What's Next? Where to Find the Clues

Sometimes we can be ready to make a career move, but may not know quite what we want it to look like. A simple exercise called the Career Timeline can take you from being stuck to getting the ball rolling. Through this exercise, you will mine your past experiences for guidance about what to do next. As you examine your career and life, you’ll gain more insight than you would from just outlining what you want on a blank sheet of paper. Use these four steps to get started.

1. Define the time frame for your timeline.

Begin by choosing a point in time to begin your one-page Career Timeline. Draw a horizontal line on a piece of paper and label the starting point at the left with the first year of the timeline. Remember that it can go back as far as you’d like (e.g., 5 years, 10 years, or can span your whole career) and will extend to the current year.

2. List each role or notable experience.

For each year on your timeline, list each role or notable experience in chronological order. Feel free to include significant personal or volunteer experiences, such as living overseas or serving on a nonprofit board. Depending on your work or volunteer history, you probably won’t have something to list for each year because some of your roles may have spanned several years.

3. Evaluate each experience.

For each role or experience on your timeline, ask yourself two questions:

• What did I take from this experience that I want to carry forward (i.e., would like to experience again)? Think about what you enjoyed about each situation. Maybe you’ll realize that while the work wasn’t that exciting in your first job, you loved the environment and laid-back colleagues. Or perhaps your fond memories of a specific volunteer experience will remind you how much you enjoy creativity and collaboration.

• What about this experience do I want to leave behind? Looking back at your last two jobs, you may realize that you cannot work with a boss you disrespect, or that you would willingly trade off some financial compensation to gain more stability in your work environment. Or you may realize that you never again want to be part of a disorganized group like the one you worked with on a fundraiser last year.

4. Look for themes.

Once you’ve answered the two questions above about each experience on your timeline, look for themes. What do you notice? Each person’s themes may not be at the same level of detail. For example, you may discover that you thrive in workplaces that afford you a high degree of independence, flexibility, and creativity. Or, perhaps, you gravitate toward roles that allow you to use your analytical skills to develop practical, business-driven solutions.

Sometimes it can help to talk through your timeline with someone you trust – a coach, friend, or family member. It may lead you to notice additional themes and gain further insight.

If you’re contemplating a change within or outside your current company, take the first step – go back in time. You might be surprised at what you learn about yourself and how much easier it will be to define your path forward. Remember, small steps lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Making Awkward Feedback Easier

Whether you’re a new manager or veteran executive, there’s a certain kind of employee conversation that never seems to get any easier.

I’m sure you’ve been faced with it: An employee has a behavior, habit, or mannerism that’s giving people the wrong impression of her or diminishing her effectiveness. It’s not a performance issue, but it affects how the employee is perceived. And she probably doesn’t even realize she’s engaging in it.

I’ve worked with clients who dread these conversations and put them off. They’re worried that their feedback will be misunderstood, that they might damage the relationship or create needless drama. To help them take action, I remind them that as difficult as this kind of feedback can be to deliver, they are offering it out of genuine concern for the employee and a desire to help her succeed.

Here are three simple steps that can make these conversations easier.

1. Start with your intent

Remember that you’re having this conversation because you care about the employee and want to help her remove an obstacle that’s holding her back. You can always acknowledge that this is an awkward situation for both of you, but that it’s important to talk about the behavior. If you were in her shoes, you would want to hear the feedback. Expressing compassion and your own vulnerability can create a stronger connection in the moment and may help defuse the tension.

2. Communicate the impact

Help the employee understand her behavior by identifying it, providing information on when and where you’ve noticed it occurring, and sharing its impact. For example, maybe her sour expression surfaces primarily in long meetings with a key stakeholder group. Talk about the effect, from what you see or what you’ve heard from others. “I know this isn’t what you intend, but I’ve heard others say that your facial expressions sometimes leave them with the impression that you are resistant to their ideas.”

3. Be part of the solution

Offer ideas about what she should do more or less of. Sometimes it can be very powerful to ask the employee to focus on how she wants to show up in the interaction. In other words, by helping her identify what she does want others to notice or take away from their interaction with her (e.g., openness to ideas), she may stop engaging in the other limiting behavior.

After that, it’s a matter of finding tactics that work for her. That could mean using a visual reminder like a note with the word “open” on it, so she can see it during her meeting and pay more attention to her body language. If an employee is receptive to it, offer to help her monitor the behavior. That could involve giving a cue when the employee starts to engage in the distracting behavior during a meeting or setting aside time for feedback after the meeting.

This week, consider whether there’s an awkward conversation you’ve been putting off and decide how you will approach it with the mindset of helping your employee succeed. While it may be a difficult moment for both of you in the short term, ultimately you will find that it strengthens your relationship and builds trust in the long run. Remember, small steps lead to big results.

Had It Up to Here? Say Thank You

We are used to writing thank-you notes when someone gives us a gift or does something kind for us. But there's also power in writing a thank-you note when it may be the last thing that you want to do. This is a strategy I’ve used with clients and for myself, in both professional and personal situations. It has the power to produce profound insights and critical shifts in your mindset.

It might seem counterintuitive, but writing a thank-you note to a person who drives you crazy can be one of the most freeing things you can do. When someone pushes our buttons, irritates, or offends us and we know he isn’t going to change, we can fall into a cycle of frustration. Maybe you don’t like his values or how he treats people or even his approach to work.

But challenge yourself to think about what you have gained from being around him. In some way, this aggravating person has probably shed more light on who you want to be. His actions may inflame you because they bump up against one or more of your deeply held values. If your constantly critical boss is getting on your nerves, perhaps that signifies how much you value appreciation. Your thank-you note might read. “Thank you, John, for reminding me how important it is to give positive feedback and recognize individual contributions.”

Or, if you’re troubled by a selfish colleague, you might write: “Thank you for helping me notice that each of us is motivated by something different, and I need to keep that in mind.”

The key is to look for the positive in what feels like a relentlessly difficult situation. Perhaps your co-worker’s frequent outbursts have caused you to more proactively manage your own work stress, or your boss’s lack of professionalism has kept you in check when you were tempted to engage in similar behavior.

Remember that you don’t have to actually give your thank-you note to the recipient, and you don’t even have to keep it yourself (although it can become a valuable reference if you do). But do take the time to write your thoughts down on paper. Seeing your words in black and white will help you more quickly uncover what’s bothering you, identify the lessons in the situation at hand, and move on to a more positive place.

This week, take ten minutes to write a thank-you note to someone you find challenging to be around. You may be surprised at how much there is to be grateful for in a frustrating relationship or situation. And remember, small steps can lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

For Faster Results, Slow Down

Does this sound familiar? You’re often unmatched at analyzing and zeroing in on the core issues in a situation and setting a course of action. And you can do this very quickly, often in a matter of minutes. You relish driving for results and achieving them efficiently.

This level of competence and self-motivation means you’re probably a high- performer in your workplace. But as I have coached similar clients, I’ve noticed potential pitfalls to being so results-oriented. For example, if you tend to skip straight to a decision without sharing much information about how you arrived at it, your colleagues may misunderstand your rationale and deliver results inconsistent with your intent. Plus, you may be missing out on their valuable insights or deprive your colleagues of the chance to learn from your knowledge and experience.

Here are three simple strategies to ensure that others are on the same page as you before you move forward with decisions.

Connect the dots.

Even if you immediately know what your company’s course of action should be, take a moment to show others how you got from Point A to Point B. What are your criteria for success? What factors did you consider as you evaluated options? What other options did you look at? And what makes your preferred plan the best way to proceed? These points are self-evident to you, but remember that others don’t have your knowledge and experience. Taking even five minutes to educate your colleagues on your thought process will not only help guide their work now but also help them make more consistent decisions later.

Read the room.

You may be excited about getting your plans moving, but before you do, pause to gauge your colleagues’ reaction. What does their body language tell you? Do they look anxious, confused, or frustrated? Look for nonverbal cues so you can determine whether you need to build more buy-in.

Solicit a response.

If people have questions, they’ll ask, right? Well, not necessarily. Because of your expertise, they may feel too intimidated to speak up. Or they might worry about looking foolish, especially if you’re their boss. Take the time to solicit questions and feedback, and confirm for understanding. Remind them that generating ideas is a mutual learning experience and that their input could yield insights that you would have otherwise missed.

Ensuring alignment between you and your colleagues can deliver big payoffs in short-term results and long-term staff development and engagement. The next time you are barreling ahead in your drive for results, slowing down a bit might be the most productive thing you can do. So, which of the three strategies will you focus on this week to get faster results? Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Do You Have Executive Presence?

Everyone has his or her own ideas about what executive presence looks and sounds like. Regardless of what someone’s personal definition may be, let’s look at three areas that can affect whether others consider you to be executive material:

1. Strategic focus

I constantly hear senior leaders noticing the difference between people who think strategically and those who focus more on tactics. Your ability to consistently tie what you say and do to what matters to the business can help others see that you “get it” – that you understand the big picture and won’t get derailed by details. Ask yourself how often you intentionally make these connections for others.

2. Confidence

I’m sure you’ve come across people who can be very convincing even when they are way beyond their scope of expertise. Remember that it is often less about what they say and more about how they say it. Think about yourself for a minute. How often does your tone convey a strong sense of conviction, high energy, or confidence? How does your body language add to or detract from your message? Nuances like this can make a big difference.

3. Competence

Your ability to integrate your life experiences into your message can quickly help others understand what you bring to the table – and why it matters. Integrating short contextual phrases helps others understand your strengths and skills and their relevance to the business. Take this brief example: “I learned three key principles from my experience marketing global products and brands. One of those applies to this situation today.”

At the end of the day, you may believe that you are strategically focused, confident, and competent. But the question is whether others see you that way. So, this week I urge you to take one small step, whether it’s asking others for feedback or focusing on one of the three areas above. I have found that starting with tweaks to how and what you communicate can dramatically affect your executive presence. Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Little Things Can Say A Lot

As an executive coach working with high-performing leaders, I regularly hear candid feedback about my clients, often information that no one has shared with them. Over the years, I have noticed how managers can draw big conclusions about their direct reports based on the “little things” they do. Unfortunately, most people can’t see their own detracting behaviors unless someone points them out. Take a look at the examples below, note which ones you do, and the indirect messages those behaviors may be sending. If you’re unsure whether some of these apply to you, ask others you trust.

1. Nervous Habits

• Fidget with or flip your hair

• Shake your leg when sitting

• Tap a pen or the table

• Keep checking your phone

What these behaviors may tell others: You can’t focus, are nervous, or would rather spend your time elsewhere.

2. Presentation style

• Casually lean against something (e.g. podium, chair, etc.) when presenting

• Present seated instead of standing

• Let others take over or divert a discussion you are leading

• Focus more on detail than headlines/key messages

What these behaviors may tell others: You don’t understand the importance of the meeting, have the influence and capability to command a room, have confidence, or see the big picture.

3. Use of time

• Consistently run over in one-on-one or group meetings

• Spend too much time on topics outside the scope of the discussion (e.g., personal or business) before you cover the agenda items

• Have difficulty adjusting your approach when your presentation time gets compressed

What these may tell others: You lack time management skills, can’t manage your workload effectively, are not ready to take on more responsibility, or don’t respect others’ time.

Each of these behaviors should be considered in the context of your working environment, the company culture and what’s expected. If you engage in some of these behaviors, ask yourself (and possibly others) how they serve you or get in your way. That will help you decide what action to take, if any.

The point is to raise your awareness and make an intentional choice that aligns with your desired leadership brand. So, this week, ask others for feedback and identify one small step you will take to convey the right message to others about your capabilities. Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Is That Meeting Really Optional?

A theme has recently emerged with several of my clients. Some have expressed frustration when one of their direct reports misses a meeting that they consider to be important. I have also heard about this from the other vantage point, from my clients who have opted out of meetings like this when a legitimate scheduling conflict arises – and they just don't understand why it is a problem. Although it may seem minor in the grand scheme of things, remember that people draw conclusions about you from the small snapshots they see. They may not have time to explore what led to your decision, or to challenge their own conclusions about your decision, because of the competing demands on their time and attention.

So when you decline a meeting that your boss considers to be important, you may inadvertently send the wrong message – one that raises questions about your level of engagement, ability to manage your time effectively, or understanding of key priorities.

Here are three tips to help others take the right messages away:

1. Reverse roles

Put yourself in your boss's shoes. Even if you don't think missing that meeting is a big deal, your boss might. What is it really about for her? Perhaps it's less about the topics to be discussed and more about you showing your support, by making time to be there or contributing your valuable ideas. There is usually something bigger at play, so challenge yourself to notice it.

2. Clarify your underlying intent

If you decline a meeting, be sure to convey your underlying intent and distill it down to a few key messages. It could be this simple: you want to be there, you understand the importance of the meeting, and you are trying to balance it with moving another competing priority forward.

If you can't attend because you are spread too thin, then it may be time to reexamine how to leverage others or explore other strategies (perhaps with your boss).

3. Take responsibility for your absence

Have a game plan ahead of time, so that someone is prepared to share your input at the meeting and to give you a debrief afterwards. Sharing this with your boss may put her at ease. In some cases, your boss may want to be the person to update you on what you missed. Just be mindful not to create more work for her to do so.

I hope this article got you thinking about what you may be inadvertently communicating. Start by using the three tips as a checklist to help you notice what you already do well or may need to do more of, to send the right messages about your leadership.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Progress Check Against the 3 P's

Through my work with leaders over the years, I have found that focusing on the 3 P's: Purpose, Presence, and Power can significantly affect their ability to impact the business and their careers. This is why we integrate the 3 P's into all of our services and products. So, today, check to see how you are doing relative to the 3 P's.

1. Purpose

How clearly have you defined the three areas where you can make the biggest impact in your role (i.e., the Big 3)? How consistently do you spend your time on the Big 3?

2. Presence

How consistently are you "showing up?" In other words, do your communication and actions clearly help others understand the three things most important to you as a leader? What type of energy are you giving off? Are you draining or energizing others?

3. Power

How effectively and authentically are you building and leveraging the power of your network to get better results for the business and for your career?

From this progress check, choose one area to focus on. If you were unclear about your Purpose, start there because it will affect how you think about your Presence and Power. Define one small step you will take this week and remember that small steps can lead to big results.

© 2013 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Seven Important Reminders

The past few weeks have been full of introspection as I moderated two panels with senior executives and was on one myself. Through all of this I found myself offering the following advice the other day. I hope you find it valuable.

1. Identify what you are currently tolerating in your life (negative thoughts, the wrong people, or misaligned values). Suspend any self-judgment and come up with one change you will make.

2. Surround yourself with the right people in your personal and professional life, people who will elevate your game and give you energy.

3. Challenge yourself to think about how you can be authentic to yourself and play “the game” in a way that works for you. Remember that you can’t win a game you won’t play.

4. Learn from others but don't necessarily emulate them. There's no right or wrong way. Figure out what works for you.

5. When things feel overwhelming, ask yourself how you’ve successfully dealt with similar situations in the past. Then focus on the first step you will take to move forward.

6. Invest in yourself, particularly your health and well-being. By doing so, you will be there for those who matter most to you, have more energy and get more done in less time.

7. Celebrate your successes. You have earned each success and deserve to celebrate. Recognizing important milestones will help you notice what you do well and put your strengths into play more powerfully.

I hope at least one of these reminders resonated with you. Choose one to focus on and identify one step that you will take before the end of this month. Remember, small steps can lead to big results.

© 2012 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Put Your Coaching Skills to Work

As you know, I returned from ICF Conference in London two weeks ago. Now that I have had a chance to think about the experience a bit more, I realized how much change coaching can affect. Yes, I know it sounds weird coming from an executive coach. But as I sat in a ballroom of almost 1000 coaches from 58 countries, hearing example after example of how coaches have rallied together to help local communities recover after massive natural disasters, helped companies drive unprecedented business results, and collaborated to build coaching skills; I was truly proud to be part of the profession. It inspired me to do more and think about how I can continue to work with my clients and our local ICF chapters to think even bigger. So today, I want to challenge you to think about how you will put your coaching skills to work.

When was the last time you asked someone how you could help them achieve their career goals?

Throughout the years, I have regularly asked each of my teams what they want to get out of a particular project or experience, whether it was something work-related or a volunteer opportunity. Doing this allowed me to think more strategically about their development and how I could put my network to work for them. Many of you may have conversations about career goals as part of the performance management process (goal setting, mid-year, and year end), but I encourage you to revisit them throughout the year.

How often do you delegate with development in mind?

As you gain experience, certain aspects of your job may feel routine. So you may underestimate how much you can teach others about what you do and how you do it. The next time you delegate something, do it with the other person’s development in mind. How can you stretch them? How can you leverage their strengths? Asking these questions may shift how you position the work and how you work with the person to complete it.

How much do you advise versus coach?

Although there are times when people truly need your advice (perhaps because they don’t know what they don’t know), there’s so much power in asking thought-provoking questions to generate new insight. This can change a person’s perspective and the choices they ultimately make about the path forward. So before you think about jumping straight to giving advice, stop and ask yourself whether an open-ended question could be more impactful.

So, I urge you to put your coaching skills to work this week. Identify one step you’ll take to make a difference. And remember that small steps can lead to big results.

© 2012 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Getting the Support You Need

I coach my clients all the time on making the highest and best use of their talent and skills and focusing on the Right Work (the three things that will have the biggest business impact). Two weeks ago, when I was out facilitating a leadership development program for one of the Big 4, I realized that I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. So, of course, this inspired some action on my part to make some big changes and the following questions for you:

1. How much time do you reserve each week to be strategic?

How much do you find yourself reacting to what’s going on around you versus strategically driving things forward? Many of my clients have instituted a practice of setting aside uninterrupted time at least 2-3 times a week. To get started, I have them dedicate 15-20 minutes once per week unless they can do more. Most people can find that small amount of time even if they have a packed schedule. As they realize how much of a difference a small amount of time can make, they inevitably find ways to carve out more time. Once you start implementing this strategy, I would encourage you to specify exactly what you want to accomplish in the time you set aside and communicate to your team that this is sacred time (i.e., please do NOT interrupt me!).

2. What takes up a lot of time but just isn’t the right work for you?

One of my clients recently expressed her frustration that she spends too much time reviewing and editing PowerPoint presentations for meetings. In fact, if she could resolve this issue, she would get back 20 hours per month!!!! Now, that’s a serious incentive to make something happen.

As we delved deeper, we realized that this situation presented an opportunity for her to delegate while developing her team in a meaningful way. We discussed several ideas including arming the team with her three review criteria, instituting a peer review process, and pairing up employees who are less skilled with those who can already do this well to promote teaching.

So, what’s taking up a lot of your time? How can you use it as an opportunity to develop your team, while freeing up more of your time? What other resources should you ask for?

3. Are you taking a long-term perspective?

Sometimes you can get in your own way whether it’s because of perfectionism, just doing what you’ve always done, or simply thinking it’s just easier to do the work yourself than ask for help.

I want to challenge you to take a longer-term view and think about whether it makes sense to invest a small amount of time now to teach someone else how to do a particular task so you can save a LOT of time down the road. Remember that all of those minutes can add up to a lot of hours or days that you could wisely invest elsewhere. With that perspective, what are you going to stop doing?

As you read through the questions above, I hope they stimulated some ideas. Identify one thing that you’d like to change and put into practice for yourself starting next week. Remember, small steps lead to big results and the goal is to just get started.

© 2012 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

How Many of These Practices Have You Implemented?

I had an interesting conversation with someone who also frequently coaches high performing women leaders. We talked about the fact that there are several key areas that women often overlook but can lead to stronger performance regardless of gender. So, today I want to share three of the most critical levers:

• Being strategic in how you communicate and work

• Building visibility and credibility to ensure that others understand the value you bring and how to leverage your skills

• Building a network of advocates to engage the power and influence of key leaders who can help you get things done

To get a sense of how you are doing in the three areas, rate yourself on each of the following practices on a scale of 1-5. (1 = I rarely do this; 5 = I consistently do this).

Strategic Focus

1. I understand and clearly communicate how my decisions support the vision, key business strategies and priorities

2. I explain my recommendations in the context of the bigger picture so that others understand the “so what” of what I’m suggesting

3. I carve out time to reflect so I can maintain my focus on what matters most and be more intentional

4. I focus on the “Right Work” - what drives the biggest business results and makes the highest and best use of my unique skills

Credibility and Visibility

1. I clearly understand what differentiates me and how that translates into value for the company (i.e., the impact of my strengths)

2. I track how I am adding value (e.g., specific results, accomplishments, impact)

3. I share my accomplishments in a way that is relevant and useful to others

Powerful Network of Advocates

1. I invest time in building relationships, not just getting my work done

2. I foster genuine relationships with individuals who have power and influence

3. I make it easy for others to help me and my team by arming them with the information they need

4. I leverage the power of my network to get access to information, resources and influence that will help me and my team deliver stronger results

Hopefully, completing this self assessment has gotten your wheels turning. You may already successfully use many of these practices. If so, think about how you can take it up a notch and put them into play even more powerfully. If not, choose just one practice to start doing more consistently from this week forward. Remember that small steps can lead to big results.

© 2012 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

Are You Accelerating Results through Purpose, Presence, and Power?

I get asked time and again about how I help high performing leaders get even better results. Despite each client’s specific goals, I always coach them on three things: Purpose, Presence, and Power, because it consistently takes their performance and leadership to new heights. So, today I want to explain the 3 P’s so you can put them more powerfully into play for yourself.

Purpose

Purpose begins with clarity about two things - what will drive the biggest business results and the highest and best use of your talent and skills. This is what I like to call doing the “Right Work.” When was the last time you really thought about this?

This goes beyond reviewing your performance goals, to reading between the lines to understand what really matters and gets recognized and rewarded in your company. Once you have defined the Right Work, you can be much more deliberate and strategic about where you invest your time.

Purpose also involves making clear linkages between your actions and your intent. For example, someone may observe your actions and draw a conclusion far from what you intended because of their own perspective. So by consistently communicating your intent, you can minimize misunderstandings.

Finally, Purpose means understanding what matters to you personally and professionally (e.g., values, lifestyle, etc.) and setting boundaries to help you honor that.

Presence

Presence is all about how you “show up.” Begin by clarifying your leadership brand, the three things you want others to know about you (e.g., what differentiates you, how you add value, your strengths). Then map out what each element of your brand would look or sound like so you can reinforce it in what you say and do.

As you might expect, communication plays a huge role in Presence, so pay attention to how much you:

• Focus on the big picture vs. the details

• Speak up or hold back in sharing your ideas

• Consistently and tastefully self-promote so that others understand the value you bring

Remember that all of the items above impact how others view your leadership and capabilities. So wherever you go, show up with clear goals in mind: how you will reinforce your brand, clarify your intent, strengthen a relationship, or work towards a desired outcome.

Power

The first aspect of Power entails understanding how things “really get done around here.” This requires uncovering and paying attention to unwritten rules, formal and informal leaders, and what motivates people. Power also involves securing resources and support to get your work done. You can do this by expanding your sphere of influence through two strategies: building your visibility and credibility, and building a strong network of powerful advocates.

Now that you’ve been exposed to the three P’s, how do you want to put them into play? As a first step, consider defining the Right Work or clarifying your desired leadership brand. Once you have a clear picture of what will drive results or what you want others to know about you, you will make much more deliberate, strategic choices. Just don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to tackle the three P’s all at once. Get started with one or two small steps. You know I’m a firm believer that small steps can lead to big results.

© 2012 Neena Newberry | All rights reserved.

How Would You Feel About Having An Executive Coach?

Today I had an interesting conversation with an HR leader. She called me because her company wants to hire an executive coach for one of their leaders, and she was concerned about how the leader might “take it.” We both realize that people have different perspectives about executive coaching based on what they have heard from others. So, today I want to arm you with some basic information about coaching. If your company wants you to work with an executive coach, you might ask, “What does this REALLY mean?” and then explore how your company has used coaches in the past. For example, some companies use coaches only for remedial purposes, to get performance back on track. This can create a negative perception about coaching because no one wants to be viewed as “having problems.” Other companies use coaches to develop high potentials and high performers, with a focus on elevating their performance and preparing them for bigger roles. AT&T, for example, does this well.

If you’re exploring coaching for yourself, have been asked to work with a coach, or are considering a coach for one of your employees, keep these three things in mind:

1. Coaching is an investment with an expected return

For business leaders, having a coach is often seen as a status symbol, and can be the mark of someone being groomed for great things. There is an inherent expectation that the coaching will take performance to a higher level. So, whether or not you asked for a coach, think about how you could use a resource like this to accelerate your business results AND advance your career (because the two definitely go hand-in-hand). What would make this a worthwhile investment of your time and the company’s money (i.e., the business case or expected outcomes)?

2. Coaching is used selectively

Especially in a tight economic environment, companies rely on a variety of resources to develop their employees. For example, your boss could easily ask you to attend a training session or participate in a group development program rather than give you a coach to work with one-on-one. However, when used the right way, executive coaching creates lasting changes in on-the-job performance compared to those alternatives. And since it usually requires a higher investment per person, most companies use coaching selectively.

3. More companies use coaching for leadership development

The seventh annual Sherpa Coaching Study highlights a greater emphasis on coaching for leadership development:

“In 2012, the majority of coaching is designed for leadership development, with the balance of coaching split pretty much equally between transition and problem solving. That applies equally to companies of every size. Over seven years’ time, the amount of coaching used to solve a specific behavioral problem has dropped from 40% to near 25%.”

So, what does all of this mean for you? First, remember that coaching can help you develop your leadership skills faster and more companies use coaching for this reason. Second, tie coaching to what you want to be known for as a leader and what you want to accomplish. This will help others understand what to expect. Finally, remember that it’s all about getting results: working more strategically and effectively, and having a greater business impact.

To learn more about coaching, check out these short audio files on our website at www.newberrycoaching.com.

• What is coaching really about?

• How do I choose a coach?

• How does coaching work?

• Two excerpts from our new self-paced coaching program, WOW! Women On the Way to Peak Performance ProgramSM.

Four Key Levers to Manage Your Career and Get Results

As someone who has coached many high performing women, I was asked to participate on a panel discussion at the Kellogg Career Symposium to give women tips on how to manage their careers. Although I can’t do the topics full justice here, several are covered in my new self-paced coaching program, WOW! Women On the Way to Peak Performance ProgramSM.

1. Focus on the Right Work

Women often take on too much because they may have difficulty saying no, have a desire to prove that they can do it all, or get distracted by work that is less important. At the end of the day, it results in leaving the work that can have the biggest impact on the business and on their careers on the back burner.

So, to help you make more deliberate choices about where you direct your time and energy identify your “Big 3” - the three areas where you can drive business results and make the highest and best use of your talent and skills. Consider how you will really be measured and evaluated, beyond what the formal performance management process is to include what you actually see rewarded and recognized in the company.

2. Tastefully toot your own horn

Women struggle far more with self-promotion than men, so it comes as no surprise that I am asked to present on the topic of Tastefully Tooting Your Own Horn time and again. I consistently hear stories about women who are shocked to hear that others may view them as less effective than they view themselves. So, do these women truly have skill gaps or do they just need to make people more aware of their skills and how they add value/drive results?

Remember that others only see small windows into our accomplishments, so we have to create an authentic and powerful picture of who we are and how we make a difference. So, take the time to proactively and consistently share information in a way that’s relevant to you and your company – i.e., to provide “strategic snapshots.” You never know how others might benefit from your experiences.

3. Consistently focus on building a network of advocates

If you haven’t read it, take a look at this Harvard Business Review article: Why Men Get More Promotions than Women. It points out that although women are more likely than men to have mentors, men talk much more about being sponsored by their mentors. In other words, men typically choose mentors who have power and influence and those mentors advocate on their behalf by giving them exposure, visibility, and access in ways they wouldn’t otherwise get.

So, take a look at your network. Could any of your mentors also be sponsors or advocates? What one step can you take to strengthen your network of support?

4. Maximize the opportunities right in front of you

Finally, remember that every meeting, phone call, interaction is an opportunity to reinforce your brand, build your credibility, or bring a unique perspective. So, take one minute to clarify what you want to get out of the interaction before you walk into one of these situations. It can dramatically shift how you “show up.”

As you know, I am a firm believer that small steps lead to big results. So, choose one of these four areas to focus on this week and identify one action step you will take.

Three Keys to Peak Performance

Since I just completed my new self-paced coaching program, which is all about peak performance, I can’t get the topic off my mind. As you know there are several things that come into play when you want to really step up your game and take your performance to the next level. I have chosen three to get your wheels turning.

1. Focusing on the right work

Many of us get sidetracked by all the things we need to respond to each day – even when we know not all of it is critical or impactful. Keep in mind that 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort, so imagine what might be possible if you could consistently focus on what matters the most. I have a whole module dedicated to this topic in my self-paced coaching program and consistently spend time on this with every client, given its importance.

So, take a minute right now to identify the three areas where you can have the biggest impact in your role – what I like to call the “Big 3.” Having clarity about this will help you make more deliberate choices about how you invest your time and energy.

2. Managing your mindset

How you “show up” each day and respond to what’s happening around you can dramatically help or hinder your progress - and ultimately your results. This year, I will be collaborating with Dr. Paul Stoltz who is a global thought leader on resilience and works with leaders to respond to challenges and adversity in a way that elevates and sustains individual and team performance. His company has done over 25 years of research in this area and has documented the financial impact of implementing their tools and techniques. As you might suspect, it all begins with managing your mindset. If you haven’t seen Paul’s work, check out his latest book The Adversity Advantage.

3. Defining success

Finally, high performers are notorious for expecting a lot of themselves but not always recognizing what they’ve accomplished. Have you defined success for yourself so you’ll know when you’ve gotten “there?” Taking a few minutes to do this will help you notice your progress, more easily share it with key stakeholders, and celebrate your successes.

So, this week, I would encourage you to take one action step in one of the three areas above – whether it’s defining your Big 3, thinking about your mindset, or defining what success looks like for you over the next six months. Just remember that half the battle is just getting started. What small step will you take?

Venus Williams on Leadership

Thanks to my friend Millie Bradley, I had the opportunity to meet Venus Williams and hear her speak at the 100th anniversary celebration of the Girl Scouts in Dallas a couple of weeks ago. She was an impressive 6 feet and 2 inches, towering above most of us with a big smile on her face. Her keynote speech was full of personal stories as she described what leadership means to her. Although you have probably heard these three points before, they are good reminders:

1. Challenge yourself to grow

Venus’ parents have clearly had a huge impact on her perspective. She described how her father always challenges her and Serena to try different things on the tennis court. He doesn’t want either of them to get complacent, sticking to what feels comfortable in tennis or life. Rather, he wants them to constantly stretch and challenge themselves to do better – even when it feels like there isn’t a need.

2. Have a “can do” attitude

Venus laughed as she said, “In my family ‘can’t’ is a four letter word. We were NOT allowed to use that word in our home!”  She shared how her parents always pushed her to find a way to make things work, developing her tenacity and creativity. As evidenced by her impressive track record, there is tremendous power in having a winning, “can do” mindset.

3. Look for the lessons in your failures

As you know, how we handle our failures can have a huge impact on our future successes. Venus shared how losing a big match impacted her.  She often took it really hard, getting depressed and going into her cave for days. Eventually, she realized the value of making mistakes. She laughed as she said, “It’s okay to make the same mistakes twice. It just means you didn’t learn the lesson you needed to the first time. But I draw the line at making the same mistake thrice. You better have it figured out by then!”

So with those important reminders from Venus, how are you going to put them into play for yourself? Take a look at the questions below to get started:

• What will you do this week to stretch outside your comfort zone, even if it’s just a little bit?

• What one thing can you do this week to have a more positive outlook, focusing on what you CAN do?

• What was the toughest lesson you learned this year? How will you take that lesson forward into next year?

As always, identify one small step that you will take this week. You know I’m a firm believer that small steps can lead to big results.

Have You Seen these Resources?

Throughout my career, I have had the chance to learn from and work with some great thought leaders. So, this week, I thought I'd share three resources with you from people whose work has helped me and my clients.

Put Your Mindset to Work

I had the opportunity to meet Paul Stoltz last month, and am impressed by his ability to take complex research on resilience and overcoming adversity and turn it into something you can apply in practical, simple ways. His latest book is Put Your Mindset to Work. The Adversity Quotient lays the foundation for his subsequent books, and has some good gems in it.

A Smarter Way to Network

I had a chance to meet and work with Rob Cross when I was at Deloitte, and I'm a huge fan. He has done some valuable research on networking, identifying what distinguishes high performers from others. He's an author, professor, and business consultant. You can buy his latest HBR article, published in July 2011 and listen to an interview with him by clicking on this link: https://hbr.org/2011/07/managing-yourself-a-smarter-way-to-network.

BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn without Blowing It

For those of you who have trouble letting others know about how you create value and make a difference and haven't been able to attend one of my workshops on the topic, take a look at this book by Peggy Klaus.

Just Colleen – Leading with Luv

On September 9, 2011, we had the unique opportunity to hear Colleen Barrett (President Emeritus of Southwest Airlines) speak about Servant Leadership at our monthly North Texas Coaches meeting. Unlike most leadership presentations, this was an open forum where she encouraged us to ask her what we really wanted to know. I have to smile as I think about my experience with this event. It began with logistical emails back and forth with her team as I sat on a Southwest Airlines (SWA) plane from Dallas to Houston. When they realized I was on a SWA flight, I immediately received heartfelt emails thanking me for being a customer, signed with lines of “X’s and O’s.” That was truly a first for me in a business setting. And quite fittingly, the event itself ended with more Luv. As I thanked Colleen on stage, she gave me a big kiss on the cheek while she endearingly adjusted the back of my suit jacket and said, “I just couldn’t let you walk around like that.”

In the hour she spent with us, Colleen shared story after story in such an authentic style, all in the spirit of teaching us what she has learned over the years. As you know, she and Herb Kelleher successfully planted the seeds that have grown a culture that truly differentiates Southwest Airlines from its competitors, driving results in a challenging industry. So, today I want to share a few of Colleen’s pearls of wisdom.

Serve First

Colleen began by telling us that serving first is the backbone of Servant Leadership, a philosophy core to her management and leadership style. This means that servant leaders think about others’ needs first and ask, “How can I help?” Colleen views this as key to understanding how to motivate and develop employees and get results. By serving others and following the Golden Rule (i.e., Treat others as you would like to be treated), leaders build true followership.

Do What You Luv

Colleen spoke about the importance of loving what you do, what she called “combing your advocation and your vocation.” For her, the past 40+ years in the airline industry have been about customer service, something she wholeheartedly thrives on. She reminded us that life is short, and that we should not underestimate the importance of doing what we love. We inherently know that tapping into what we enjoy brings out our natural creativity and elevates performance.

You Can Learn from Anyone

Colleen also reminded us that great ideas can come from anywhere. As leaders, when we let go of the hierarchy and adopt a learning mindset, we can naturally and easily bring out ideas from others. Colleen also emphasized the power of noticing the small cues, like body language, which can teach us volumes about what people really think.

Do the Right Thing

By the end of her presentation, Colleen had us all in tears. She closed with a moving story in which employee after employee at SWA had jumped through hoops, working around at least four major rules and government regulations, to do the right thing for a passenger in a dire family situation.

She used her example to highlight the power of doing the right thing, even if that means bending or breaking the rules. Colleen explained that the SWA culture empowers employees to do what they feel is right in a given situation – to use their own judgment, take a risk, and potentially make a mistake. Although SWA has a forgiving culture, they do stand firm about what matters most - employee attitudes and customer service.

As you might guess, we left the session sniffling and inspired. If you want to learn more about how Servant Leadership can drive results, take a look at Colleen’s new book co-authored with Ken Blanchard, Lead with LUV: A Different Way to Create Real Success.

Tastefully Tooting Your Own Horn

Over the past three years, my most requested presentation has been Tastefully Tooting Your Own Horn. It may surprise you to know that individuals at all levels of organizations struggle with self-promotion. Many find self-promotion draining and difficult but absolutely essential - yes, a necessary evil.  I don’t like it any more than you do, but I learned how to do it over the years because I had to. At Deloitte, I worked on consulting projects all over the country, where the partners and directors who made decisions about my pay and promotion often had no direct visibility to my work. So, I had to find ways to talk about my results and accomplishments and arm others with that information – in a way that worked for me. Today, I help my clients do the same. To get you moving in the right direction, I want to share three common roadblocks to self-promotion and how to move past them.  

1. “My good work will speak for itself. I don’t have time for these games.”

I can’t tell you how often I hear this phrase. It’s usually from talented individuals who do great work but detest political games (i.e. affectionately called “the heads down” worker”).

If this sounds like you, recognize that most people are way too busy to notice all the ways you add value - even if they want to. I’m guessing that your boss has several direct reports, her own boss, and other key stakeholders who demand her time and attention. On top of that, she has her own goals to meet and distractions to manage. How much time does that really leave her to focus on you?

So, it’s up to YOU to make it happen – to take the initiative to give visibility to your work, to get recognized for your contributions and open up new possibilities for yourself. Your good work alone won’t get you there - and unfortunately you can’t win at a game that you won’t even play. Start by making a decision to get in the game.

2. “I don’t want to come across as obnoxious or full of myself.”

No one likes to listen to someone whose head can barely fit in the door. Yes, we’ve all met at least one of those people in our lives! The good news is that those negative experiences can give us clues about what NOT to do. So, if you don’t want to come across as arrogant, think about how you DO want to show up. To get started, come up with three words to describe the type of impression you’d like to leave about yourself when you are telling others about your accomplishments. If you have already defined your personal brand, use that as context as well.

Remember that having clarity about the imprint you want to leave on others will help you develop strategies that work for you.

3. “I’m bad at it. I just don’t know how to do it.”

You’re not alone if you feel ill equipped to tastefully toot your own horn. If you feel this way, think about how you can share information about your results and accomplishments in a way that is relevant and helpful to others.

I’ll give you two examples to think about. First, consider that someone else in the company may be faced with a challenge similar to what you just successfully overcame. By taking the time to share what you did and how you did it, you can help them tremendously.

Second, keep in mind that your boss has to make decisions about your performance, pay, and development (to ensure that you can continue to contribute to the company’s goals). Providing information to her on a regular basis will allow her to make those decisions easily, and will serve you and the company well. Remember that she will be held accountable for your results.

Finally, to give you more clues about how to tastefully self- promote, look for others around you who do it well. Simply notice what they do and say. You may find that you can adapt some of their strategies to fit your own style.

By recognizing what’s holding you back from self-promoting, you can determine how to move forward. Start by defining an action step you will take this week. Also, if you haven’t read it, take a look at Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn.