Lessons I’ve Learned During the Last 30 Years

Like you, I have been in business for awhile now, and I’ve learned some things. This certainly isn’t a complete list of the lessons my career has blessed me with, but it includes some of my – and my clients’ – favorites.

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The Three Deadly Sins of Mentoring – Many of the skills we learn throughout our lives come through the power of example; that is, guidance by personal interaction through a relationship. There is something about working closely with a more experienced person that cannot be achieved through any other learning method.

The New Psychology of Leadership – Forget the notion of charisma, super intelligence, and an aura of authority. The new issue of Scientific American reviews the latest studies on leadership and have come up with some very interesting results. The article provides more evidence that the age of command and control in business is gasping its last. Individual leaders can’t create a followership using coercive methods, as with the carrot and the stick. That might work in the short run, but will not change minds and hearts. True leaders have known that for eons, but the mythology of the Warrior leader has endured in business way beyond its time.

Executive Burnout - Not long ago I met a senior executive who was referred to me by his CEO. He was a highly valued employee who showed exceptional promise when he was hired almost five years ago and indeed, had performed effectively during those years. The CEO described John H. as an idealist, a perfectionist, highly conscientious, dedicated and committed to doing well. But over the last few months, John had changed significantly. The CEO was seeing signs of burnout. After interviewing John, I agreed with this assessment.

Reality Check for Women – Three provocative authors got together in a recent issue of More magazine to talk about the challenges for women who want to return to work after a lengthy family leave: Sylvia Ann Hewlett (Off-Ramps and On-Ramps); Pamela Stone, (Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home) and Leslie Bennetts (The Feminine Mistake). They were interviewed by Mary Quigley, a co-author of Going Back to Work: A Survival Guide for Comeback Moms.

Don’t Be a Doormat! – If you’re like the character in the musical comedy Oklahoma who sang: “I’m just a gal who cain’t say no”, we need to talk. Some of us are programmed from early childhood to “be nice”. The word “yes” may be easier to say than “no”, but it seems to be overused in our culture. When we say yes and truly want to say no, the price is eventually paid in stress, anger, passive-aggressive behavior, possible exhaustion and ultimately, illness.

Coaching as the Key to Organizational Survival - For the first time in American history, industry is facing a shrinking workforce. With the retirement of the Baby Boomers, companies are waking up to the reality that not only will much of the organization’s intellectual capital go with them, but there will be fewer workers in the labor pool to replace them. Many organizations have no contingency plans in place to meet these challenges.

The “Badvisor” – It is an entirely human reaction to confide in our significant others in most matters that affect us emotionally. We want their support and understanding, and are grateful for the sounding board that a spouse or partner provides. Indeed, most of our career accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without the love and support of those closest to us. So, naturally we share our office experiences of the day with those we love.

Where Are the Women? – Although a small number of women have reached positions of real authority in their organizations, invisible biases that form the “glass ceiling” are still present in all areas of the work world.

Where Are the Women (Part II)? – Is anybody besides me getting tired of the question, “Is America ready for a woman president?”

Towards the Organizations of the Future – Let’s say your organization has a problem.you may think it’s a problem with ineffective leadership, poor teamwork, lack of motivation, low productivity, high stress, failure to communicate effectively. Here’s the good news.your organization doesn’t have any of those problems.

The Myth of Multitasking – The Myth of Multitasking. More career ships have sunk on the shoals of this shibboleth than I would care to name. Folks who are responding to confidential emails and then hit “forward” instead of “reply” know what I am talking about.

The Ten Deadly Hiring Traps – Hitting the hiring bulls-eye is one of a leader’s most important – and most difficult – responsibilities. There are ten common mistakes that can get in the way, which calls for a pointed and systematic approach to hiring that can virtually guarantee success.

How to Hire an Executive Coach – With coaching fast becoming an important element in employee development, it is important to know what you are getting into when contemplating hiring a coach for your key employees.