up for you internally, when you hear the word CEO? Do you have a visual in your mind of a particular person? A functional role? A personae? A specific vibe? As we continue on our path of new and of change this season, I want to challenge your brain and your default thinking. CEO is an acronym that has, for decades, been a very masculine term and title. And, as such, has been difficult for some women to embrace. But what if we viewed “CEO” not as a noun, but rather a verb? What if it is about actions you’re taking to put your magic out into the world, to allow that magic of a business you’ve been kissed with to grow and expand?  “Whatever you choose to call yourself, my goal is always that it instills a little discomfort. And it invites you to a new level of gravitas, a new level of presence, and a bigger, bolder – but also authentic – voice in leadership.” –

Can you be a successful entrepreneur but not a visionary? And vice versa, can you be a successful visionary but not really an entrepreneur? Perhaps before you can answer those questions, you must first decide: Are you an entrepreneur, a visionary, or both? And, most importantly, how does leadership fit into it all? As we continue this brand new season (Season 5) of Leadership Is Feminine, I invite you to ponder these questions with me. Often, as business owners, there are questions we don’t think to ask ourselves but find if we did, we’d learn so much and find immense magic in the answers. To that end, I want to explore the difference between a visionary leader and an operational entrepreneur. Is being an entrepreneur simply the operational expression of the visionary? What is the value of being a visionary? Let’s dive in. “When you’re a real visionary, when you really, really do see things other people don’t see, and you believe in the possibility of what you see that doesn’t exist yet, you have the potenti

Why do I say yes when I really want to say no? Why do women, more often than men, gravitate toward people pleasing? I found myself asking these questions and thus pondering: What do I think I’m accomplishing when I’m so agreeable? What am I actually accomplishing? To take it a step further, I pondered the reverse: What am I actually accomplishing when I’m being more controlling? As we start Season 5 of Leadership Is Feminine, I want to focus on a time of change and some decompression from the pressures we’ve all been under. One definite source of pressure as leaders is people pleasing, as is the opposite, which I term people depleting. This is when people are demanding and controlling, so they themselves can be the one pleased. An interesting fact is that we can find ourselves on either side, depending on the issue and circumstances. But no matter what side we’re on, we can help mitigate the resulting pressure when we better understand people pleasing and controlling as leaders. “You’re saying yes… not to pl

There’s a current phenomenon called “quiet quitting”. As business owners, we need to be aware of trends like this because they can potentially affect us. In particular, this approach to life is being promoted by Gen Zs but anyone could jump onboard with it.  So what exactly is “quiet quitting” and how can small businesses prepare for its possible impact? In this episode, I explore generational differences, the quiet quitting movement, post-pandemic mental health, clear expectations, having regard for others, and more. How does this all tie together and what might it mean for you and your growing business, lovely CEO? Let’s talk about it. “We do have the least prepared workforce… I do not say that to be disparaging. I say that because that is true... There is more responsibility now than ever on employers to help people learn what it means to work. And also to work with balance.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Generational differences The quiet quitting movement Post-pandemic mental health Honesty, clear

If you’re juggling the questions of “When should I hire?” or “Who should I hire?” – let me help guide you. The answers to those questions are completely tied to the answer to a question that should come first. That is, “What phase of growth is your business in?”    This episode idea sprouted from help I’ve been giving to many regarding hiring and two recent Live Coaching with Kris episodes. As we navigate what I call the “Messy Middle” in building an entrepreneurial business, we need help but getting the right kind of help, at the right time, is absolutely crucial. If you hire the incorrect people during the a phase, you can actually lose touch and control of your own business. Please don’t let that happen. Let’s talk about who to hire in the messy middle of your entrepreneur journey. “Learn how to manage. Anybody could work for you then. It’s fine. If you learn how to manage. But otherwise, you set yourself up where you don’t have control of so much of your business.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Phas

As your business grows, you’re going to need help. You can’t build your queendom all alone. But what position should you hire first for your growing business? Should you hire someone to match your work and share the load? Should you hire an assistant to perform numerous tasks? Should you hire someone to complete just specific projects? Is there a way to know what the best choice is? For this episode of Live Coaching with Kris, I tackle this inevitable growth question. My guest listener has grown her business to the point where she needs help but isn’t sure which position to fill first. She feels she doesn’t have enough revenue to hire more than one person but desperately needs help in more than one area. Together, we discuss the pros and cons of each type of hire, discuss the process of narrowing down hiring options, and ultimately, look at potential solutions in a whole different light.    “It does pay off… You’ve got to think about this as an investment… And you might have to kiss a few frogs. That’s part

“You should do this.” “You should do that!” “Hey, have you considered…” When you’re building a business, so many voices and ideas constantly come at you. You can become lost in all the possibilities and your business becomes your life. Maybe it’s time to build your businesses a little differently… Especially if you realize you’ve built your life around your business, rather than your business around your life.  But what if you intentionally built your business to nurture the life you want? How would you go about it? To begin, you need to quiet the noise all around you, to anchor to internal wisdom, and then act from there. Let’s talk about what it might look like to build a business that supports your life.  “We get so immersed in the business that we end up building a life around the business. We’ve accommodated the business by compromising our lives.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn  Noise of life Internal anchors Growth from the reaction phase Choose the life you want Ask the questions, make the changes

The cost of doing business seems to be rising by the day. Inflation is hitting small businesses pretty hard. The current economy and labor market are so different than even just a couple years ago. And when you’ve got a team, wages, in particular, are a big consideration in your budget. Because of these unique changes, I hope to help you have a bit of a brain shift in this episode. As leaders, we have Two Buckets to recognize: Beliefs and thoughts (including the opinions of others) versus Facts. The impact of all the information constantly coming at us can make opinions appear as facts. This can dramatically affect how we look at, and what we feel about, everything going on in our businesses. It can especially affect our opinion about hiring and paying wages. So let me give you a bit of tough love and let’s talk about all this. “Or you just decide, ‘You know what? I signed up to be a business owner. The economy’s a little wackadoodle right now. I’m gonna figure out my plan. And I’m gonna execute the hell out

Countless methods and resources are available to help you grow your business. Courses, programs, systems, outside help, advisors, even business coaches. But should you hire a business coach? What do they do or not do? For that matter, is everyone with the title “business coach” actually a business coach? In this episode, I share many thoughts and insights into what a true business coach does. From my own experience, I can confirm that a really great coach can bring huge value both professionally and personally. However, it is also my opinion that not every person who calls themselves a business coach really is one. That’s not to say they aren’t great at what they do, but rather to delineate between an actual business coach and someone who is more properly defined as an expert in specific aspects of business. Let’s talk about it.  “A coach says, ‘I know you know the right answer for you. And I’m going to help you discover that... But your wisdom is in there and I’m going to help you access it.’ That is coachi

Do your meetings with your team end up off track? Do you avoid scheduling meetings because they’re really not productive? If so, you’re definitely not alone. In this second installment of “Live Coaching with Kris”, I tackle this prevalent problem. As I coach a listener about how to run a productive 1:1 meeting, clarity in business rises to the surface. When you’re running a business, clarity is necessary in every area. Clarity in job descriptions, roles and responsibilities, clarity in expectations and outcomes, and clarity in the direction each team member is headed. With these in place, meetings naturally become more focused. Couple that focus with praise and positive feedback, and you’ll soon be looking forward to meetings, rather than dreading them. Speaking of clarity, if you missed the first installment of “Live Coaching with Kris”, I encourage you to go back and listen to it. In that episode, I advise around the common question: Should I Hire a Friend? Clarity is needed in that situation as well and

All business owners face this dilemma: Should I hire a friend? Of course, there is an added emotional dynamic when employing someone close to you. Those ties do require consideration. However, regardless of who you hire, consistent frameworks need to be in place. Without them, decisions and potential outcomes can become very messy. In this first installment of “Live Coaching with Kris” on my Leadership is Feminine podcast, I address the common question of employing people you know. As I coach a very successful business woman regarding this, we cover guidelines in employing people, clarifying expectations and defining roles, delegating not abdicating, and much more.  By the way, I’m very excited to add these episodes. I’m loving doing these live, anonymous coaching sessions with one of you, my listeners, recording it, and then sharing it so we can all benefit. It’s a blast! I can’t wait to share more of them with you all.  “I think I need to hire someone to support me. Not someone I’m going to support. And th

Has believing you’re not business minded held you back? If so, I have good news to share: That may only be because being business minded may not be as you envision it. There is much more to it than stats, accounting and marketing. Don’t allow behaviors and skills that can be cultivated and activated – even if you weren’t good at them in the past – hold you back any longer! Because how we think about all this can be such a hindrance, I wanted to address it. When I thought about how to approach this topic, my friend Jody Moore immediately came to mind. Jody is a gifted coach and she’s developed a program literally called “Business Minded”. As we recorded this episode, Jody shared how she used to believe she wasn’t business minded but learned differently. She and I go on to discuss several aspects of what it actually means to be business minded, including important metrics, consistent behaviors, sales approaches, and much more. “Without consistent behavior, skills don’t matter. And, the good news is, you don’t

Stress is inevitable. We’re running our businesses, cherishing our personal lives, navigating the changing world around us… No matter where we turn, stressors are present. Simply trying to tell ourselves not to feel stressed, and to just relax or to just suck it up, is unhelpful and often ineffective. I want to offer an approach that helps: acknowledging the stress, identifying what’s going on when we feel stressed and knowing what we can do to mitigate it. As we examine how to manage stress for women business owners, I want to discuss the elements of stress. I believe there are major contributing factors such as resistance to the truth, how we buffer stress, and our personal tipping points. In consideration of stressors, we have countless outside sources but the inner source – that is, our own inner dialogue – is the overpowering one. Therefore, the thoughts you think are the ultimate source of stress, and framing them is key to management. Let’s talk about it. “That inner dialogue that you entertain is rea

Business models, kits, courses, systems and similar flood the marketplace. A simple online search pulls an overwhelming number of options. But finding a model designed for women, with women in mind is trickier. As female entrepreneurs, we possess natural strengths and assets which differ from men. We need a business strategy that leverages those. In this business mastery episode, I address business strategy for women business owners. Before we begin, I want to establish that it’s healthy to periodically adjust and rework your strategy. As your desire for the results of your business changes, your strategy needs to as well. I find I adjust mine about every 24-36 months. “And that is the part that is so dynamic: that your strategy has to be that fluid AND concrete… and fluid and concrete... It’s just an evolving process. It’s a breathing process. And I think that’s what so many models don’t account for.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn Set a clear result Leading a heart-centered business Creating the life y

For many leaders, hiring is scary enough but what about when you need to let someone go? As I promised, throughout Season 4 of Leadership Is Feminine, I’m tackling some of the most daunting and critical components of business mastery. And how to fire someone, and do it nicely, ranks right at the top for most leaders.  Knowing how to kindly part ways is an invaluable skill, not only for yourself but for the other person. You are able to soften an already difficult and very uncomfortable situation when you know how to address the problem. In this episode, I teach you some guidelines and share some wisdom on how to cause the least amount of injury and pain to both you and them.  “If I walked into your business today and asked people who worked for you if they knew what their goals were, if they knew what the result was that they’re responsible for, would they know? If your answer is ‘Ummm, maybe?’ or ‘Uh, probably not’, we already know we have a cocktail for confusion when it gets to potentially firing someone.

What exactly is The Founder’s Curse? Of course, it’s not truly a curse but there is a genuine concept here. One that, for lack of a better description, plagues most founders. As we journey together through Season 4 of Leadership Is Feminine, I want to focus on business mastery. You already have mastery of what you do in the world, that is, your subject matter expertise or practitioner expertise. But what about mastery of the necessities of running your business, such as how to lead and manage teams? We can all use more mastery in that area. And one block to building that mastery is overcoming The Founder’s Curse. I want to bring that into the light, discuss it, and help you conquer it. “For as long as you keep believing that you’re the only one, ultimately, who will ever really know how to make it work, you will remain the only one, who really knows – ever – how to make it work. And you will keep working harder.” – Kris Plachy What You’ll Learn What is The Founder’s Curse? 3 ways you create delay Reaffirm

This episode starts Season 4 of Leadership Is Feminine. If you’ve not heard all of the amazing, everyday women I had with me in Season 3, I encourage you to go back and listen to all the episodes. The encouragement, inspiration and wisdom you’ll gain is phenomenal. For Season 4, I want to focus on leadership excellence and mastery for women. In particular, I believe that the characteristic of resilience is a core quality. Embedded in resilience is consistency, and with consistency comes mastery. Mastery isn’t based on complex systems. It’s about basic truths, basic principles. In looking back on my own growth over the past 10 years, I’ve found that the same principles are still true, and they are what work. “I love watching the powerful ability of a women, once she no longer feels helpless to managing and leading people… once she’s no longer helpless to the behaviors and choices of others… once she knows that there’s nothing in her business… she can’t handle… Watching that happen and being witness to women w